Parklands Festival in North Yorkshire is cancelled

The owners of a Yorkshire music festival have revealed it will not take place this year amid fears the event would not be able to cover its costs.
Badly Drawn Boy, who was due to play at this year's Parklands FestivalBadly Drawn Boy, who was due to play at this year's Parklands Festival
Badly Drawn Boy, who was due to play at this year's Parklands Festival

The Parklands Festival, due to be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Duncombe Park, Helmsley, with headliners including the Proclaimers and Badly Drawn Boy, was described as a scaled-down version of the Galtres Festival.

Galtres Festival Trading Ltd, which organised the festival, was placed in administration after last year’s event, where concerns were raised by angry stallholders and traders that they had been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after not being paid.

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This year’s event was due to be smaller but organisers admitted thousands of pounds owed to traders could not be paid back before it is held.

A statement on the festival’s Facebook page today said: “It is with great sadness that we inform you that Parklands Festival 2015 will not take place. Advance ticket sales have not met projections, and we cannot proceed without certainty that all event costs will be met.

“We put together a tremendous programme of music and performing arts, at a fraction of the cost of previous years, and fully expected this year’s event to more than break even.

“We were determined to put things straight financially, and countless people have toiled tirelessly to plan and promote the event. We did everything we could, yet that wasn’t enough. We are so very sorry.

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“While we have faced many challenges in recent months, the overwhelming mood is one of love and support for our festival - a wonderful event which has brought so much joy and inspiration to so many.

“We are hugely grateful to all the performers, traders, and crew, as well as to members of the management team, who have given so much of their time and energy to the festival. While this is a sad ending, they should all feel proud of the huge achievements we have made over the past ten years.

“We express extreme gratitude to all our customers, and in particular to those people who supported the festival this year by purchasing advance tickets - we will be contacting you directly about claiming your refund.

“And especially also to everyone at Duncombe Park, the festival’s beautiful home in recent years, for their welcome and immense support. Thank you all.”

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Some 40 traders estimated they faced shortfalls totalling £125,000 as the result of a cashless payment system at last year’s festival.

With the organising company in the hands of administrators, the festival’s owner Galtres Festival Charitable Foundation set up a new company to operate the event and secured headliners The Proclaimers, Badly Drawn Boy and Hugh Cornwall.

According to the festival’s website, this year’s event, which has a Wild West theme, “combines music and cabaret stages, more than 100 fine Yorkshire beers and ciders, and excellent local produce catering”.

Last year’s event featured headliners The Levellers, Morcheeba and The Human League.