Northern Ireland Tourist Board claim City of Culture has failed to attract private investment

Minutes published by NITB from a board meeting held in May show that concerns were raised about lack of private sector participation and sponsorship.

The NITB minutes of the May meeting record: “A report was given on meetings to discuss the marketing and delivery of the UK City of Culture. The Board noted with concern a potential shortfall of circa £1.6m in their event budget and the likely impacts that this would have on the programme.

“Additionally, with NITB’s marketing funding only having been approved recently, this resulted in a more tightly concentrated campaign across four weeks (rather than three months) with challenges in relation to media buying and delivery.

“Members remarked that this did not represent best value for money.

“The Board also noted a shortfall in the city’s marketing budget of £1.3m as well as correspondence between DETI and Derry City Council suggesting that the Council should take up the issue of the funding shortfall with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure / OFMDFM.

“The Board noted that both shortfalls were compounded by a lack of private sector sponsorship and ticketing income.”

Elsewhere it reported, under the heading ‘UK City of Culture: Tier 1 Events’, “The Board was advised of correspondence from DETI indicating that while it cannot guarantee funding for UK City of Culture events and the Giro d’Italia, NITB should issue Letters of Offer in the expectation that resources will be available in future monitoring rounds.

“Members noted that the requirement for UK City of Culture Events amounts to £500k and the Giro £750k, and were advised that the only means by which NITB can guarantee such funding within existing resource is by significantly reducing its marketing programme.

“The Board asked that this issue should be added to the Risk Register (ACTION: KT) and raised urgently with DETI at the debrief meeting.”

While the private sector may not have bought fully into the UK City of Culture year, the Senior Responsible Officer for the year, Sharon O’Connor recently revealed that some sectionstand to make considerable profits, especially due to the influx of hundreds of thousands of people for the all-Ireland Fleadh.

Ms O’Connor told a Department for Social Development committee: “We visited Cavan, and a lot of the businesses there told us that they made a year’s takings in that 10-day period.

“We brought the business community down; the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce brought a whole team of business people to Cavan, and they spoke to hotels and pubs and shops.

“They were very satisfied about the financial returns that would be accrued from the fleadh.”

Overall, she said the business community’s morale could not be higher.