City bosses tease possible return for Sunderland International Airshow

Senior councillors on Wearside have promised they are "exploring every possible avenue" to bring back the Sunderland Airshow.

The world-famous event had been a fixture of the Wearside calendar since it was first held in 1989 - although it can trace its roots back to the 1960s.

Sunderland International Airshow could return to Wearside for the first time since 2019. City councillor Ciera Hudspith has said the local authority is "exploring every possible avenue" to see it restarted. | Sunderland Echo.

placeholder image — Sunderland International Airshow could return to Wearside for the first time since 2019. City councillor Ciera Hudspith has said the local authority is "exploring every possible avenue" to see it restarted. | Sunderland Echo.

But in 2022, Sunderland City Council’s then-Labour administrations said it would be axed - following a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic - citing the global climate crisis and spiralling costs as key factors in the decision.

The iconic city event, which was last held in 2019, often attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the city's seafront to enjoy a weekend of air displays and ground-based events.

Sunderland Airshow has not been held since 2019, but the city council's new Reform UK leadership has suggested it could return to Wearside. | Sunderland Echo.

And now Sunderland City Council's new Reform UK administration, which came to power in historic 'all-out' local elections in May this year, has confirmed efforts are under way to potentially revive the event.

Responding to a question from the public at Wednesday’s full council meeting, Cllr Ciera Hudspith, cabinet member for culture, tourism and heritage, said city leaders were "exploring every possible avenue" and that the local authority would do "everything in its power" to ensure its return.

She added: "Myself, my Reform colleagues and the entire city was absolutely astounded when Labour cancelled the airshow citing their ever-growing determination to reach net stupid zero.

"Not only that but after year on year of high council tax increases they decimated the events budget on this council leaving us with little to nothing to continue the show.

City councillor Ciera Hudspith said the local authority was ‘exploring every possible avenue’ secure the airshow’s return to Wearside. | Submitted

"However, let me be absolutely clear, this group promised to do everything in its power before May to see a return of the airshow and we intend to stick to that.

"We're exploring every possible avenue to ensure that this event returns and it is on the forefront of our minds every single day when we enter City Hall.

"As soon as I have more information on this I would be happy to update the council."

After its most recent outing in 2019, the airshow, which had its origins in events held at the former RAF Usworth and which later became Sunderland Airport, before making way for the Nissan car plant, subsequent events planned for 2020, 2021 and 2022 were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Announcing the event would not take place in 2022 as part of a wider rethink on events, Labour council bosses at the time claimed residents were "keen for there to be new and different events in the city".