BOARDMASTERS bosses have vowed to minimise the impact of the festival on the community and be a “force for good.”

Event director Rob Spring admitted they haven’t always got it right in the past but are “working hard” to be good neighbours.

Organisers Vision Nine have put new measures in place including introducing an updated traffic management plan last year after Boardmasters brought the town to a “standstill.”

Mr Spring said the 2025 traffic management plan worked “80 per cent” and that a few tweaks are being put in place around the Watergate Bay area for this year’s event.

He added they are also working with organisations including Newquay BID and Newquay Town Council to attract more festivalgoers and visitors to the town centre whilst the festival is being staged, which includes an event at the Killacourt.

It follows Newquay BID manager Mark Warren complaining local businesses lose trade whilst the festival is being staged as many residents and tourists stay away due to the perception the town is too congested.

Vision Nine is also putting more emphasis on the Fistral Surf Village following criticism the festival was becoming too overly focused on the music event at Watergate Bay.

Mr Spring and Andrew Topham, the CEO of the Boardmasters festival, spoke about the planning going into staging the event during a Friends of the Festival event held at the Boardmasters Beach Bar on Wednesday, June 24. The event also saw the launch of a new zine celebrating Nick Webb's private collection of rare UK and Australian surfboards, which is on display at the Boardmasters Beach Bar.

Mr Spring and Mr Topham stressed the “soul” of Boardmasters will always be the surfing element. They believe the upgrading of the surf competition this year to a new Qualifying Series 4,000 status will help attract more people down to Fistral.

The upgrade to one of Europe’s biggest events is expected to see a strong field of international competitors.

Vision Nine is also working with Newquay based festival production company Quick Panda to bring family programming down to Fistral as well.

The skate ramps that returned last year will be back again at this year’s event. Organisers are also expanding the festival to increase the art and wellness aspect.

Additionally, for the first time organisers have held a Boardmasters Breaking talent-search competition, which is designed for emerging musicians based in the South West. The winning artist or band scores a paid slot to open the main stage on the Sunday of the festival.

Mr Spring said: “When I came to work at Boardmasters in 2024 there was a number of things which didn’t go that well and that is not acceptable.

“So, we’ve worked really hard to be good neighbours in the past few years in my role. Not only do we want to minimise the impact the festival has on local people, communities and businesses and also tourists it is also about how Boardmasters can be a force for good. We are really privileged to have this as our home.

“So how can we leverage our power with the local community, the BID and the council and local businesses.

“How we can leverage Boardmasters to be a platform to celebrate the Cornish arts, culture, Cornish ways of life, Cornish surfing and everything that Cornwall and Newquay and the surrounding areas have to offer.

“So, this year we are expanding the festival. Music and surfing will always be at the heart of what we do but we committed to bringing in art last year and we committed to bringing in wellness as well.

“This year we are doing a partnership with Falmouth University. They are taking over the View Stage, which will be reimagined.”

Boardmasters organisers have met with various local organisations ahead of the event, which includes Newquay Town Council.

Mr Spring said: “We start the music festival build on July 13, and we're in town this week.

“We’ve met the local community, both businesses and residents, and informing them of the traffic management plan, the build schedule and all our plans that may impact on them as well.

“We've set up subgroups because traffic, security, beach safety, waste, and also sound as well are all areas the residents care about.

“I would say 80 per cent of the traffic management plan worked last year. Our objective was to keep traffic moving. A one-way system was put in place and that definitely helped.

“In terms of helping Newquay be accessible, we achieved that as well. We have noticed that there are some improvements to be made, especially in further areas in the north around Watergate Bay so we are mitigating that with new traffic managed points.

“Obviously, in 2024, Boardmasters brought Newquay to a standstill, which is not acceptable at all. As the traffic management plan in 2025 worked, what that meant was there was this feedback that Newquay was actually quieter than out of season.

“So, we're working with both Newquay Town Council and Newquay BID to change that narrative. That Newquay is open for business during Boardmasters. Local residents should be able to access the town centre and do their daily chores and socialise.

“The town council is also putting on an activity at the Killacourt, so we are working with them on that and ensure everyone can enjoy Fistral, the Killacourt, a local restaurant or just enjoy the place.”

Mr Topham added: “Having the Boardmasters Beach Bar at Fistral and upgrading the surf competition to four stars is massive.

“This new sanctioning means we get the highest level of British International surfers competing on UK shores, and really importantly it gives them a chance to surf at their home break against some of the very best in the world.

“In their progression, particularly, local surfer, Lukas Skinner trying to qualify for the world tour the four stars offer critical tour points, so it's a massive step up for Boardmasters.”

Boardmasters Music Festival at Watergate Bay will be headlined by Fatboy Slim, Kasabian and Lily Allen this year.

Mr Spring said: “We’re really pleased with the music. We've got the balance right between global stars coming and then local talent as well.

“So, highlights on the main stage for me will be Fatboy Slim, which I know that the locals are going to love on the Friday night but then also seeing the Boardmasters Breaking, competition winner taking to the main stage on Sunday.”

The Boardmasters Foundation was established in 2017 and has raised and distributed nearly £700,000 to support local communities.

Funds have been allocated to hundreds of grassroots initiatives, schools, and emergency services across Cornwall.

Mr Topham said: “We’re hugely proud of the Boardmasters Foundation.

“From last year's festival, we raised just over £120,000 pounds.

“We are giving that money across a breadth of organisations covering the cultures of the festivals. So, surf, music, arts, and creativity.

“We also reinvesting in the communities that host us down here around Newquay, Watergate Bay and the surrounding areas.

“So, we're supporting schools, mental health, youth unemployment, a whole array of projects to give back to the community, and we're massively proud of it.”