On Blackheath music festival postponed until 2013 (From News Shopper)

On Blackheath music festival postponed until 2013

11:49am Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Music By Mark Chandler

A MUSIC festival planned for Blackheath this summer has been postponed due to the Olympics and other major events.

Nimby Events won the right to stage the On Blackheath music festival following a costly court dispute with the Blackheath Society over their licence last year.

But they have now revealed the event won’t take place until September 2013.

Tom Wates from Nimby said too many artists’ time was already being taken up this year with things like the Olympics and the queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

Mr Wates said: “It’s our first event and it needs to be the biggest and best event we can possibly put on.

“We don’t want to compete with the Olympics because we’ll come a distant second.”

The two-day event had planned to attract around 50,000 people to see top music acts alonf with local talent from September 22 to September 23.

Lewisham Council is already running its own Olympic event on the heath during the Games and there had been fears that there would be too much activity there during the summer months.

The Blackheath Society said in a statement: “This is welcome news in view of the heavy load on Blackheath in 2012.”

Leader of Lewisham Lib Dems Councillor Chris Maines said he welcomed the news, after hearing concerns about further road closures and disturbances following the Olympics.

Cllr Maines said: “The fact a licence in perpetuity has been granted for this event will allow the organisers to reapply to use Blackheath in future years.

“Indeed it could be held in abeyance for many years before attempts are made to organise another event, so we will need to be vigilant.”