Shindig Festival organisers have issued a statement on coronavirus, reassuring fans: “the show is most certainly going on”.
After consultation with medical teams and Environmental Health, organisers have today committed to going ahead with the festival’s 2020 edition this May. The only circumstances in which Shindig would be called off will be if the Government orders a ban on large events, but organisers have reassured ticketholders their money is protected should the worst happen.
Shindig HQ called on fans to help by thinking about and fact-checking coronavirus info before sharing it on social media to “fight the hysteria at its source”. They also asked Shindiggers to support independent festivals by spreading the message tickets can be bought with confidence.
Earlier this week, South Somerset District Council approved Shindig Festival’s licence, giving permission for the first edition at the Dillington Estate. Shindig announced the move from their former home at Gilcombe Farm back in the Autumn.
The full statement reads: “The show is most certainly going on. It’s business as usual and we are deep in the final planning stages. Full steam ahead!!
“Currently, lots of events, tours and festivals around the world are pulling their shows because they don’t want to risk huge financial losses in case of enforced cancellation by their governments. There is also the concern of adding to the spread of illness which is absolutely fair and we’ll never judge anyone for putting their businesses and health concerns above all.
“At Shindig HQ, we’ve been discussing this since it first became apparent that this virus was becoming an issue. We’ve consulted the relevant authorities including Environmental Health and our medical team and presently, under their guidance, we are committing to going ahead with Shindig Festival 2020. If we have to postpone to a later date, this will only be because we are required to by the Government. If this happens to us, then it will happen to all events and we’ll be powerless to stop it. We will have to abide by the rules of the land.
“Like 99% of events, our event insurance doesn’t cover cancellation due to coronavirus or government shutdowns. Cancellation isn’t something that we can lightly afford and it could potentially cause us huge financial difficulties. However, as a ticket holder that has bought tickets via a third party ticket agent (Ticketline or Ticketsellers) your money is held and protected by them. With this in mind, we have decided to go all in – because we are all about the party and the only party that doesn’t let you down!
“We know this sounds a bit doom and gloom but we don’t mean for it to be. We’re all about the British spirit and we know our Shindig family are made of tougher stuff. We take this virus seriously and we are making the appropriate arrangements behind the scenes but we also think that it is important that we maintain perspective. We can’t grind everything to a halt, we can’t buy all the toilet paper in the land and we definitely can’t let our summer be ruined by something that hasn’t happened yet.
“So, how can you help us? It’s simple; think before you spread things on social media, fact check everything before you share it. We need to fight the hysteria at the source. Also tell people that their ticket money is safe, that they can continue to buy tickets with confidence knowing that in the worst case scenario they are protected.
“Please support independents in these difficult times – now more than ever we need to stick together.
“Shindig HQ x”
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Shindig Festival 2020 line-up poster
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Image credits: TheFestivals
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