Beverley Knight says the Godiva Festival is like “home” to her

Beverley Knight said performing at the Godiva Festival was like coming home, praising the event for its accessibility.

The Wolverhampton artist, widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest soul singers, headlined the Coventry Festival finale on Sunday.

Speaking to BBC Midlands Today before taking to the main stage, Ms Knight said it was a joy to be in the middle of a “music city like Coventry”.

“I love to perform. This is home for me. “Even though it’s Coventry and I’m from Wolverhampton, I still think ‘West Midlands – home’,” she added.

She said festivals like this were a great way for people to enjoy live music when they couldn’t afford the likes of Glastonbury.

The event, organized by Coventry City Council, was free until charges were introduced in 2019, with adult day tickets for this year’s festival costing £17.50.

“I think it’s fantastic that it’s in a family price range. Everyone can come and enjoy live music – a completely immersive experience,” said Ms Knight.

“It (live music) can be so accessible to so many people and I’m just thrilled to be a part of something so accessible.”

Ms. Knight closed the festival on Sunday, following earlier performances by Richard Ashcroft and Paloma Faith.

Tens of thousands of music fans were expected to visit the event, which marked its 25th anniversary, over the three days.

But concerns were raised on Saturday after reports of a group of people ‘stamping’ from the direction of the Next Stage towards the main stage.

A person at the event said on Facebook that families watching Paloma Faith were “coughed up” as a result of the disturbance.

In a response to the comment, Godiva Festival apologized for the problems, confirming that people had been kicked off the site and that Next Stage was closed for the rest of the evening.