Comedy's like supporting your local football team - venues react as festival firm folds

"I think comedy's like supporting your local football team," says Alan Merryweather, owner of a host venue for one of the biggest comedy festivals in the UK.

He, like other venue owners that open their doors every February to stand-up comedians from across the world, has expressed his sadness and anger that the company behind Leicester Comedy Festival had become insolvent and ceased trading.

On Wednesday, directors of Big Difference Company, announced the news "with great sadness", citing "increasing costs, a difficult funding environment, and significant pressures within the live comedy sector" as factors in its decision.

Merryweather, owner of the Black Horse pub in Aylestone and Laughter Loft comedy club, said: "I know there are some great people that rely on the Leicester Comedy Festival or a festival in Leicester to keep them afloat throughout the year."

A statement from Big Difference Company said it recognised the "significant impact" on employees, performers, venues, suppliers and other creditors, and it was "sincerely sorry" to all those affected.

The decision comes weeks after the company submitted a serious incident report to the Charity Commission over ongoing financial issues.

The company's financial woes became apparent in May after hundreds of comedians said they were unpaid following the 2026 festival.

Leicester City Council said it would work with promoters and venues "to ensure that an interim comedy festival programme can take place in 2027".

Harry Hill, Matt Lucas, Graham Norton and Sarah Millican are among the well-known names who have performed at the event over the past three decades.

Set up by students from De Montfort University in 1994, Leicester Comedy Festival became a registered company the following year before the firm changed its name to Big Difference in 2009.

Merryweather told the BBC the festival brought 5,000 people through the doors every year.

He said the Big Difference Company owed the pub and acts that had performed there more than £9,000.

While he expressed anger about the situation, he said the news had been a "trauma for some of the comedians".

"I'm angry it's come to this for the simple reason that this could have been resolved by communication," he said.

"I think comedy's like supporting your local football team.

"People want it, people need it and people are prepared to support it if it gets to a critical stage, as long as people are kept in the loop," Merryweather added.

He said the venue was going to "write our fees off", but he hoped the acts who were "the stars of the show" got their money back.

"It's hurt us, a £9,000 bill for anybody is going to hurt," he said.

"We are a busy little hub in a lovely suburb of Leicester that the community supports, but take £9,000 away from anybody's income and anybody's business, and it's obviously going to do damage."

He asked people to come and support any future comedy festival in Leicester.

"The only thing I ask is people from not just Leicestershire but surrounding areas come and support it," he said.

Other venues, which hosted shows as part of the festival, said the Big Difference Company owed their businesses money.

Rachael Johnson, the managing director of Live at The Lodge, told the BBC she felt "disappointment and despair" at the news the Big Difference Company had ceased trading.

She said the events company, which hosted shows for the comedy festival at Lutterworth Town Hall, and the Wycliffe Rooms, was owed £615 from the Big Difference Company.

"It's a lot of money and we're just a family-run business," Johnson said.

She added the business was going to put in a claim with the insolvency practitioners - and told the BBC she found out the news through the media, and not the Big Difference Company.

"They've not even had the courtesy to drop an email out," she added.

Johnson also raised concerns that as a venue outside of the city of Leicester, she was "worried" an interim festival organised by the city council would "preclude us as part of the wider county".

Johnson said the shows would bring 300 people through the doors at the two venues, which she said for rural venues was "massive".

She added any potential loss of the festival from Lutterworth would have an impact on the "whole high street" as people spent money on taxis, meals out and drinks as part of going to see a show.

"That's a huge amount of revenue lost to a small town like Lutterworth. You've got a population of 10,000, and we were bringing 300 people into the town," Johnson said.

"It has a knock-on effect, everybody suffered as a result."

A spokesperson for Leicester City Council said: "It's very early days and no decisions have been made yet, but there's no reason why venues outside the city boundary couldn't be involved with an interim festival."

Mayor of Leicester Sir Peter Soulsby said he was "obviously sad" about the Big Difference Company ceasing trading, but added he was "absolutely determined that this does not spell the end of the comedy festival".

"[We] welcome lots of visitors to the city and lots of people from the city and around to go to the comedy festival, and we're not going to lose it," he said.

He said next year's festival would be a "bit slimmed down", but added it would bring people into the city and to venues.

"I think in the long-term what we'll be doing is working with other stakeholders, other interested parties to make sure that we have a successor to the Big Difference Company and they're able to continue the excellent festival," the Labour mayor said.

The Live Comedy Association - set up to support people working in grassroots live comedy - said it had launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to support those affected by non-payments.

It added the initial target was £30,000, with all funds raised going directly towards assisting individuals, promoters, venues and staff who were owed money.

The association's director, Jessica Toomey, said: "We are incredibly sad about the dreadful impact this will have on many of our members and the wider live comedy sector across the UK."

In a statement, the directors of The Big Difference Company said: "The directors and management team have worked tirelessly to avoid this outcome, exploring a range of options, including cost reductions, operational changes and seeking additional funding and support.

"Despite these efforts, it has not been possible to secure a sustainable financial future for the charity.

"We recognise the significant impact this will have on our employees, performers, venues, suppliers and other creditors, and we are sincerely sorry to all those affected.

"Our immediate focus is to meet our legal obligations and engage constructively with stakeholders throughout the insolvency process.

"Looking ahead, we remain committed to working with stakeholders, including Leicester City Council, funders, venues and the wider community, to explore how a sustainable long-term future can be secured for this much-loved festival.

"We would like to thank everyone who has supported the charity over the past years and helped make Leicester Comedy Festival such an important part of the cultural life of our region."

Additional reporting from Dan Martin and Giles Taylor

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.