30/04/2021
As we ease out of lockdown across the UK, it’s easy to feel like normality (well, the new normal) is just around the corner. Many festivals are set to return this year, with tickets selling faster than ever for many events. There are however a handful of the largest UK festivals who have had to cancel this year, but why?
Despite the easing of restrictions, and the positivity surrounding this, there’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. With the months of forward planning and expense to put on many of the larger festivals, the lack of a ‘safety net’ which would come in the form of a government backed insurance scheme is non-existent, meaning that another cancellation like that of 2020 could mean a loss of millions in some cases, and potentially the end of many of our best loved UK festivals.
Some of the cancellations so far this year are:
Boomtown
Download
Glastonbury
Neverworld
BST Hyde Park
2000trees
Shambala Festival
Barn on the Farm
Bluedot
Sadly, we can expect a few more cancellations but no-where near the scale of 2020. The smaller/medium festivals have a much shorter planning period, and can therefore be a lot more agile to any unforeseen changes. If you have tickets already for UK festivals this year, don’t worry, if the festival does cancel you’ll be entitled to a refund in most cases. But here’s hoping festivals all go ahead as planned!
We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as festival season progresses with all the latest news.