This in from organisers of what was to be a new Boat & Leisure Festival. In their own words. Ed
It is with deep regret that the organisers of the 2012 Boat & Leisure Festival ‘Cowesfest’ have taken the difficult decision to cancel the Jubilee-themed Festival that was scheduled to be held in Cowes Yacht Haven on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th June.
Spearheaded by the Managing Director, James Brooke, his vision for this two-day Festival was to create a stunning display of British boats and outdoor leisure activities for visitors to see, interact with and enjoy in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Not enough exhibitor interest
Plans were also well underway to incorporate a packed schedule of live music. Sadly, it has not been possible to encourage enough companies to take exhibitor space and participate at the Festival, despite the low cost of doing so in such a high profile venue and over such a special bank holiday.
However, Mr Brooke has been astounded by some terrific support shown particularly from local residents and some companies based on the Isle of Wight, and the organising team would like to express sincere thanks for this support.
Deposits refunded in full
“We feel that cancelling the Festival now is the responsible decision to take as it would be hugely disappointing for everyone if we produced an event that is anything less than exceptionally good.
“We pride ourselves on delivering high quality events, and hope that the time and effort that has been put into planning this event can be rewarded at a future date,” says Mr Brooke.
No special rates for last minute booking
He continues, “In order to help protect the future of other events and exhibitions, any companies wishing to exhibit at them really must understand that they will not be able to take advantage of any discounted or free stand space by waiting until the last minute to book!
“This notion simply undermines the potential success of the entire event and shows little consideration for all the other exhibitors who have been so supportive from an early stage. This culture has become widespread within the marine industry, and we consider it to be a greater threat to the future of exhibitions than the current economic climate.”
Any deposits paid are being refunded in full.
