COMMON People brought more than just music stars to Southampton - the festival boosted the city’s economy by more than £1m, the Daily Echo can reveal.

It comes as the organisers of Common People confirmed the dates for the third festival on The Common next year.

The festival generated £1.1m for the city over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend, with 28.5 per cent of the crowd coming from outside the city.

And organiser Rob Da Bank, who grew up in Warsash before becoming a Radio 1 DJ and brought the festival to Southampton following the success of his Bestival brand, is already looking forward to next year’s event.

The third Common People will take place on May 27 and 28 next year, and tickets will go on sale at 10am today.

Rob told the Daily Echo: “Wow Southampton. I didn’t think you would be able to top 2015 but I was very wrong.

“The sunshine, the crowd, the music, the food, the world’s biggest bouncy castle, Craig David’s homecoming performance – Wow.

“Thanks for one of the best weekends so far this year. We can’t wait to be back. We’re very proud of Common People.”

Southampton City Council’s cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure, Satvir Kaur, added: “Common People has rapidly become the biggest and most eclectic music event in the city.

“Southampton Common is an amazing venue and I can’t wait to see what surprises Rob da Bank and the rest of the Common People team have in store for next year’s event.”

This year’s event saw the likes of Duran Duran and Primal Scream wow an audience of 40,000, alongside an emotional homecoming for city singing sensation Craig David.

And as well as providing an eclectic mix of acts which also included Katy B, Public Enemy and Chas & Dave, it also provided a substantial boost for the city’s economy.

To celebrate Common People’s return, early tickets are being offered at only £22.50 for general admission and £45 for VIP access for a limited time.

Visit commonpeople.net.