Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 06:56 PM

oh and Tegwin Roberts

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 05:38 PM

Who keeps posting this thread to Twitter?

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 05:09 PM

I'll second Hut People & Skyhook and add votes for Robb Johnson & Crucible too!

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 04:56 PM

:0)

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Paul Hutchinson
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 04:54 PM

On Monday this week The Shropshire Star, in an article about The Berlin Wall, stated that my wife Sabine was happily married to a man called Derek from Telford. This resulted in some amusing emails and phone calls from our customers and friends.

I would like to assure everyone that Sabine is still married to me and we still live happily together in Much Wenlock.

So if you want to know what is happening at SFF 2010 ask Alan, Sandra or Neil - NOT the Shropshier Star!!

Paul Hutchinson,
web designer / sponsor for www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 04:48 PM

Alan says: I have been assured by the land owners of the showground, Berwick Estate, that they wish to support the Shrewsbury Folk Festival and will make the showground available to the festival for 2010 and thereafter.

This sounds good, but presumably if someone makes the landowners a better offer to lease the land for a purpose which does not include the festival, the festival is scuppered.

It is not clear from the above how long it will take for the administrators to wind up the leasing company- I imagine Alan an Sandra are hoping it will take -say- 9 months or so? :0/

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 04:23 PM

Text copied from link above:
Shropshire Star, Thursday, 12th November 2009

Doubts on events at West Mid venue

The future of events at Shrewsbury's West Mid Showground cannot be guaranteed, the estate which owns the land said today.

The news means uncertainty for events such as the Shrewsbury Folk Festival, which has made the ground its home. The future of the Berwick Road venue has been thrown into doubt after the the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society went into liquidation.

The showground is owned by the Berwick Estate.

But the agents which arrange the leasing of the venue on behalf of the estate have said administrators will hold the lease while the company is wound up.

The news comes as it was announced a meeting of creditors is to take place on December 4 at the Prostar Stadium, in Shrewsbury.

Michael Watney, from Balfours, the agent acting on behalf of the Berwick Estate, said: "As the show society is in administration the administrator takes over the lease on the showground.

"The administrator is responsible for the terms of the lease so the decision making lies with them."

He said once the company had been wound up the lease would be made available again to businesses.

He said: "We do hope someone will come along to enter into a new lease.

"Unfortunately when a lease ends because a company has gone into liquidation we are not able to confirm any future events.

"We are hoping it resolves itself and someone will take it on and it will be used for future events, hopefully as a showground, so those events can continue."

Despite the uncertainty over the showground organisers from the Shrewsbury Folk Festival say they are hopeful it will return on August 27 to 30 next year.

Festival director Sandra Surtees said: "We are hoping it is going to continue at the West Mid Showground.

"We hope we will be still there in 2010."

She said there had been a meeting about the event on Friday but it was too early to comment on a possible change of venue at the moment.

Yesterday it was revealed a deal to save the society from financial ruin came within moments of being struck until a VAT bill was uncovered which scuppered any rescue plan.

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 02:20 PM

Really good news Alan. Put skyhook and The Hut people on your short list.

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: SunrayFC
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 01:32 PM

Excellent news. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 12:34 PM

Thanks for the clarification Alan - it is important that rumours do not develop to ensure that people are not deterred from attending this excellent & well organised festival. By the way would be great if we could have The Gerry McNeice Orchestra, Hall Brothers Band & Michelle Plum & Nick Hall next year. Oh and Roger Davies too!

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Alan Surtees
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 11:43 AM

I have been assured by the land owners of the showground, Berwick Estate, that they wish to support the Shrewsbury Folk Festival and will make the showground available to the festival for 2010 and thereafter.

Nothing is sure in life but the festival has many friends, sponsors, councillors and council officials wishing to see the festival continue on the showground, I am feeling very confident that this will be the case.

When I can confirm that we will be using the showground next year I will do so.

Health and Safety at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival is of paramount concern to me, and always has been. In fact Sandra and I are attending an IOSH course at present organised by Shropshire Council. The purling in our dance tent which became dislodged this year could in no way be blamed on the festival organisers. The tent was installed by the owners (Burgoynes), one of the biggest and most well respected Marquee companies in the UK. The festival could not have known there could be a problem and the marquee was inspected and passed as good by Shropshire Environmental Health department before the festival began. When the problem occurred stewards cleared the structure and the organisers put the marquee out of bounds. The owners then made a 100% inspection and retensioned the structure during the night. When I received a faxed letter from Burgoynes guaranteeing the safety of the structure, it was reopened for use. This potential accident was then reported to Environmental Health and the HSE. The owners have adopted a more rigid written inspection manual and operating procedures manual under the auspices of the HSE.

I have to take full responsibility for a flag pole blowing down two years ago. I had not realised how high winds can get on the plot where the flags where sited. All vehicle damage was paid for by the festival and a very big lesson was learned. This year flag sockets where concreted into the site and they worked perfectly and without incident.

That is all for now folks. Have no fear there will be a Shrewsbury Folk Festival next year......and a very good one. I know I'm booking the artists at present.

All the Best

Alan

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: SunrayFC
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 10:19 AM

with comments like that, this is another thread heading for the toilet.

Such a shame!

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: melodeonboy
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 10:15 AM

'ere, I've got an idea! If they can't hold it at Shrewsbury, they could move it to Bridgnorth! :)

Subject: RE: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: Stower
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 10:09 AM

From personal experience I would doubt the veracity of *anything* published in the press. They have a nasty habit of sexing things up, screwing things up or just making things up to get a story. There may well be some truth in this, but who knows what that truth is?

Sandra and Alan will. Are they around to make a comment?

Subject: Problems for Shrewsbury Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Grapeviner
Date: 12 Nov 09 - 08:15 AM

Heard on the Grapevine, confirmed here.
Doubt it will stop the Festival but in attending to the immediate problem it will detract from more serious aspects - like safety. Flagpoles and falling beams for instance.

gist
Doubts on events at West Mid venueThe future of events at Shrewsbury s West Mid Showground cannot be guaranteed, the estate which owns the land said today.

The news means uncertainty for events such as the Shrewsbury Folk Festival, which has made the ground its home. The future of the Berwick Road venue has been thrown into doubt after the the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society went into liquidation.

The showground is owned by the Berwick Estate.

But the agents which arrange the leasing of the venue on behalf of the estate have said administrators will hold the lease while the company is wound up.

The news comes as it was announced a meeting of creditors is to take place on December 4 at the Prostar Stadium, in Shrewsbury.