UK music festival axed days before start despite thousands of tickets sold

A major music festival due to take place in Cheltenham this weekend has been cancelled, just days before fans were set to arrive.

Around 4,500 tickets had been sold for the Cheltenham Tribute Festival, which was due to be staged at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday.

The event was set to feature tributes to chart-topping acts including Queen, The Killers, and Dua Lipa.

But organisers Social Eats Events confirmed they have withdrawn their licence application after admitting they failed to allow enough time for it to be processed by Cheltenham Borough Council.

‘In hindsight, we recognise that the three-month window allowed for the licensing process was not sufficient, and we sincerely apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience this will cause,’ the company said in a statement.

Ticketing platform Skiddle will contact customers regarding refund options, though organisers say tickets will remain valid for a rescheduled date.

The cancellation comes after the festival faced the possibility of being blocked from going ahead amid concerns it could cause ‘significant public nuisance.’

Environmental protection officers at both Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Borough Councils raised objections, citing public safety and noise issues.

A spokesperson for Cheltenham Borough Council said: ‘The safety advisory group clearly communicated these concerns to both the event organiser and the racecourse as landowners.

‘The event organiser has taken the decision to cancel the event and, as a result, has also withdrawn the licensing application which meant the licensing hearing was no longer necessary.’

The Cheltenham Tribute Festival joins other music festivals that have been suddenly cancelled this summer, including the Goa Cream Festival and the The Readipop Festival, among others.

Overwhelmingly, the reason for these cancellations seem to be organisational or funding issues.

No alternative date has yet been confirmed for the Cheltenham festival’s return.

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