PEAKENDER 2024 UPDATE

One thing we can all agree on is that Peakender 2023 was the best version of Peakender to date! Despite the threat of Biblical rain on the Friday (think 2019 when there were ducks swimming in front of the main stage!) we mostly managed to stay dry and enjoy great music, food and beer with friends and family. 

However, behind the scenes there were months and months of planning and preparation to put on the very best show we could whilst battling huge surges in cost from a supplier standpoint. Everything from the insurance for the event, the generators used to power the event and even the medics on standby to keep everybody safe increased from between 15% - 150%! As a result, we had to increase tickets slightly, but our loyal Thornbridge and Peakender fans still turned up and ‘Partied in the Peaks’ to make it all worthwhile! 

Unfortunately though, initial indicators suggest that all of the costs to put on the event in 2024 are likely to significantly increase again and we just aren’t sure that we can justify the increased costs whilst endeavouring to put on an event that offers value for money and gives you, all of our wonderful Peakender family, the experience you have come to expect. 

Peakender has never been about making money for us. What started as a small event in 2014 largely for employees, friends and family at Thornbridge Hall has morphed in to our largest Marketing spend each year where we accept that we are going to spend vast sums of money on promoting the brand and making sure people have fun! However, in the past two years since COVID, this cost has risen so sharply that it has led us to question if we can honestly and responsibly continue to run the event when something as simple as the weather could be financially devastating in terms of recouping some of the event costs back through ticket sales and subsequent beer sales. 

So, regrettably, Peakender will not return in 2024. As a business, Thornbridge are making 2024 a year where we focus on sustainability to ensure we are being as efficient as possible as a business and driving down our impact on our environment, the beautiful Peak District. This includes a number of capital expenditure projects which we will talk about another time but it does mean that much of the time, effort and money that goes in to Peakender will be re-directed for more justifiable causes. For Peakender though, this is not goodbye, it’s hopefully see you later!