Following the 20th anniversary edition of Latitude Festival, founder and managing director Melvin Benn has confirmed the signing of a new 20-year lease with the Rous family, owners of the Henham Park estate.
Benn revealed the news to festival-goers on Sunday, during an on-stage conversation about the festival's 20-year history.
The announcement followed a weekend that saw 40,000 people gather at Henham Park for headline performances from David Byrne, Teddy Swims and Lewis Capaldi (pictured), alongside sets from The Flaming Lips, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, Self Esteem, Billy Ocean, David Gray, Tom Grennan, English Teacher and Alex James' Britpop Classical, as well as a Latitude debut from Tom Odell.
In line with the festival's founding ethos, the anniversary edition reached beyond music. The Comedy Arena featured Jack Dee, Sara Pascoe, Lenny Henry and Ross Noble, who made his first Latitude appearance in 18 years, while Dr John Cooper Clarke led the spoken word line-up.
Melvin Benn said: "I have signed a new 20-year lease with the Rous family. Latitude will call Henham Park home until 2046. I could not be prouder to make that commitment, or to announce it in front of our audience on the festival's 20th anniversary.”
Twenty years down. Twenty more to come. I cannot wait to show you what's next
Melvin Benn
"Henham Park is not just where Latitude happens,” he added. “It is part of what Latitude is. The lake, the woods, the parkland. You cannot separate the festival from the place. From our first year in 2006, when 4,500 people came through the gates, to this weekend's celebrations, the estate has shaped everything we do.
"But this weekend was never about looking back. Latitude has always been about what comes next. The new voices, the debut performances, the artists you discover in a tent in the woods and follow for the rest of your life. That is the festival we have built, and that is the festival we will keep building. The next 20 years start now.
Benn added: "My thanks go to Hektor Rous and his family. Their stewardship of Henham Park spans generations, and it means a great deal to me that the festival plays its part in the restoration and care of the estate. This is a partnership built on shared values, and it will underpin everything we do from here. Twenty years down. Twenty more to come. I cannot wait to show you what's next."
Hektor Rous, whose family own the Henham Park estate, said: "Latitude Festival has been an incredible and pivotal event for Henham Park and we couldn't be more pleased to have agreed another 20 years with the brilliantly creative and passionate team at Festival Republic led by Melvin Benn. Latitude has very much enabled us to continue the restoration and care of Henham Park which is not only my life's work, but the work of generations before and after."
Anyone who has attended any of Latitude's 20 editions can register for an exclusive Loyalty Reward on Weekend tickets to Klarna presents Latitude 2027, with savings of up to £50 per adult ticket depending on how many years they have been attending.
Loyalty registration closes at 11:59pm on Sunday (August 2), with Loyalty Tickets going on sale at 10am on Wednesday, August 5.
PHOTO: Kieran Frost/WireImage/GettyImages
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