Godiva in the City criticised over lack of crowds

The replacement of a Coventry music festival has been criticised for lack of audience members and how it was roled out.

Performer KANDA said there were hardly any people in attendance, adding: "I was very disappointed in how it went in general. You automatically assume that because it's a free event, people would jump at that."

The annual Godiva Festival was cancelled in February by the city council. A slimmed down version of the event, Godiva in the City, took place on Saturday and Sunday.

All 10,000 free tickets for the main stages were snapped up ahead of the event, said the council, but a "higher-than-expected" number of no-shows occurred on Saturday.

Negative feedback about the ticketing system, stage placement and audience numbers were among the things visitors complained about online.

"Even when I was asked to perform - it was 10 days before it happened. I didn't get time to promote it, they didn't put me on their post until about five days before the event," KANDA, real name Sachin Kanda, said.

The 22-year-old has collaborated with South Asian artists and producers including Panjabi MC and Dr Zeus.

The singer said there was "next to nobody there", even during a headline performance from rapper Chip - formerly known as Chipmunk.

"We all know Chipmunk. To have a free event, where he's the headliner and even he can't manage to pull over a hundred people, is crazy to me.

"When it got to my time, the organiser said to me this was the biggest attendance apart from Chipmunk. That was mental to me."

The songwriter also pointed out problems with the ticketing system. He said festival-goers were "ping-ponged" all over the city.

He added: "I didn't understand the ticketing system at all. I understand needing to know audience numbers, but to place things where they did, get your wristbands from one side of the city centre only to put the stages on the other side basically was mad.

"As a music consumer, I wouldn't want to go through a hassle of going here and there to get in for a free performance."

The council said this was a "pattern common at free ticketed events nationally", where people reserve a place but don't ultimately attend.

It said organisers were able to release further tickets and welcome more people to the music stages on the Sunday.

Councillor John McNicholas, said residents are still feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living.

He said: "Like many free ticketed events, we saw a number of people who'd reserved a ticket not attend on the day.

"That meant some performances didn't always have the crowd numbers we wanted or expected, and it's a lesson for us as we plan future events – including how we manage ticket allocation and reminders to make sure as many people as possible take up their place.

"But I don't want that one issue to overshadow a first Godiva in the City that delivered on so many levels."

McNicholas said the council is encouraging everyone that attended to fill out a survey in order for the festival to be shaped "into the event Coventry deserves."

A post-event survey can be filled out on the Godiva Festival website.

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