Gosport Waterfront Festival cancelled after 'unprecedented' charges imposed on organisers

Gosport Waterfront Festival was scheduled to be held in Walpole Park, Gosport, between July 28-30, featuring acts from the surrounding area such as AstroModa, Nevaeh and the St Vincent College Music Collective, with East 17 headlining.

However, the festival has been suddenly put on ice after ‘unforseen’ charges were put in place by Gosport Borough Council for the use of the land. The council leader, Councillor Peter Chegwyn, says organisers – led by Dave Smith – were made aware of these charges last autumn.

The charges would have totalled around £5,000 for the weekend, Cllr Chegwyn said.

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In a post on Facebook, on behalf of the festival committee, a spokesperson wrote: ‘It is with deep sadness and disappointment the Gosport Waterfront Festival team has made the heart-breaking decision to cancel Gosport Waterfront Festival 2023. We are unable to run due to unforeseen, unprecedented, unnecessary, and unsustainable charges imposed upon the festival for the use of Walpole Park, by Gosport Borough Council led by Liberal Democrat Peter Chegwyn.

‘Dave Smith has led a dedicated committee of volunteers who have worked extremely hard every year, with a limited budget to bring the good people of Gosport, and surrounding areas the very best of festival entertainment at both an affordable and accessible price since 1999 despite a host of situational challenges and political maneuvering, but this latest setback has become a mountain too high for us to climb.

‘We wish to thank all who have enthusiastically supported, attended, and played at our festival and unreservedly apologies to those who have already bought tickets for this year's three-day spectacular. You will receive a full refund from the ticketing agency, and the committee will endeavour to find an alternate, more accommodating venue for future years' events.’

Cllr Chegwyn said that while charities can be granted free use of the land, commercial event organisers will have to pay the charges.

‘I am 100 per cent in favour of the Gosport Waterfront Festival going ahead,’ he said.

‘But the bottom line is that it’s a commercial event – the organisers get money from tickets, stalls, sponsors and more so it would be unfair for the taxpayer to foot the bill for it taking place. The council agreed to introduce fees and charges for Walpole Park last autumn and Mr Smith was advised of this at the time.

‘Instead of communicating with us, he’s chosen to throw his toys out of the pram and cancel the festival instead, which is a tremendous shame. I’m sure we could have come to some sort of arrangement to enable the festival to go ahead.’

In an email seen by The News, festival committee member Vic Woods said: ‘We are a committee and act as a collective. Mr Smith consulted us first and on considering the very unfavourable position Gosport Borough Council had put us in, we decided there was no other option than to cancel the festival.

‘This is not a commercial festival. Gosport Waterfront Festival is a community interest company (CIC). The Isle of Wight Festival – and Wickham Festival, in fact – are entirely different ventures, backed by huge sponsorship, television money, media company money and ticket prices.’