THE organisers of Oban Live have announced that the music festival “will be taking a break” next year.
Attracting visitors from across the globe, Argyll’s biggest music concert has generated more than £6 million for the town and region.
However, event founders Skerryvore say that the decision was “ultimately inevitable due to the lack of development and improvement of Mossfield Stadium” as well as other annual issues.
In a statement, they said: “We can no longer keep absorbing the huge costs and risks associated with hosting this event while the facilities deteriorate and costs increase. In the past four years we have paid Argyll & Bute Council £35,808 for the hire of Mossfield and various council services. In total, we have spent over £1.5million to deliver Oban Live.”
The founders say that making Mossfield “event ready” has only grown more difficult, and with no confirmation from the council with regards to development or funding, the gig had to be put on hold.
They added: “We had set a deadline of May 31... for a clear update on two key questions regarding Mossfield and event funding - once again we have not received a reply and without that information we simply cannot make plans for Oban Live 2020.
“However, the show must go on. 2020 marks the 15th anniversary of Skerryvore and we are planning something special in Scotland.”
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