Axed festival bands in tour offer to fans

Friday 2nd October 2009, 11:30AM BST.

Fans left out of pocket when a Shropshire summer music festival was axed just days before it was due to take place have been offered the chance to see their favourite bands.

Organisers of the Memories of Woodstock festival at the West Mid Showground in August pulled the plug, blaming the bands for the move.

But groups including Asia, Uriah Heep, Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash and Focus said they were not performing due to a dispute over appearance fees.

And last night members of two of the bands appeared on BBC One consumer affairs show Watchdog to offer their fans a chance to see them on tour.

Martin Turner, from Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash, told Anne Robinson that if fans could prove they had bought tickets for the festival they could go on their website and they would try to make provisions for them to see them on tour.

Mick Box, from Uriah Heep, agreed to do the same.

Fan Steven Smith told the show he was annoyed by what happened. He said: “I’ve always liked Jethro Tull. When we saw they were advertising on the net we thought: ‘Let’s do this’.

“Then we got this simple compliment slip with no explanation, just: ‘It’s cancelled’ and refunds will be issued and, of course, up til now they never have been.”

The show said the festival organisers would pay re-funds as soon as their insurance company had paid out.

View more: West Mid Showground news.