Rain cause of jazz festival cancellation and not dwindling support, says organiser

In the week running up to the event, scheduled for bank holiday Monday, a number of those due to be taking part withdrew from the event, including West Berkshire Mencap and Swings and Smiles - the two charities that would be benefitting from the profits - due to what they claimed was a lack of communication from organiser Warren Brown, of De:Luxe Sports and Events, causing them to question whether the event was actually going ahead.
Swings and Smiles founder Sian Cook said: “We didn’t have enough assurance that it was going to be sufficiently organised.
“To ask the volunteers to give up their time we have got to make sure it’s worth their while.
“We didn’t have confidence that enough was being done.”
Tutts Clump Cider and Hethertons also withdrew due to difficulties in contacting Mr Brown.
Hethertons manager Shawn Smith added that his stall rental had almost doubled from the price he originally agreed while important information such as the times they could enter the park to begin setting up and health and safety information had also not been provided three days before the event.
In addition, documents publicly available on Companies House, show that Mr Brown and company co-director Donna Brown had their appointments at De:Luxe Sports and Events terminated on Saturday - two days before the event.
Mr Brown attributed this to the company being brought by TOP500 solicitors, and said he remained the main shareholder and was “currently in the process of setting the structure of the company”.
He said the forecast of heavy rain was the sole cause for cancellation.
The fee to rent Victoria Park is waved by Newbury Town Council for events supporting charitable causes. However, council leader Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Pyle Hill) said the issues surrounding the jazz festival had highlighted where changes to policy needed to be reviewed.
Mr Swift-Hook said: “On the one hand waving the charges for charitable events is an entirely sensible thing to do, but if the charitable element doesn’t appear to be the prime reason for the event it becomes more difficult to accept that waving the charges is appropriate.
“As a result of what’s happened over the bank holiday weekend I will make sure the town council reviews its policy around waving rental charges for charitable events with a view to ensuring that if it’s a genuine charitable event and that the money would be going to charity.
“I will be asking that any requests to hire the park come to me, as leader of the council, and the deputy leader for consideration.”