WESTLIFE REMAINS BUT REST OF FAENOL FESTIVAL’S PROGRAMME IS CANCELLED

Today, the Faenol Festival announced that this year’s Festival is being cancelled as the result of poor advance ticket sales. However, the Westlife concert will go ahead, but at a different venue.

Making the announcement, Bryn Terfel said “May I take this opportunity to thank all our audiences who have supported us over the last ten years, and to those who responded to our call last month to show commitment to this year’s Festival by buying tickets sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, advance ticket sales in this challenging economic climate have not been sufficient for us to feel confident that we can move ahead with the full Festival.

I know many of you will be as disappointed as I am. All I can say is that we have looked at the situation in great detail and from every possible angle. We have found no other workable solution.

I would also like to thank the Festival team, Trust, our wonderful Artists, the Wales Millennium Centre, Waitrose, and supporters including the Welsh Assembly Government and Gwynedd County Council, who have been incredibly supportive in all aspects of our deliberations, especially over the past weeks.”

The Faenol’s Westlife performance will go ahead on 27 August, but it will now take place in the Arena at Venue Cymru. This change of venue will give those with tickets an opportunity to see Westlife in a uniquely intimate venue.

The rearranged concert will be a standing show in the Arena and tickets will be £35. All tickets for the Westlife concert at the Faenol Estate will be automatically valid for the show at Venue Cymru.  Any patrons with seated tickets who wish to attend will be refunded the balance.  Anyone who wishes to receive a full refund for this show must immediately return their ticket to their point of purchase for a full refund – we would kindly ask that these are returned by Friday 13^th August.

Patrons with tickets for any other shows at the Faenol Festival, or the Food & Craft festival, should return their tickets to the point of purchase for a full refund.

Sir David Henshaw, Chairman of the Faenol Festival Trust said “The team have worked tirelessly to explore each and every avenue and opportunity available to them. Ticket Sales have been dreadfully disappointing and we could not waste the generous grant of public money by the Welsh Assembly Government and Gwynedd Council. By continuing with the Westlife element, we hope that we will be able to provide some of our valued audience with the entertainment promised and also provide the locality with some much needed business.”

It is too soon to say what will happen in future years, and whether or not the Festival will return.”

Antony Warren, of Universal Music said: “It is incredibly disappointing for everyone who has made this Festival such a wonderful event over the past ten years and of course the audience for whom it has become a regular highlight of their year. Sadly, the level of advance ticket sales left us with no other option but to change venue for the Westlife performance, and cancel the other dates.

We are glad that we’ve been able to maintain the Westlife evening, and look forward to a very special performance at Venue Cymru. We would like to thank Westlife for agreeing this move, which allows the concert to go ahead for those who have already purchased tickets.

We are working hard with our box office partners to ensure that arrangements are put in place with each and every ticket holder.”