Somerset’s MPs have urged the government to step in and help safeguard the long‑term future of the county’s historic carnivals amid rising costs and pressure on volunteers.
Four MPs – including Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge MP Ashley Fox – spoke during a Westminster Hall debate this month, highlighting the economic, cultural and social importance of the annual events, which attract many thousands of visitors to towns across Somerset each autumn.
The debate was led by Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke, who said additional government support was needed to offset increasing energy, insurance and transport costs faced by carnival clubs.
“Carnivals have been celebrated in Somerset for over 400 years and continue to be wonderful celebrations that are of economic, social and cultural importance,” she said. “The number of hours that each club and each committee puts into building and maintaining their carts is simply astounding.”
She warned that rising costs — with a single illuminated cart now costing more than £30,000 to put on the road — were placing many clubs in a precarious position.
She added that carnival contributes more than £40m to the Somerset economy each year, providing a major boost for local businesses and raising vital funds for charities.
But she said falling street collections, fewer volunteers, and unreliable mobile signals in rural areas — which hinder digital donations — were making it harder for clubs to stay afloat.
“Carnival clubs have historically sustained themselves through membership fees, fundraising and sponsorship,” she said. “But with small businesses navigating a challenging fiscal landscape, many simply cannot afford to sponsor local clubs, no matter how much they value them.”
Weston‑super‑Mare MP Dan Aldridge described Weston Carnival as “integral” to the town’s identity, sharing personal memories of attending the event with his family. “Carnival speaks to something fundamental in us all: the need for community, light and joy in the cold winter months,” he said.
Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox paid tribute to the organisers of Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, calling it “a magnificent spectacle”.
He said: “I want to pay tribute to the many volunteers who make costumes, rehearse their acts, construct their carts, judge the entries, raise funds, and undertake the many other hundreds of tasks that are necessary to put on this fantastic spectacle.”
“I particularly thank Dave Creedy, the president of the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes carnival, and his committee for their tireless work. While carnivals are an extraordinary spectacle that attract hundreds of thousands of tourists to Somerset’s towns every year, they are increasingly expensive to run.”
“The cumulative effect is to make life more difficult for the great teams of volunteers who put in so much work to run our carnivals across Britain. Will the minister commit to working on a cross-party basis to ensure that this great tradition is able to continue for another 180 years?”
And Tessa Munt MP (Lib Dem, Wells and Mendip Hills) said she had seen first-hand how poor mobile signal in her constituency had led to dwindling donations on carnival nights.
She said: “In parts of Shepton Mallet, the city of Wells and almost the whole of the way east of Wells is without any WiFi, even for those who live there. That makes things incredibly difficult.”
“Our ‘arts everywhere’ ambition ensures that carnival is not merely a seasonal event, but a sophisticated year-round art form that supports places to thrive, generating millions of pounds in benefits and telling our nations’ stories. This debate is important because of the impact that carnival has on tourism and the visitor economy, not just on the arts.”
“Our ambition is clear: we want to welcome 50 million international visitors annually by 2030. But we recognise that numbers alone are not the measure of success. We must ensure that those visitors stay longer and explore further, reaching beyond our major hubs and into the rural and coastal heartlands.”
