MAMA Group to host future events at Cornbury Estate

Hugh Phillimore the organiser of Cornbury Music Festival has revealed that it was thanks to a deal struck with Estate owners and the MAMA Group he was forced to move his independent festival from its home for the seven years at Cornbury Park.

As previously announced the festival is moving to a new venue, which will be announced in December. Festival boss Hugh Phillimore says the site is "12 minutes from Charlbury train station" and deeper into the Oxfordshire countryside.

The founder of the festival which will keep its brand name at the new venue has revealed why the annual event has had to move to the Oxford Mail, (here).

Phillimore explains that Cornbury House's owner, Lord Rotherwick, had struck a deal with MAMA Group, a subsidiary of HMV, who also have involvement with festivals including The Great Escape, Lovebox Weekender, Global Gathering, Escape Into The Park and High Voltage. The deal means Cornbury has to move after Lord Rotherwick took a 'bigger and better' offer from MAMA to stage several annual festivals at his 1,700-acre estate. It is not known yet which events will move to the estate*.

Phillimore revealed, "HMV wanted to do a few festivals at Cornbury Park each year, and they wanted my Cornbury to be part of it. In the end, I did not want that. My decision was about loyalty and independence. The deal on offer was not good enough, and I did not want Cornbury Festival to be corporate. I wanted it to stay independent, mad as that may be, and I did not want to lose my team."

Phillimore the organiser of Cornbury Music Festival has revealed that he has entered a partnership with 3A Entertainment Ltd, one of the UK's biggest independent music promoters, and also explained that a rival festival organiser has forced him to move his independent festival from its home for the last seven years at Cornbury Park.

Phillimore also revealed a host of A-list stars including Eric Clapton, and Kylie could perform at future festivals, after he entered a partnership deal with 3A Entertainment Ltd, one of the UK's biggest independent music promoters.

Mr Phillimore is quoted as saying, "3A promote artists including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Winwood, Kylie Minogue and the X-Factor live tours, as well as The Waterboys, Christie Moore, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello. It would be telling to say who we are thinking of having next year, but that is the reason we want to work them."

He clarified, "2011 will be different from before, but it will smell and feel the same. It may have bigger acts, and it would be fantastic if Eric Clapton or whoever does it, but we will have to wait and see."

Phillimore also confirmed that he has no ambitions to increase the festival's size beyond its current licence of 20,000 people. He added, "It has got to make money, and we have not made a profit yet and cannot go on maintaining losses. But if it got bigger, I would be out of my comfort zone."

The family-friendly music festival will take place over three days in 2011 from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd July 2011, and an early bird ticket offer will be announced in December when the new location is revealed.

*NB:eFestivals had said Glade festival was a possible festival to move to Cornbury Park, however although organisers have had discussions with several possible investors, MAMA being one of them, at this stage no deal is done between Glade and MAMA or anyone else and Glade remains an independent festival at this point in time.

Latest Updates