PLANS are underway to help give businesses a boost during Boardmasters.

Newquay BID is consulting companies and shop owners to see how trade could be improved during the surf and music festival.

The Newquay business group will take the feedback into a meeting with Vision Nine, the organisers of Boardmasters, to see if any of the concerns can be ironed out.

It follows numerous businesses stating they lose trade during the music and surf festival as many “families and couples” avoid visiting the town when the event is being held.

Food and drink outlets, supermarkets as well as camping shops see a surge in business when Boardmasters is held but many other businesses say their trade declines.

One improvement a number of businesses would like to see is a temporary mobile phone mast being erected as the Wi-Fi signal was weak at times due to the sheer number of people trying to use the networks, which led to them loosing custom as they could not run their card machines.

Shops and taxi drivers were among those who were impacted.

Newquay BID manager Mark Warren said: “We are currently asking businesses for feedback and will collate this to go to a meeting with Vision Nine.

“We have a good relationship with Vision Nine and often work with them around business concerns.

“Over this year’s festival I have had a mixed bag with some business reporting a record week and some saying it’s their quietest week of the summer. Once the survey is in, we will delve deeper into the detail.

“I see a key problem being that press all tell everyone to avoid Newquay during Boardmasters when apart from the main route into the Watergate Bay site the roads around the town and coming from Truro and down the roads are clear.

“Normal Newquay tourists including families and couples avoid this week as the town is then full of Boardie’s and unless your business is food, drink, camping shops and supermarkets you won’t get them in.

“That said the shuttle service into Newquay town centre was very reliable and half the cost of last year’s ticket.

“I also think we need to work with Vison Nine to see if we can introduce Newquay businesses into the retail offering at Fistral and Watergate Bay as most retailers were from outside Newquay , yet selling competing products.”

A spokesperson for Boardmasters said: “Regarding impact on local businesses we work in close collaboration with Newquay BID, as well as many businesses in the local area.

“We take proactive steps to liaise with any businesses who may be impacted during the Boardmasters weekend. 

“Boardmasters is proud to be a part of Cornwall, generating millions each year for the county, as well as fundraising efforts through the Boardmasters Foundation which contributes to local charities and organisations.

“We have been committed to working with local companies for over a decade and have seen growth in their personnel YoY, alongside the increase in festival capacity. 

“Companies include Coast 2 Coast, SW1, Impact, Delta Group, The Event Depot, Blue Sky, XL Crew, Audio Source, Millstone Sound, Tru Cru, Mass Affect, Liteworx AV, Mission Code and Sky Bar. 

“In addition to specifically skilled roles, we work alongside Oxfam & One Circle, bar provider, to recruit from the local area. 

“Our festival Green Team is managed by a local sustainability advisor who understands the nuances of the Cornish coastline and how the festival can strive for minimal impact.

“She manages a team of over 40, local, like-minded individuals who provide support for waste management, litter bond, sustainable trader management plus hosts daily beach cleans alongside festivals goers.  

“Working in partnership with Love Newquay, we want to encourage local students to work at the festival, providing a springboard into the events industry.”