Manchester Pride Enters Liquidation

Manchester Pride, one of the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations, has gone into voluntary liquidation, leaving artists, suppliers, and local businesses in limbo and raising doubts over the future of the city’s famous August Pride weekend.

The charity behind the event confirmed the news in a message sent to artists and contractors, saying it made the decision with “enormous sadness”. It blamed “rising costs, declining ticket sales and an ambitious refresh of the format” for making the organisation “no longer financially viable.”

The Board of Trustees said they were “devastated at this situation” and “sad to share that our staff team will be made redundant.” They added: “We, along with the team, have put our hearts and souls into the celebration and community activities over two decades and are very distressed at the position in which we find ourselves.”

Equity, the performers’ and creatives’ union, said it had been contacted by dozens of unpaid workers, some of whom are owed thousands of pounds. Karen Lockney, the union’s North West official, said: “We are collecting contractual information to pursue all options to recoup money owed, and we will begin these processes immediately.”

Manchester Pride’s financial troubles have been mounting for years. Official filings showed a loss of nearly £500,000 in 2023, and the organisation later admitted its plans to rebuild cash reserves had failed. An unsuccessful bid to host EuroPride 2028 added further pressure.

The Charity Commission confirmed it has opened a compliance case, saying: “We have opened a compliance case to assess concerns raised about Manchester Pride and we are engaging with the trustees to help inform any next regulatory steps.” The charity’s latest accounts are not due until December, but the liquidation means the full financial details may take months to emerge.

Manchester City Council said the annual Pride celebration will still take place next August, despite the charity’s collapse. Council leader Bev Craig said: “Pride is much more than the organisation that runs it and we want to support a new chapter for Manchester Pride weekend which will take place next August.”

Manchester Pride has been a staple of the city since 1985, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and contributing millions to the local economy. The event has hosted major stars including Leigh-Anne, Olly Alexander, and Nelly Furtado, but this year’s edition was overshadowed by behind-the-scenes financial problems.