Covid: NASS Festival cancelled due to insurance fears

The festival was sold out for this year and usually attracts 30,000 people

A skateboard festival has been cancelled due to fears that social distancing guidelines may change, leaving organisers without insurance.

NASS in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, was last held in 2019 and usually attracts about 30,000 people.

An event spokesperson said while an insurance scheme was in place, if social distancing rules changed, they would not be covered.

The event has now been rescheduled for July 2022 at Bath and West showground.

This year's sell-out event was due to be held between 23 and 26 September and feature live music from The Streets, Headie One and Kano.

Other artists Little Simz, Becky Hill, Pa Salieu and Greentea Peng were also due to perform.

Festival fan Ellie Merrit, 19, from Weston-super-Mare, was due to go to the event with her friends.

'Plans ruined'

She said: "It's quite upsetting with just two weeks to go.

"I got all my bits together, my tent, my outfits and then having it cancelled with two weeks to go when it's already been pushed back, it's ruined all of my plans with my friends.

"It's the only festival I put my faith in to go to this year."

Ellie (second from right) said she had been planning to go to the festival with a group of 20 friends

She added she had spent about £600 in preparation for the festival but since she was part of a group of about 20 people, it was difficult to plan another trip away together.

Her boyfriend Luke Howard, 23, from Burnham-on-Sea said: "I'm pretty saddened, I was looking forward to it.

"It was the music, the acts that are on."

Like Ellie, he planned to ask for a refund.

"I held it for last year so it rolled over to this year. I just want to do something now and pay for it next year again.

"Because we've all got that weekend off we're planning to go down for a camping trip in Newquay."

Luke said he would also apply for a refund as his ticket was held over from last year

The organisers said if they did go ahead, they would stand to lose at least £10m.

"Festivals are big, complex beasts to run, with very high upfront costs.

"If we were to gamble, we run the risk of having to cancel a couple of days beforehand and taking a huge, eight figure financial hit.

"As an independent business and, after two years of not being able to run NASS, the financial burden this scenario would create is simply too much for us to bear," the spokesperson added.

Tickets can be refunded or held over until next year, when the event is planned for between 7 - 10 July 2022, organisers said.

Along with skateboarding, the festival also features live music, BMX, and street art.