Licence applications for cancelled gigs were not '˜competent' say council

Falkirk revellers were looking forward to welcoming the likes of Shaun Ryder and Bez to the town in June

Tickets for the Hands Up and Studio 54 festivals in June at the venue are to be refunded after they were called off by organisers due to financial and licensing issues.

The festivals on June 3 and 4, which were to be headlined by iconic acts the Happy Mondays and Gloria Gaynor, will not now go ahead.

A spokesperson for organisers These Events said: “It is with much regret that we have to cancel the above events. We endeavoured to bring something new and exciting to Falkirk and have failed due to licencing difficulties and subsequent financial problems.

“All ticket purchasers have been contacted directly via e-mail and any further enquiries should be directed to [email protected].”

A Falkirk Council spokesperson issued comment on the licensing issue saying: “No competent licence application was received.

“The company attempted to apply in April but had not provided the information required for the council to consider whether to grant the licence.

“Written advice was given of what was needed but no subsequent application was made. There is no difficulty with the council licensing events of this kind and it has done so for many similar events at the Falkirk Stadium in the past.”

Hands Up is down and out

The Hands Up concert was announced in January this year boasting a host of nineties dance and chart acts.

Other top names for the 90s celebration gig on June 3 included The Shamen’s Mr C and dance acts K-Klass, FPI Project (Rich In Paradise) and Together, while the Studio 54 event the following day was to feature disco legends Village People (YMCA) and Boney M (Rasputin, Brown Girl in the Ring).

Other performers were to be Odyssey, Trammp, Right Said Fred, Fine Young Cannibals and Edwin Starr’s Band fronted by his son Angelo.