Festival breaks in credit crunch

Franz Ferdinand headlined last year's festival at Inveraray Castle

One of Scotland's newest music festivals has been hit by the credit crunch.

The Connect festival at Inveraray Castle in Argyll is will not be staged this year.

The event began in 2007 and has hosted bands including Franz Ferdinand, Jesus & Mary Chain and the Beastie Boys.

Organisers blamed high running costs, and the fact that fans would be struggling during tough economic times, for this summer's cancellation.

The event, on the banks of Loch Fyne, was originally billed as "T in the Park for grown-ups".

As well as seeing their favourite bands music fans could also sample local produce at the festival and pamper themselves at an onsite spa offering massage and beauty treatments.

Last year 15,000 revellers watched acts including the Manic Street Preachers, Paolo Nutini and Sigur Ros.

'Intimate events'

Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts said: "The combination of extremely high costs incurred in order to stage the festival, and the fact that Connect's audience is arguably affected more by the credit crunch than some other festival markets, means that it would be foolish for us to expect the growth necessary to help Connect thrive in 2009.

"Although our initial business plan was based on the event making a loss in its initial stages, we would have anticipated a growth in attendees by year three.

"However, based on the current financial climate, we know this will not be achievable".

The promoters now plans to run series of smaller, "intimate" events throughout 2009 under the Connect banner.

They hope to return with the Hydro Connect festival in 2010.

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