'Devastation' as festival goes into administration

Headline acts like McFly, Clean Bandit and Human League have played at the AmpRocks part of the festival in Bedfordshire

A company that runs a not-for-profit music festival has gone into administration, leaving "devastated" volunteers.

Ampthill Festival CIC, which runs the three-day event in Bedfordshire , said "adverse weather" badly affected last summer's festival.

It said all creditors, including ticket holders, had been contacted.

Local councillor Heather Townsend said: "My thoughts are really with the volunteers that put their hearts and souls into it."

She added that she hoped the festival would come back "in some sort of guise".

The Ampthill festival had grown into a 3-day event attracting large crowds

The festival has seen headline acts such as McFly and Human League perform at its AmpRocks Friday event, with more family-orientated AmpProms and AmpGala over the weekend. All three "cherished community initiatives" are affected, said Ampthill Festival.

"The festival volunteer team, who have dedicated many years, in some cases over 10 years, to its success, are all devastated by this," the team added.

In 2023, AmpProms had to be cancelled due to warnings of “severe wind” and thunder and lightning storms.

Organisers said "the unusually cold and wet AmpRocks evening and AmpGala afternoon" also had a "direct impact on the success of the weekend".

Ms Townsend, who is an independent councillor for Flitwick and Steppingley on Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “It was really windy. People don’t want to dance around in the rain and buy a lot of beer when it’s cold and wet."

Ampthill Festival was run entirely by volunteers

She said everyone in hospitality and big events had had "a very difficult time" following the pandemic, with funds "already depleted".

She acknowledged that "people have got to be allowed to be angry, to mourn what was lost".

"This wasn’t Glastonbury, this was our festival," she added.

"There’s going to be a hole in people’s diaries this year.”

However, Ms Townsend believed "this is an opportunity for the festival organisation to have a pause, work out what they really want to be there for and refine themselves".

Ampthill Festival said the "winding-up process" and "all official communcations" were being handled by Strong Anderson, who had been instructed to liquidate the company.

“The volunteer team sincerely appreciate the community's support over the years and ask for your understanding during this challenging time,” it said.