FROM OWNER VISION TO £3.5M ECONOMIC IMPACT: WHAT DEVA FEST TELLS US ABOUT THE POWER OF THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIP

Deva Fest 2026 was its biggest and best year yet. But behind the headline numbers is a story about owner vision, complementary expertise, investment and knowing when the right people around the table can help take a business further.

Around 10,000 people a day. Major headline performances. More than 50 traders. Hundreds of people involved in delivering the event. And an estimated £3.5 million contribution to the Cheshire and surrounding economy.

On the surface, these are impressive numbers for an independent festival.

But for SAVVY Collective, Deva Fest represents something bigger.

It is a real-world example of what can happen when a strong owner vision is supported by the right combination of entrepreneurial experience, specialist expertise, commercial thinking, investment and operational capability.

It starts with the owner's vision

At the heart of Deva Fest is Phil Marston, its founder and driving force.

Phil's vision has always been bigger than putting on a successful music festival. He wanted to create an event that people would actively choose to return to; one that brought families and friends together, attracted major artists and commercial partners, created opportunities for local businesses and delivered a meaningful economic benefit to the wider Cheshire region.

As Deva Fest has grown, Phil has remained determined to protect the things that make it different. The family-friendly experience. The independent spirit. The sense of community. And the feeling that people are coming to something that is about far more than simply watching artists on a stage.

That owner vision remains at the heart of Deva Fest.The opportunity is to build the capability around it to help that vision grow.

Steven Hesketh and Phil Marston

Bringing complementary expertise around the table

That is where the partnership between Phil Marston and Steven Hesketh, CEO of SAVVY Collective, has added another dimension.

Steven is not simply supporting Deva Fest through SAVVY. He is a co-owner of the festival, bringing his own entrepreneurial experience, commercial perspective and considerable energy to the business.

The partnership brings together different strengths. Phil's passion, vision and deep understanding of Deva Fest and its audience, alongside Steven Hesketh FIH experience, creativity, commercial thinking and operational expertise. It creates another layer of challenge, ideas and opportunity around the business, helping Deva Fest think beyond the next event and consider how the proposition can continue to evolve.

That is important because successful growth is rarely about one person having all the answers. It is about bringing together the right skills, experience and perspectives to make better decisions.

From investment to operational support

The Deva Fest relationship also demonstrates the wider philosophy behind SAVVY Collective.

SAVVY was created around a simple principle: owner-led businesses don't necessarily need more layers of management or traditional consultancy. They need access to the right specialist expertise, commercial thinking, investment and practical operational support at the right time.

Through Steven's direct involvement as co-owner, and the wider expertise available through SAVVY, Deva Fest benefits from an additional level of strategic and operational capability. That can mean looking at commercial opportunities, partnerships, investment decisions, operational delivery, growth plans and the infrastructure required to support a larger and more ambitious event.

Scaling without losing the DNA

Deva Fest is a great example of the challenge facing many owner-led businesses.

• Growth brings complexity

• More people

• More suppliers

• More commercial partners.

• More operational considerations.

• More investment.

More risk.

And ultimately, more responsibility.

But growth only creates value if the experience continues to deliver on the original promise.

In 2026, Deva Fest welcomed major names including Jessie J, Ronan Keating, James Morrison, Ash, Vengaboys and Symphonic Ibiza, alongside family entertainment, food and drink, camping, traders and brand experiences from organisations including Nintendo, Jaguar Land Rover and Harrods Beauty.

The scale has increased considerably. But the proposition remains recognisably Deva Fest. That is the balance successful owner-led businesses have to get right.

The numbers tell part of the story

The 2026 festival welcomed around 10,000 people each day, with more than 50 traders and a significant network of suppliers, partners and businesses involved in bringing the event to life.

The estimated wider economic impact of up to £3.5 million demonstrates the ripple effect that a successful independent event can create.

Visitors don't just spend inside the festival.

• They stay locally

• They stay locally.

• They eat locally.

• They travel through the region.

• They shop.

• They use local suppliers and services.

• They create demand for accommodation, hospitality, transport and other businesses.

For Cheshire, that makes Deva Fest more than an entertainment proposition. It is an increasingly important part of the regional visitor economy.

What the Deva Fest story demonstrates

For us, the real success story isn't simply the size of the audience or the calibre of the artists. It is the combination of owner ambition and the capability around it.

Phil Marston has built a distinctive festival with a clear purpose and identity.

Steven Hesketh has brought his own entrepreneurial experience, creativity, commercial thinking, energy and operational expertise as a co-owner.

And through SAVVY Collective, that experience sits within a wider model designed to support owner-led businesses through investment, specialist expertise, consultancy, education and practical operational support.

A model we believe in

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This is ultimately what SAVVY Collective is about.

We believe owner-led businesses are at their strongest when the person who created the vision remains close to it, but doesn't have to do everything alone.

• The right partner can bring a different perspective.

• · The right investment can unlock the next stage of growth.

• · The right specialist expertise can strengthen decision-making.

• · And the right operational support can turn ambition into action.

Deva Fest 2026 is a brilliant example of that model in practice.

It is Phil's vision. It is the collective effort of an incredible team, suppliers, artists, traders, partners and the Cholmondeley Estate.

And it is also an example of what can happen when complementary entrepreneurial strengths, investment and specialist expertise come together around an owner-led business.

The 2027 chapter is already beginning.

If you are looking for a partner to support your hospitality or leisure vision, we would love to talk to you. Savvycollective.co.uk