A one-day music festival to boost businesses and morale is being planned for Whitehaven.

The Copeland Music Festival will take place at the Copeland Stadium next year and organisers say they are hoping to attract both headliner and talented local acts, and there will be a major focus on including West Cumbria’s small businesses.

Founder and event director Oliver Hodgson is heading up an organising committee for the festival, along with Ryan Taylor, Jess Ward and Allan Forrester.

Oliver explained that the festival will have something for everyone and is aimed at all groups including families, couples, youngsters and older people too.

He hopes that it will enable the area to come together to celebrate, dance and have fun, but also to support local businesses as much as possible, who have suffered due to losses from the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “It is quite an exciting project and is very much about West Cumbria, with a big emphasis on local business. This is something that has been on the cards for a while now but to launch in 2021, following what is an awful year for businesses in the arts, events, hospitality and music industries and for many small high street businesses it seems very fitting.”

Senior event project manager and director Ryan Taylor said: “I am delighted to be have asked to be included as part of the organising committee. As a team, we are striving to provide the Copeland and wider Copeland area community with an affordable and enjoyable day, incorporating numerous local and national performers.”

Oliver added: “We have seen the recent activities in Copeland such as the Copeland Convoy, all the support groups, memorials, virtual events and they all show how fantastic Copeland and the wider Cumbrian coast is.

“We are in talks with various talent professionals as to who may headline our event, and of course the two stages will be packed with awesome local talent. We are making the festival as inclusive as possible."

St Bees Radio and Club 135 have confirmed to organisers that they will collaborate to host a second stage and food and drinks vendors will also be available.

If any businesses are interested in getting involved with sponsorship, offering assistance or would like to have a stall at the event, they should contact Oliver by emailing info@platinum-live.co.uk or via Platinum Live's facebook page.

The event will take place on April 24 2021.