A major music festival due to take place in Belfast next month has been scrapped because of poor ticket sales. The Happy Mondays and New Order were billed to headline the Titanic Lockdown festival, but yesterday organisers announced the event had been cancelled. They said ticket sales had been “significantly slower than forecast” and, as a result, it was “not possible” to go ahead with the two-day festival.
People who bought tickets for the event, on June 1 and 2, will be given full refunds. Around three years of planning had gone into the festival, which was due to take place at a former shipyard hangar opposite the old headquarters of Harland and Wolff in the Titanic Quarter. It had been described by promoters Hydroponic as a “boutique festival for Belfast’s music lovers”.
Top acts for the event, included Mancunian icons Happy Mondays and New Order, who reformed in August 2011. The festival would have been their first appearance in Northern Ireland for more than 20 years. Other confirmed acts included Ghostpoet, Factory Floor, Lee Scratch Perry and Mercury Music Prize nominee Anna Calvi.
Initially, public demand was said to be high. But ticket sales failed to live up to expectation. News of the cancellation was revealed on Titanic Lockdown’s website. A statement read: “Due to poor ticket sales in a challenging economic climate, it is with great regret and disappointment that we must announce the cancellation of the 2012 Titanic Lockdown summer festival.
“Despite a huge wave of goodwill, ticket sales have been significantly slower than forecast for an event featuring such high profile acts. “As a result, it will not be possible to deliver the event.
“In addition, we offer good wishes to all local festival organisers, promoters and artists currently beating the drum for the Arts in Northern Ireland. They make a wonderful contribution to the cultural life of our city in these bleak economic times.
“All tickets will be fully refunded — please contact your ticket provider for details.” “Momentum is building towards our June festival and the feedback from music fans has been phenomenal.”
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