Music festival gets drowned out (From Crewe Guardian)

Music festival gets drowned out

8:40am Thursday 26th July 2007 in News By Nicola Davies

SUMMER'S freak weather conditions claimed another victim this week with the cancellation of the Acoustic Festival of Britain.

The festival was due to attract thousands of visitors to Nantwich's Dorfold Hall Park site this weekend - the same showground which saw the axing of Nantwich Show that was scheduled for this week.

Organisers announced on Tuesday that despite their best efforts at securing the safety of the showground, including erecting £50,000 of metal tracking around the site and laying solid flooring in the giant marquee, adverse weather and ground conditions forced them to admit defeat.

Mike Stephens, co-director of the festival, is extremely disappointed by the cancellation of this year's event, which is estimated to cost around £200,000.

"After 12 weeks of non-stop rain the ground was like a sponge and it would not be able to hold all the vehicles coming on to the site," he said.

"It would have been impossible, you can't get off the tracking to get on the grass and the tents wouldn't have stayed in the soft ground so we weren't willing to jeopardise anyone's safety."

"After 12 weeks of non-stop rain the ground was like a sponge."

Organiser, Mike Stephens

Rather than axe the festival completely, organisers are arranging for the same artists and traders to attend a duplication of this year's festival for the first weekend in August next year and many bands, including Jethro Tull, The Animals, Midge Ure, Jah Wobble and The Bluetones, have already agreed.

"What we are saying to people is to hang on to their tickets which will be valid for next year. Anyone who bought a ticket will be contacted shortly," Mike added.

For further information visit www.acousticfestival.co.uk