Bishopstock postponed due to foot & mouth

Bishopstock Festival - due to take place on 26-29th May, at Bishop's Court Palace, Clyst St Mary, Devon - has been postponed due to the foot and mouth crisis.

On a statement on their website they say that a number of government restrictions will prevent the staging of the festival this May. "Because of these restrictions, some essential facilities will be unavailable to us, making it impossible for the festival to take place at this time" it says. Devon is the second most infected area, and the rural site falls within the "infected area".

Bishopstock hope to re-schedule the event for the last weekend in August (August 25th, 26th, 27th), but this is subject to final confirmation. All tickets purchased to date will be honoured, and tickets are still being sold at the original price. There is an indication that the ticket price will increase when costing for moving the event has been finalised.

Meanwhile, other events planned for May look set to got ahead. Homelands - taking place near Winchester, Hants (currently not an "infected area") - continues to remain confident. The fields to be used have been free of animals since well before the foot & mouth outbreak began, and access is from a major road, which is unlikely to be closed.

Reading Council have taken the step of expressing their confidence that July's WOMAD and August's Reading Festival will both be able to go ahead as planned.

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