The U.K. edition of the annual Love Parade, scheduled to take place Saturday (July 21) in Newcastle upon Tyne, has been officially cancelled after Newcastle City Council failed to meet the conditions needed to secure an entertainment license for the event. BBC Radio 1, which organized Love Parade 2001, had set a Saturday evening deadline for the license’s approval. Sonique, Fatboy Slim, and Pete Tong were among the acts scheduled to perform.
In a statement issued Saturday, Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt expressed his sadness at the situation. “Although I recognize that extraordinary efforts have been made by the Council, I am still very disappointed that they have failed to meet their obligations under the license at this late stage. Radio 1 have been working on this event for more than six months and have met or exceeded all the requirements placed on us to stage an exciting and safe event.”
“Obviously I am extremely disappointed that Radio 1 have cancelled the Love Parade,” Newcastle Council leader Tony Flynn said in a statement. “Everyone involved has been working around the clock to make this work but the logistical difficulties of bringing 250,000 people into the city safely in a very concentrated time frame proved insurmountable by the deadline Radio 1 set. I know that this news will disappoint thousands of people who were looking forward to the event and I share that disappointment.”
It was estimated that Love Parade would have generated up to #15 million ($21 million) in revenue for the city. Radio 1 are now in urgent talks with national and local clubs and DJs to see whether, in the time remaining, a program of smaller indoor events can be mounted in the city.
