Park pop could be switched to new 2009 date

By Thom Kennedy

Last updated 05:32, Friday, 29 August 2008

CARLISLE Live organiser Andrew Tinkler said they will consider moving next year’s event away from a bank holiday as big-name bands and a fireworks spectacular failed to save it from the credit crunch.

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Despite boasting the event’s biggest ever stage, and chart-toppers such as Boyzone and McFly, audience figures dropped dramatically at last weekend’s two-day extravaganza.

Less than 7,000 people turned out at the first day of the annual event, where headliners Boyzone played a slickly choreographed medley of their chart hits.

And around 6,000 were present for the second day, when rock-lite pop stars McFly jetted in from the Olympic handover ceremony in London to play the weekend’s closing set.

By contrast, 15,000 had turned out to watch Westlife, in 2007, and more than 10,000 chose to watch bands with relatively little chart success at Solfest over the same weekend.

But the event’s backer Andrew Tinkler said that despite the low numbers, the event was still a success.

He said: “At this moment in time we are looking at the debrief, and once we have done that we can see where we go next. I was pleased with the weekend and the performances we got, I thought it was great. But I am going to look at the date next year, as it was on bank holiday weekend, and we have to wonder whether it should be in August.

“I think two days at bank holiday weekend is a lot to fill in.”

Mr Tinkler added that he had been impressed with bands such as The Hoosiers and Go: Audio, and said that more up-and-coming bands would be considered alongside big-name headliners for future festivals.

The event had increased in scale from last year, with the stage doubling in size since 2007’s event.

The Eddie Stobart boss added: “I actually think it went really well.

“I thought it was going to be difficult, if you look at the number of concerts out there. People only have so much money to spend on leisure, which was going to be down because of the credit crunch.

“I think what we are trying to do is build a brand, and I am sure we succeeded with that. There is always going to be unhappy with something – even the bands commented on the professional set-up of it.”