A festival that will take people back to the Middle Ages is among plans being touted to bring more visitors into Hereford.

To take place every other year, the city’s Medieval Festival would “allow the public to immerse themselves in a world long gone”, evolving to eventually become a mainstream regional attraction for the county, according to Hereford Business Improvement District (HBID).

It is proposing the event as part of its plans to boost Hereford for the next five years – for which it has just been given the backing of businesses in the city which pay a levy to fund it.

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HBID chief executive Mike Truelove said: “We do not have many details yet on the Medieval Festival other than our intention to do this in 2026, but overall the idea is to create a really fun festival that is heavily experiential.”

The body will meanwhile continue backing other city events including the ‘Hereford City Life Presents’ summer music programme, and Applefest in autumn which promotes the area’s cider heritage.

HBID also plans a new digital strategy to attract regional visitors, and to work with partner organisations to promote Hereford as a place to stay the night.

“A day tourist visit brings in roughly £28, whereas a two-day stay is £120 – money that will find its way into the local economy,” HBID’s proposals say.

The “pedestrian gateway” of Eign Gate will be made more welcoming with better lighting and signs. Last year HBID led a campaign to address anti-social crime in the street.

It now plans an annual security conference for those with a stake in the city’s safety, also from 2026.

With more than 90 per cent of levy payers backing giving it continued support, HBID expects to take £340,000 in the next financial year, rising to £368,000 by the end of the decade. With other sources of income, its total budget over the five-year period will be just over £1.9 million.

Among levy payers backing HBID’s plans is Herefordshire Council, which will initially pay in £32,085 on the 31 business properties it owns in the city.

“There are benefits to Herefordshire Council and businesses from the continuation of the BID,” a record of the council’s decision said.