ONE of the biggest festivals in the South is set to get a cash injection to help weather the coronavirus pandemic.

Boomtown festival is set to receive almost £1,000,000 in Government funding.

The hugely popular summer event is among 2,700 recipients of the Cultural Recovery Fund (CRF) announced by culture secretary Oliver Dowden today.

With a capacity of 76,999 in 2019 - Boomtown will get £991,000 in aid.

A second round of CRF grants totalling £300m is now up for grabs with the money helping the culture and heritage sector reopen and recover following the covid crisis.

A post on the Boomtown Fair Facebook page said: "We're so pleased to announce that we have received much-needed funding from the DCMS's Cultural Recovery Fund.

"This will help to ensure the long-term stability of the festival so that we can continue to be #HereForCulture."

This year, the festival is scheduled to run from Wednesday, August 11 to Sunday, August 15.

Taking place on the Matterley Estate outside Winchester, the event boasts an eclectic mix of music and entertainment.

As previously reported, a Boomtown organiser warned that many festivals would not be able to survive if they did not go ahead in 2021.

Anna Wade, communications and strategy director for the fair, said the consequences of festivals not going ahead in 2021 would be “pretty grave” for the wider industry.

She said: “The consequences, I think it is fair to say, are pretty grave. Most events or festivals, it is unlikely that we would be able to weather the storm of events not happening in 2021.

“Most event organisers have only one event. We are an independent festival.

“We only hold one event. That is one opportunity a year. That’s our product. That’s what we do. Without that, we don’t have a company, essentially.”

Commenting today, Dowden said, “Our record-breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced. “Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the £300m increase to the existing £1.57bn Cultural Recovery fund in his March Budget.