Festival promoter blames cancellation on council

2:40pm Thursday 28th August 2008

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THE organiser of the cancelled Rock n Roots Festival at Much Marcle says he has opened talks with the Local Government Ombudsman.

Music entrepreneur Mike Stephens claims there was a failure of duty by Herefordshire Council to warn him of significant problems with his licence application.

The authority says it “bent over backwards” to assist him.

Mr Stephens also said he will meet with lawyers today, (Friday August 29) in Birmingham, ahead of what is likely to turn into a High Court battle with the council.

Mr Stephens, who has organised 122 successful festivals in 22 years, is still not ruling out bringing the festival to Much Marcle.

But first he plans to set a legal precedent to clear his way.

In the meantime, he has permission from Chepstow Racecourse to take the festival there in 2009.

Mr Stephens said he was still “horrendously upset” that he had been forced to cancel the 2008 festival, after Herefordshire Council refused to consider his licence application.

Councillors felt it had not been advertised sufficiently.

He said: “I did not make a mess of the application.”

Mr Stephens said he had put four clear notices around the Rye Meadow site.

He is collecting letters from local residents to prove these had been seen.

Mr Stephens said he had applied for a licence as early as June, but claims the council sent him the wrong papers and he had to apply again, when time was short.

Herefordshire Council believes that the notice Mr Stephens put in the Worcester News was not sufficient, because the paper was not local enough for Much Marcle.

Mr Stephens disputes this, but said he did not want to get into “a tit for tat debate” with the authority.

Barry Durkin, ward member for Old Gore says the blame for the cancellation lies with Mr Stephens.

He said: “There was a litany of shortcomings with his application including incorrect and inappropriate advertising in the press and around the site, and his delivery was some four days late.

“The fact that Herefordshire was deprived of the pleasure of hearing some very talented musicians is quiet simply the responsibility of Mr Stephens.”

He said: “I am disappointed that an attempt has been made to lay the cancellation of this festival at the council’s door.”