A music festival, which was due to feature a performance from Gareth Gates, has been cancelled due to “safety concerns”.
The Challenge Festival – which originally had Peter Andre on the bill – was due to go ahead on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, in Myrtle Park, Bradford, West Yorkshire, but it has been scrapped.
Organiser Ian Andrews-Swailes wrote in a Facebook post: “We have had to cancel The Challenge Festival over safety concerns.
“Another great event cancelled because of unrealistic demands such as fencing a woodland area in case of fire amongst many others.”
A spokesperson for Bradford Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) said: “SAG has been working with the organiser of Challenge Festival to ensure the event could be held safely.
“Assurances were asked of the organiser following the latest draft of plans to ensure contingencies were in place, and it was our understanding that these were being addressed.
“SAG’s objective is not to stop events, but to provide professional advice to event organisers to ensure that events are run in a safe manner.
“Public safety must be a priority at any event and different types of events require different levels of safety plans.
“The organiser has taken the decision to cancel this event.”
But Ian has been left “really gutted” at having to axe the event.
He told the Telegraph and Argus newspaper: “Challenge has taken hundreds of hours to prepare and cost me thousands of my own personal money. I was bankrolling the festival this year.
“I put so much effort into this effort for Bradford, for nothing. It’s gut-wrenching.”
‘Mysterious Girl’ hitmaker Peter and Ellie Sax were all previously announced as acts, alongside former ‘Pop Idol’ star Gareth.
But in April, Ian confirmed Peter and Ellie would no longer be performing.
