Homecoming 2009 festival cancelled after council demands

Scotland's Homecoming 2009 music festival, set to feature the likes of trance DJ Armin Van Buren, has been cancelled just two weeks before the event was due to take place. The two day music festival was set to run between the 2nd and 3rd of May at Irvine Beach, Ayrshire, but was cancelled after a disagreement between festival organisers and North Ayrshire council.

News of the cancellation has dissapointed up to 20,000 fans, who were set to dominate the seaside town of Ayrshire and enjoy a variety of music performances. The organisers of the festival released a statement, saying: “It is with great regret that organisers of the Homecoming festival have announced that this year's event has been cancelled. This is due to new demands from the council requesting 50 per cent of the profits and a £60,000 bond on the land.

"All ticket holders will be entitled to a full refund, and arrangements are currently being made to organise new venues and dates for some of the artists that were scheduled to perform at Homecoming 2009.”

With council disagreement over poor organisation, the festival organisers were forced to cancel. Alec Wattie, Communications Officer for North Ayrshire council, has made the council's position clear:

“The event could only take place if all public requirements were agreed and in place. They were not. For instance the event management plan submitted to the organisers stated that an initial event risk assessment would be in place by 16 March; a major incident and emergency plan would be in place by 30 March and a traffic management plan would be in place and signed off by 2 April. None of these have been produced by the event organisers.”

The organisers of Irvine Music Festivals have responded, claiming they were, “stunned” by the council´s actions, and expressed disappointment at the council´s “unrealistic” requests: “The council offered us the land at Irvine beach for a 'nominal' fee at first, this was thought to be maybe a few thousand pounds or so. In their letter last week they asked for 50 per cent of the profits – as well as a £60,000 bond on the land.

"We were also told that policing costs would be no more than £60,000, but this doubled to £120,000,” a spokesperson claimed.

Nonetheless, North Ayrshire council have stood by their decision claiming: “Our principal consideration has always been public safety. The organisers acknowledged that they could not meet the conditions and therefore the event will not take place.”

The event was unrelated to the Scottish government's official Homecoming Scotland '09 celebrations, a programme of events designed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns and Scotland's great contribution to the world.