Mathew Street Festival cancelled

Liverpool Life Oh for goodness sake:

"But today, in Liverpool's 800th birthday year, when it should have been grander and more ambitious than ever, Mathew Street Festival has been called off.

The decision to pull the plug follows independent advice from London health and safety consultants Capital Symonds, employed by the Liverpool Culture Co, who highlighted the loss of the Pier Head (see Not Strictly Confidential earlier this week) and the building site that is Liverpool city centre as a major factor in the decision."

Of course, I'm biased; Sefton Park was seen as potential new venue for the main stages during the fix up which would have been usefully local and would have for once brought the fun to the suburbs and yes, I can understand that there are issues related to the city centre being a giant building site at present with weird bus stops and what not.

But you would have thought something could have been sorted out just so that yet again we're not in position were, as Liverpool Confidential say, on the city's 800th birthday, one of the biggest parties has been canceled. In addition, given what's actually planned for the proper celebration, how can that be less of a safety risk and indeed isn't there potentially going to be even more people turning up for that? What are the 'unique conditions' in relation to this festival that don't affect the others?

Perhaps a fringe festival will be formed in the pubs around the area. Unless there's an order banning live music for that weekend...

Update! It's been saved! Ish.