Melvin Benn, director of festivals for promoter Mean Fiddler has confirmed that Reading and Leeds's 10-year contract with Carling has come to an end and that a replacement sponsor will not be sought.
"I wanted to reclaim the name Reading festival and the name Leeds festival," Benn told BBC 6 Music. "I wanted them to return to their roots, so to speak. I didn't want the events to be called after a sponsor. I'm not asking another sponsor to come in."Its been known as the Carling Weekend for some years now - with most people still referring it by the respective town names instead. I remember when I worked at the Virgin Megastore in Reading and Virgin sponsored the festival we got free tickets. A much less corporate affair than the Carling sponsorship. But then look at the corporate fest which is V Festival. Absolutely hideous!
So whats next for all the other venues that Mean Fiddler has renamed? The Brixton and Islington Academies for starters. Bring back the original names we all still call them by those anyway!
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I might actually go to reading now then, but i wont be going to V and have never been anyway. Why call it the carling weekend and carling academy anyway, i mean its pretty arrogant, tell me one person whos favorite beer is carling? its fuckin shit, although i wouldnt mind a staropramen festival though at least the beer would be good. Oh and it should be mandatory to employ the somerset cider bus to all festival please.
Woo-hoo!!! As a hater of corporate business, it's not often we hear news like this - thanks for spreading the good word Vix! Here's hoping someone buys Carling out of their sponsorship of London live venues next. Honestly, NO-ONE would ever drink that piss-water they call beer anyway, if they weren't forced to by the venue's sponsors! The dirty, evil, robbing bastards!!!
Hey,
I'm Leonard from Malaysia. Will be attending Reading Fest this coming august together with my Boss. We're there for work assignment under our sponsor TUBORG.
If possible..maybe we could meet-up. It'll be cool to make some new friends. *smile*
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www.wire-up.blogspot.com
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