Settle Festival - CANCELLED 2007

This festival has been cancelled.
The organisers have issued the statement below.

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Red tape postpones Festival for 12 months

The complexities and timescales of achieving a licence for Settle Festival have resulted in the organisers postponing the Festival for 12 months.

Mark Dale, the Festival Director, said the organising team were hugely disappointed about having to make the announcement, but commented: “It had become clear that the timescales involved in order for us to achieve a successful Festival on the scale we anticipated were becoming impossible. Despite the best efforts of all the parties involved, both organisers and other bodies, the potential of any delay at this stage meant a real risk that we would let down not just all the local people who have shown support, but also the artistes with whom we’ve been negotiating, the traders, volunteers and other local groups.”

“We felt it would be far better to postpone the Festival for 12 months, but continue the planning from where we are now, building on all the experience and support we already have in place,” he continued. The organisers are planning to fix a new date and then re-apply for a licence, allowing for more consultation with local communities and other organisations, as well as continuing the detailed aspects of the Festival planning.

It was anticipated that the Festival would generate in the region of £2.5 million of expenditure in the local area from visitors, on top of the actual Festival budget itself. Festival Marketing Director, Mike Dean, said “We know this will be a disappointment to many local people who felt this was a big opportunity to put Settle and the local area on the map, and it will be a real blow to the many local musicians and other artistes for whom the Festival would be a platform for their talents. However, we believe by acting now, we are taking a responsible decision, and allowing us to work towards a tremendous event next year. And we want to continue hearing from bands and artistes so we can continue working up the very best offering.”

The organisers will be using the core of the Festival planning for next year, giving more time to work up detailed plans, consolidate sponsorship and the Festival programme, and to further consult with local communities. In addition, volunteers and traders will continue to be involved in the Festival organisation and planning, and there will continue to be a series of opportunities for volunteers to assist.

“We are already looking forward to creating a great Festival in 2008, and we will be announcing the new date in a matter of a couple of weeks,” said Mark Dale.

(Provisionally :- the last weekend of August)

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The Settle Festival is being developed to offer a unique music event for around 20,000 people.

They'll be four stages. Bands appearing include The Stranglers, Levellers, Seth Lakeman, John Otway, Wild Willy Barret, Atilla the Stockbroker, Seven Seconds of Love, The Education, Sonic Boom Six, Dennis Rollins Badbone & Co, The Sugars, Kaned, The Leaves, DJ Albert Freeman, with more to follow (with "some large names still in negotiation").

This event is open from the Wednesday 29th August, until Tuesday 3rd September, with entertainment each night. The main Festival is Friday 31st August, Saturday 1st September and Sunday 2nd September.

More information will be here when available.

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