Exclusive: Levellers Green Blade Fayre cancelled

United Kingdom | by John Bownas, Mike Eccleshall | 30 July 2002

Locals' concerns over an invasion of New Age Travellers has led to the Levellers' Green Blade Fayre license bid being rejected by the local licensing authority.

It has just been announced that The Levellers' keenly anticipated Green Blade Fayre (originally planned as the first year of an annual festival) has had to be cancelled due its licence bid being rejected by East Devon County Council.

In statement released by the bands management, blame was placed fairly and squarely on the shoulders of a campaign by a "small number of local residents who objected to the event, likening the event to an illegal rave, recently held nearby by people who could not get into Glastonbury. They also spread rumours that huge numbers of "New Age Travellers" would descend upon the area for a period of weeks, causing huge disruption to the local community."

Despite widespread backing from the Emergency Services, Health & Safety officials, former Promoters, the Director of the Forestry commission, and a large number of local residents, the License was still refused at a hearing in East Devon yesterday (Monday July 29th)

Virtual Festivals is saddened at the fact that in this era of the "super-fence" the Green Blade Fayre - which was promising to be a fantastic festival that harped back to the good old days of non-commercialism, whilst also being a showcase for up and coming bands such as Electric Soft Parade and British Sea Power, has not even been given a chance to prove itself.

The latest information we have is that there are no plans to make an appeal for fear of jeopardising any future requests. However Phil Nelson, Levellers manager stated "The Levellers plan to postpone the event until next summer, and will immediately begin to find a location in the West Country which will support a 2-day, family-based music festival"

If you know of any suitable venues, please let us know and we will pass on your comments to The Levellers

If you wish to make your feelings known about this decision to the Council please email eddc@east-devon.gov.uk (FAO Licensing). We would be interested to hear from anyone who gets a sensible response!