BH Live

Analysis

BH Live is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bournemouth. It was registered in October 2010, 16 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, amateur sport and recreation, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07092112). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, BH Live reported income of £48.1m and spending of £47.1m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £18.2m to £48.1m (+164%), an average of +28% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 88%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, BH Live sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Niab (£48.0m), The Alan Turing Institute (£49.0m) and Glyndebourne Productions Limited (£43.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 90% and trading 10%. Charitable activities took 93% of spending and raising funds 6.5%. Reserves of £2.7m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1,483 people.