Isle of Wight & Download festivals cancelled
- Details
Duran Duran and Lionel Richie were due to appear alongside Supergrass and Kaiser Chiefs at Seaclose Park, Newport on the Isle of Wight. At Download, Kiss, Iron Maiden and System of a Down were the headliners due at Donnington Park. These cancellations follow the earlier news that Glastonbury 2020, also scheduled for June, will not happen.
“The Isle of Wight Festival will no longer be taking place this year,” says the event’s website. “This decision hasn't been taken lightly and we have tried our hardest to make it work, but it was unavoidable given the current status. The whole team was excited to welcome everyone to the island for another fantastic festival and we extend our sincere apologies to everyone who was looking forward to it as much as we were.
“The safety of our audience, artists, crew and the Isle of Wight community is paramount and we appreciate your patience whilst we’ve been working through this unprecedented situation. We’ll be back stronger than ever in 2021 and we hope to see you all again next year.
“We are working closely with our ticketing partners at the moment and they will be in touch very soon to process your refund, or, if you prefer, you can retain your ticket and carry it over to next year.”
Isle of Wight's council leader, Dave Stewart, said: "I understand the disappointment this will bring to many people and the impact on businesses both on the Island and beyond. I appreciate how hard it will have been to have made this decision, and I want to thank the festival organisers for making the sensible choice."
On the Download festival website, a statement from the organisers said: "This decision hasn't been taken lightly and we're beyond disappointed. We extend our heartfelt apologies to all of you - we really did try to make this work.
"Please rest assured we will be back next year. Now, more than ever, we need the Download spirit to thrive and offer support to those that need it most. We'll do our best to put together an amazing line up for you in 2021 and can't wait to see you all then. Thank you, as ever, for your continued support.”
(Jim Evans)
