Coronavirus: Music festival due to be held at Butlin’s in Bognor Regis postponed until next year - 'It is absolutely gutting to all of us'

The Southport Weekender, which was due to be held last weekend, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hopes to reschedule the event later this year have now faded with the next available weekend being in March 2021.

Notifying followers on Facebook, Alex Lowes, founder of the Southport Weekender, wrote: "It is very sad to be going out with news of its postponement plans, but these are exceptional times that no one could have foreseen.

"We really feel for everyone who booked for this year's event which came within days of taking place, with everything in place and virtually all suppliers fully paid. Sadly, event cancellation insurances do not cover pandemics either. It is absolutely gutting to all of us.

"After many discussions with Butlin's management, who have been very supportive considering they have had to close all of their venues' doors for one month and have their own customers to re-accommodate throughout the year, it has become apparent that the only date we can postpone the event to is the 19th, 20th and 21st March 2021.

"We all would have loved to reschedule the event to later in 2020 but regrettably this is just not possible – at least the Southport Weekender is very much alive albeit the wait is longer than we all would have liked."

The organisers said the line-up will be the same 'or possibly even better' next year.

The statement continued: "Obviously this year’s event sold out in record time, and most accommodation sold out on the day the event went on sale. By December there were more than 3,000 people on the waiting list.

"We are now going to roll over all bookings to the next event with name changes for people who cannot make it, being free of charge until the end of September.

"We realise that this postponement is going to be disappointing for everyone, ourselves included, so as a huge thank you for your ongoing support those attending our revised dates will receive a little gift from us.

"We will issue you all with free tickets (current value of £50 each) to the Southport Weekender Festival on the 5th September at Crystal Palace. Obviously this comes at a massive cost to us, but it’s a cost we feel is worth it and more importantly we are giving a little something back to you."

Read the full statement here