Festival a success despite wild winds

Noel Gallagher and Bryan Adams both played to 14,000-plus crowds while three other nights of entertainment in the main arena – Star Wars on the big Screen, 80s and 90s Mix Tape and the traditional West End Proms – brought in large numbers.

But organisers had to prematurely end the Star Wars screening on Wednesday and the West End Proms because high winds led to safety fears.

Cuffe and Taylor is offering refunds to those affected and director Peter Taylor said: “We are all absolutely devastated that we had to end Lytham Festival early.

“We were closely monitoring the weather all week, hence our decision to start early on Sunday but in the end the high winds beat us and we had to admit defeat.

“The entire Lytham Festival and Cuffe and Taylor team were absolutely shattered that we had to make this decision and we apologise whole-heartedly to everyone who supported the event and to our amazing performers, some who had travelled internationally to be a part of the West End Proms.

“It was such a sad end to an amazing week.

“This was our biggest Lytham Festival to date and to witness tens of thousands of people enjoying the fantastic line-up really was something else.

“Social media has been awash with compliments and images of people having an absolute ball throughout the week, particularly of those enjoying headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Sister Sledge and Bryan Adams.

“Lytham Festival will always be very special to us all as this is our home-town event and the support we receive locally really is second to none.

“We are truly upset 2016 ended this way but we also have to reflect on what a fantastic success the rest of the week was.

“We are already planning Lytham Festival 2017 and I can assure everyone the line-up, once again, will be breathtaking.

“Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s event and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2017.”

Details on refunds will be published at www.lythamfestival.com from 9am today.

Peter added: “We appreciate everyone’s support for Lytham Festival and that is why we are offering refunds to everyone who purchased tickets.

“A sell-out audience of 7,000 people came to West End Proms – we would like to see these people return next year and therefore it is only right that everyone is able to get a refund if they so wish.”

It is not the first time the weather has intervened on the Fylde coast.

Back in 2012, Elton John famously had to abandon his show on the Tower Festival Headland because of high winds.