EMILY PRESCOTT: Failed festival organiser blasts Craig David claiming Robbie Williams would have sold out
IT WAS supposed to have been the perfect end to a series of summer festivals – gigs by mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins and R&B star Craig David in the grounds of a sumptuous Sussex estate.
But after last weekend’s Wiston Summer Sounds was cancelled at the last minute, the organiser has blamed the headline acts for lacking the star power to pull in the crowds – and suggested he would have had more success if he had booked Robbie Williams instead.
Explaining where things went wrong, Thom Milner-Smith, director of Atom Presents, was hardly flattering his guests when he said: ‘We got the artists for days two and three wrong. It was my decision.’
Synthpop duo Soft Cell were the day two headliner, and day three would have closed with Jenkins and tenor Russell Watson. Tainted Love band Soft Cell say they were ‘very saddened’ by the cancellation, adding: ‘It would have been the first time in over 20 years Soft Cell had performed live in Sussex, and we know lots of our fans are as disappointed as we are that we weren’t able to end our summer shows this year on a high at this event.’
Craig David, pictured, was due to headline last weekend’s Wiston Summer Sounds
Day three at the festival was due to close with singer Katherine Jenkins, pictured
The event was due to take place at the Wiston Estate near Steyning, West Sussex
A spokesman added that they had headlined well-attended shows all summer ‘so it’s a mystery to us’ why the gig at the Wiston Estate near Steyning, West Sussex, sold poorly.
‘I think I was just too optimistic,’ said Thom, reflecting that had he booked Robbie Williams he would have expected to ‘sell out in a month… but even with Robbie Williams it might be difficult if he was doing something like 50 gigs that year’.
He also thought the site may have been too remote. Those who bought tickets have been offered a refund.
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