Latitude Festival organisers 'confident' after talks with government
It could be the first major UK festival to take place this year which isn't a trial event
Last updated 20th Jun 2021
Organisers of Suffolk's Latitude Festival say they're confident next month's event will go ahead without any coronavirus restrictions in place.
The event, now in its 15th year, brings up to 35,000 people to Henham Park near Southwold to see some of the biggest names in music, literature and comedy.
Last year's edition was cancelled due to the pandemic. There had also been doubts over the event this year after the extension of coronavirus restrictions by a further four weeks.
But organisers now say they're hoping the event will be one of the first this summer which isn't a government approved trial or pilot event.
Headliners include Wolf Alice, Chemical Brothers, Bastille, Bombay Bicycle Club, Bill Bailey, Katherine Ryan, Jo Brand, Reginald D. Hunter and Simon Amstell.
Festivities are due to kick off on Thursday the 22nd of July, with the festival concluding on Sunday the 25th. If all goes to plan the final lockdown restrictions will be lifted on the 19th of July.
Director Melvin Benn said:
“It’s been a long week after the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday and while I was disappointed in the immediate aftermath of the statement, on reflection, I think it actually gives much more certainty of Latitude being able to happen than if he had loosened things on Monday because the country will have strangled the variant’s ability to spread to a greater degree through increased vaccination than if we had opened fully this coming Monday."
"So, for much of the week I have been in conversation with the Government on Latitude in particular and I’m very confident after those talks that Latitude will be able to go ahead.
"There will be more detail on the specifics next week but with this in mind, we are thrilled to announce these fantastic artists today.
More details will follow but we’ll 100% keep you updated every step of the way. We’re very excited – it’s really happening!”