U.K. government spending cuts could lead to the cancellation of a music festival associated with The Beatles.
The Beatles-themed Mathew Street Music Festival costs £900,000 a year to organize but is now under threat – despite one independent report saying it to be worth £17m to the economy.
Mathew Street in Liverpool, England, was home to the Cavern Club (famous for early Beatles performances) and gives its name to an annual free music festival. In 2011, it attracted musicians and Beatles fanatics from more than 30 countries.
"Next year is its 20th anniversary and it is also the 50th anniversary of the formation of The Beatles, with Ringo Starr joining as drummer," said Joe Anderson, leader of the Liverpool City Council. "But these are the difficult choices that we are having to make."
The Beatles still have their own dedicated museum in their Liverpool hometown, The Beatles Story.
Thanks for the report to Michael Leonard, Gibson.com.
