Entertainment
‘Infuriating’: Kendal Calling cancelled for a second year after ‘delay’ to health and safety guidance
Kendal Calling 2021 has been cancelled for a second year after a ‘delay’ to government guidelines on how to put on the event safely.
Organisers released a statement on Monday apologising to those hoping to attend the festival at Lowther Deer Park later this summer to see the likes of Stereophonics, Dizzee Rascal and The Streets.
They added that while calling off the event in 2020 was ‘sad but understandable’ because of the coronavirus pandemic, having to do so again was ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘infuriating’.
The guidance, they said, was needed to make sure they didn’t stumble over ‘last minute unforeseen regulations or requirements which could scupper an already built festival’.
The statement read: ‘Last Monday saw the delay of the so-called “Freedom Day”. As Kendal Calling sits outside of this delay we would still be in a strong position to proceed.
‘But Monday also saw a less publicised delay; the release of the long-awaited research from the Event Research Programme (ERP) pilot events, which would inform the publication of crucial new safety guidance on how we run events.
‘Without this safety guidance, there are numerous aspects of the festival we cannot plan, and which could lay us wide open to last minute unforeseen regulations or requirements we may be required to adhere to, any of which could scupper an already built festival.’
They claimed that a decision had been made to ‘hold back’ the report which they described as ‘insulting to our entire industry’.
It went on: ‘Over the last day we have had the grim undertaking of informing hundreds of talented and dedicated individuals that, yet again, we are unable to offer them the work the badly need.’
Further on organisers urged the government to ‘reappraise its approach and to listen to the recommendations of its own reports as the continued lack of leadership hampers the recovery of our live event industry.’
‘Going two summers without a festival is devastating to all of us; we need the support of our audience now more than ever and retaining your tickets would go the longest way in helping us during this period.’
People who have bought tickets will be able to use them at the 2022 festival, set for July 28 -31, however refunds are available to anyone who would prefer it.
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