'We will survive' vows farmer after festival is halted

Music festivals planned in the Caradon area for the eclipse period had low attendances. Much of the dismal turn out has been blamed on the weather, and the national hype about expected gridlock and other emergencies in the county.

At the Sun Shadow Festival at Gormain Farm near Dobwalls, many of the few hundred who had actually arrived had left by the same evening, although a few were determined to hang around and see the eclipse before heading back home.

Farmer Walter Gubbins and the promoter Bill Firmage from Polruan thought it best that the event should be wound up by 12noon on eclipse day.

Speaking to the Cornish Times on Tuesday night Mr Gubbins, who is deeply upset by the outcome, said he was simply the land provider, but said he had lost a considerable amount of his own money which he had ploughed into the event to try and keep it going after Caradon had first refused planning permission. The festival had also not been helped because a major sponsor pulled out at that point, and during the run up Health and Safety had condemned the main staging area as unsafe.

Mr Gubbins said however that the people who did attend were all wonderful and did their best to have a good time. Many had gone to the farmhouse to personally thank his wife Jill, who was left in tears by their good wishes at such a difficult time. Neighbours had also come by to add their support to their plight, and son Colin Gubbins said after almost four weeks without sleep he couldn't describe how disappointed and upset everyone was.

Charlie Webster, the press officer from Surrey was bitterly scathing of the local and county authorities who he said had been unhelpful and negative.

'They have let the people of Cornwall down which will not be remembered as a friendly place' he said. 'If the sun had shone, and the crowds had come, without these festivals providing the councils with free accommodation, all the visitors would have been trespassers with nowhere to go'.

Mr Gubbins said that his family had tried to do something in difficult farming times, and it was upsetting it had failed. 'But we will survive, as farmers we are used to it' he said.

The Stone Festival at Roscarrek in the Draynes valley has also suffered a financial loss running into four figures. However, Ann Riddle, one of the four organisers, along with land owner David Waterhouse, Bob Dabrowski and Larry Pratt said she was happy to be quoted as saying 'I have just had the best time of my life losing money'.

She also blamed the negative publicity for keeping people away but said the rock and blues festival had peaked at 800 visitors on eclipse day itself, there was no trouble whatsoever and many had enjoyed it so much they are thinking of making it a smaller but annual event. The booked artistes performed with the exception of top of the bill international guitarist John Martin, who turned up, but then left without entertaining the campers, many who had come just to hear him. The organisers said that was very disappointing, but the festival is running its full seven days, ending tomorrow .