Torbay's English Riviera Airshow to return in 2024 thanks to fundraising success

Torbay's English Riviera Airshow will go ahead in June thanks to a funding appeal set up following concerns over its future.

Torbay Council appealed to the community to help raise funds for the event and it has now confirmed enough money has been raised for the event to take place on 1 and 2 June.

Carolyn Custerson, from English Riviera BID, said: “On the first weekend in June we are going to see probably the best airshow we have ever had. Everybody has taken up the challenge.”

Immediately after the 2023 airshow, the council raised doubts about whether it could go on funding the event.

It costs £250,000 to run the show each year, although it is claimed that for every pound spent on the event £15 comes into the local economy.

The council’s cabinet committee committed to fund £100,000 and asked the local community to come up with the rest.

The new Mercure and Ibis Styles hotels in Paignton are sponsors for the event, and a number of other local businesses have also signed up as partners and sponsors.

The council has already announced a line-up including the RAF Red Arrows, the Typhoon jet fighter and the Battle of Britain Memorial flight.

Other civilian aircraft are yet to be confirmed. Traders, businesses and other exhibitors will fill an event ‘village’ on Paignton Green.

Mrs Custerson explained: “The council set a challenge to say they couldn’t afford to keep putting a quarter of a million pounds into the airshow, and a group of us set up and worked together.

“They reduced the budget to £100,000 so the challenge was, how do we raise £150,000 to continue the airshow? As of this week it’s been confirmed that we have filled that gap.”