Rumours over future of V Festival at Weston Park - UPDATED

Reports yesterday emerged on a music website that the event would not go ahead next year. And Music Week claimed the V Festival promoter Festival Republic was still planning to run the event at the sister site, at Hylands Park in Chelmsford.

But the council which provides the licence for the event, South Staffordshire Council, last night said there was ‘no indication’ the August festival would not be going ahead at Weston Park.

The event has been held each August at the two venues since the 1990s, with the first event at Weston Park in 1999.

The dates are yet to be released for next year.

Festival Republic was unavailable for comment.

A South Staffordshire spokesman said: “There is no indication whatsoever that V Festival might not happen in Staffordshire next year.

“V Festival is a strong and successful event for the area and we hope it will continue.”

This year’s line-up included Jay-Z, Pink, Ellie Goulding and Stormzy.

But it was believed that ticket sales were down on previous years, with organisers refusing to reveal how many had been sold.

Shifnal Town Mayor Robert Harrop said: “I’m not surprised by the speculation.

“We saw near-empty buses going to the festival this year, it certainly seemed fewer people were going than from previous years.”

He added: “As with any commercial event, it stands or falls on its merits.

“Is it an important part of the local economy? Apart from hotels it doesn’t seem so to me.

“It is a very inclusive event where money is mainly spent inside, not in surrounding areas such as Shifnal.”

But Clare Hughes, group sales and marketing manager at The Park House Hotel in Shifnal, said: “It is good for us every year.

“We get site contractors and visitors stay with us over the festival period.

“We’d miss the event if it did not come back next year.”