Further questions for Big Difference Company trustees

‍The Live Comedy Association (LCA) has today published further questions it has sent to the Trustees of Big Difference Company, the charity behind Leicester Comedy Festival. These questions have been sent following consultation with members and other creditors of the charity. They are published in advance of the creditors meeting taking place on 3rd September. We are yet unclear about how many questions we will be able to ask, and whether Trustees will answer them but we remain committed to getting a response from Trustees to gain greater clarity about what happened in the lead up to the organisation ceasing trading, owing over £215,000 to staff, comedians, promoters, venues, suppliers and others.

Live Comedy Association questions for Big Difference creditors meeting - 3rd September 2026

1. In the Directors report it states that Trustees remain proud of what was achieved; what specific thing is each Trustee particularly proud of?

2. Given the staffing structure didn’t include a producer or festival Director, which role took responsibility for the delivery of the annual festivals?  You made several statements in spring 2026 that you were planning for the next festival.  If any post was vacant from 1st April, how did you intend to produce Leicester Comedy Festival 2027? 

3. In the report there is no mention of the national significance of Leicester Comedy Festival; is this an oversight?

4. The report makes no mention of The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival – has that been erased from your collective memory?

5. What were the technology and digital infrastructure costs and what were these spent on?

6. Who led on the attempts to secure additional sponsorship income and what did this work involve? 

7. What was the largest pitch (in terms of finances) you presented to a company in terms of potential sponsorship financial support over the last 3 years?

8. What was the largest application (in terms of finances) you made to an external source of potential funding/income over the last 3 years? 

9. Is the economic impact assessment you produced publicly available and what were the key findings of this piece of work?

10. In the BDC audited accounts from 29th June 2024 there is reference to the reserves policy not being met and changes are required to the business/charity to ensure its long term sustainability.  The report also states you considered options more recently for the long-term sustainability of the charity.  What were these options and what was the timing of these considerations?

11. The report implies there was “maintained communications” with the Live Comedy Association.  From our records we held 1 meeting on 12th June 2026 with the CEO and the then Chair of Trustees.  Following this meeting, there was an email request from Big Difference for LCA Directors to personally act as guarantors for a loan BDC was trying to secure.  This request was declined.  We would be grateful for the report to be amended so the level of communication is clearer.

12. We estimate approximately £70,000 was received from comedians, promoters and venues in registration fees for Leicester Comedy Festival 2026.  The majority of this was received in early October 2025.  This income stream was presumably an important source of income and perhaps one of the largest sources of income being larger than the money received from Leicester City Council.  There is no mention of this income in the report and why weren’t these important/vital stakeholders communicated with when it became clear the financial situation was challenging?

13. Trustees presumably knew the financial situation was challenging in autumn 2025.  Following Leicester Comedy Festival 2025 payments to acts and promoters was significantly delayed with people receiving payment in autumn 2025.  Did trustees know, and was it recorded at a board meeting, that there was a guarantee made in autumn 2025 that ticket income would be ringfenced in 2026 to prevent the same situation happening again?

14. Ticket money from 2026 was due to be paid on 19th April – this date was communicated with comedians and promoters in advance of the festival.  On 17th April an email was sent saying payments would not be made.  At what point did trustees know payments couldn’t be made and does this reflect the robust scrutiny and challenge of financial forecasts mentioned in the report?

15. At the end of May, people got an email which said various things including “your payment will be completed by no later than August. This is our worst case scenario and will be doing all we can to ensure that we are well ahead of this deadline. As above, movement in received payments and finance has the potential to accelerate this process, and it is our hope that we are able to expedite your payment.

We recognise the need for significant review to restore community faith in the festival, which is ongoing whilst we complete the settlement process. We look forward to updating you on the steps we will take following this.”

-          This was the last email sent to comedians and promoters before reading news in the media.  Does this reflect what the report states about keeping people informed as the situation evolved?

16. What changed between end of May, when you communicated that payments would be made by end of August, and 14th July when Trustees met with liquidators FRP?

17. Why has there not been any direct communication with comedians and promoters since end May?

18. What reductions were seen in income generated from charitable and fundraising activities?

19. The narrative of statements from Trustees so far, and reinforced by the report, suggests comedians and promoters have not been paid following Leicester Comedy Festival 2026.  Actually what happened is that Big Difference acted as a ticket agency and took money in trust, which belonged to 3rd parties, and was due to pass these payments onto the 3rd parties on 19th April.  These 2 things are not the same.  At what point did Trustees authorise Big Difference spending the ticket money which had been collected on behalf of other people?

20. There have been statements made that the ticket money was spent on the basis that some other income streams had been delayed and were due to be received.  Representatives of Big Difference said this income was from sponsorship, funding and earnt income.  How much was expected, where from, and in hindsight was this an unfortunate statement to have made?

21. Following the 2026 Leicester Comedy Festival we know some people were paid.  How did you decide who received payment?