A popular East Neuk festival which attracts tourists from all over has been jilted after Fife Council booked its venue for a wedding.
Crail Festival has run for more than three decades and its traditional finale is a concert at which the likes of Eddi Reader, Barbara Dickson, Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain have performed.
Organisers were astounded to learn that Crail Community Hall – the only spot suitable for the show – was already taken for 2017.
A couple from outside the picturesque coastal village booked it over a year ago for their summer nuptials and have refused to budge on their July 29 date.
Crail Festival chairman Ian Mooney slammed what he said was a “corporate failure” by the council, and said there was no way the festival finale could go ahead in its usual fashion.
He said: “Crail Festival has used Crail Community Hall for time immemorial.
“The festival is over 30 years old and Fife Council has always given that time to the festival, so it came as a surprise to us to learn that it has been booked for a wedding.
“The last thing we want to do is apportion any kind of blame to this couple, they are entitled to have their wedding and not have it spoiled.
“I am so disappointed with the lack of corporate responsibility from the council.
“No senior person has bothered to pick up the phone to try to redress this in any way.”
Already many of the events have been set for the 11-day festival, which is traditionally held during Glasgow fair fortnight when the village is busy with tourists.
The concert cannot be shifted to the Friday night due to wedding preparations, and offers of venues outside Crail have been rejected.
Mr Mooney said: “At the moment I can’t see how we can run that final event in the format we are used to.”
The council confirmed that the wedding booking had been made over a year ago.
Gary Daniell, community resources team leader, said: “The festival organisers have had a longstanding unofficial agreement with the council to have the hall over a set weekend.
“Unfortunately, another booking was taken by someone last year who was unaware of this arrangement.
“We apologise for this but do have a contractual obligation to proceed with the wedding booking on this occasion and hope to try and accommodate the Crail Festival another weekend if it is feasible for them.”
