Bersted's parish festival is cancelled for this year

Organisers on Bersted Parish Council have decided to abandon plans for their latest community celebration.

The original date of June 17 for the get-together of groups and individuals had to be scrapped because its site of Jubilee Playing Fields off Chalcraft Lane was too soggy.

A suggestion to hold a scaled-down version there on August 5 was decisively rejected by councillors.

They equally decisively agreed to concentrate their efforts on a bigger and better event for 2013 to make up for the disappointment.

Council chairman Tony Kemp said there was no alternative. “Over the past few years, the parish festival has been brilliant.

“If we hold the festival next month, it may well not keep up to that standard,” he said.

Cllr Bill Smee said the continued uncertain weather and a crowded calendar of other local events meant it was best to abandon hopes of a festival for this summer.

But Cllr Wendy Kapp said: “We are able to get quite a number of people for August 5. I’d like to see it go ahead then, though there will be things missing because some people are away.”