Manchester Pride bosses are ‘in the process of determining the best way forward’ after reports it is preparing to enter administration after running into financial problems.
Two people with direct knowledge of the situation told The Mill that Manchester Pride Ltd — the organisation behind the annual LGBTQ+ festival — can no longer pay its bills.
Prolific North has approached both Manchester Pride and its PR firm for comment but has not received a response.
However, following publication of its story, The Mill said it received a statement from Manchester Pride Ltd’s board of trustees. The statement reads: “Manchester Pride is currently in the process of determining the best way forward with our legal and financial advisers. The aim is to provide additional communications by Wednesday 22nd October. We will provide further information to our communities and stakeholders as well. They deserve this.”
The news follows growing unrest among some performers, with a number of artists writing to the organisation claiming they have not been paid for their appearances at this year’s festival in August.
In a letter seen, the performers said they had faced “automated replies, contradictions, and shifting expectations,” and that Pride had missed its 30-day payment terms. “This isn’t just an administrative failure – it’s a breach of trust and legality,” the letter said, adding that some artists had been left struggling to pay rent and bills.
The report states that Manchester Pride has been seeking new sources of funding for several months but has been unable to raise sufficient capital to continue operations. Two sources told The Mill it is now expected to enter administration.
The latest publicly available accounts for Manchester Pride Ltd, covering 2023, show the charity was already in financial difficulty. Despite generating £2.7m in revenue, it recorded a loss of £467,000, leaving it with negative cashflow of £356,000.
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The 2023 accounts also include a note suggesting the board had raised concerns about the organisation’s financial health and made “appropriate enquiries” to determine whether it remained a going concern.
Manchester Pride Ltd, which is both a registered charity and a company, has faced criticism in recent years for becoming increasingly commercialised. It also operates a non-profit subsidiary, Manchester Pride Events.
The event is one of the largest in Manchester’s calendar, regularly attracting more than 100,000 visitors, and its potential collapse could have major implications for the city’s cultural landscape — as well as questions about whether a Pride celebration will go ahead next year.
