Long Division 2023 in Wakefield will be the final festival as Brexit, Covid and cost of living bite

Long Division began in 2011 when director Dean Freeman cashed-in his NHS pension to fund the fledgling project.

Since then many would say the festival has massively overachieved, attracting names like British Sea Power, We Are Scientists, Ghostpoet, Ash, Billy Bragg, Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, Asian Dub Foundation, and The Vaselines to the city.

But after battling through Covid, and the delays and cancellations it entailed, it’s now the end of the road.

Dean said: "If we really hone in on the cause – it’s money. Brexit, Covid, cost of living – these have all had a detrimental effect on our lives and our industry.

"Funding and sponsorship faded, and the festival was always propped-up by those things.

"We always had to be really inventive to keep our heads above water and, honestly, we’ve kind of run out of steam.”

But organisers are trying to make it an opportunity.

After the 2021 festival Dean said Long Division showed Wakefield at its best and hopes to bring that magic back with one last bash.

He said: “It's sad, we know. But we see it as a huge privilege in this climate, in this age, to write our own ending.

“And we're simply going to make 2023 the best Long Division possible.

"The message is simple – let's all get together in Wakefield one last time.

"Bring your friends, we'll bring the bands and it'll be lovely. Buy your tickets - the sooner you buy them, the sooner we can secure great bands and venues.

“The first artist announcement will be on Thursday.”

The festival’s education work helping young people get into music and organising gigs will continue.

Dean said: “Our mission is to energise grassroots culture and we’re still going to do that.”

The festival has usually taken place in summer aside from 2021 when it was postponed until September as a result of the pandemic.

It is held at venues across the city centre.

The last festival is set to take place on June 10.