Power cut puts paid to Groove Armada set at Goodwood

Thousands of revellers went home disappointed after being told the supply problem would not be fixed in time for the set by Groove Armada’s Andy Cato to take place.

He was due on at 9.30 - half an hour after the last race - but licensing rules meant the set had to finish by 11pm.

And at 9.45, bosses took the reluctant decision to inform the crowd power would not be restored in time for even a truncated event to go ahead.

Some power around the racecourse did come back on at 10.15pm but it was not full power and, in any case, it was too late to rescue the event.

Staff had just begun transforming the parade ring into a dance floor after the presentations for the final race when the whole site lost power. It briefly looked like it would flicker back into life but it didn’t.

It was reported to be a local problem, affecting not just Goodwood, with a high-voltage cable apparently the root of the black-out.

Bosses were frantically trying to find out how long it would take to restore power before deciding they were going to have let down the crowd and send them home.

It is a real sickener for Goodwood bosses - one of their biggest nights of the year ruined by forces outside their control.

A large crowd was at the racecourse and they were looking forward to the first in a series of DJ nights that proved a massive hit last year.

There was no initial word about refunds or the chances of rejigging the Groove Armada set.

The crowd made their way off the site with emergency lighting showing them the way.

People we spoke to said they were extremely disappointed but had sympathy for Goodwood officials as it appeared to be a problem outside the racecourse’s control.

In fact it was a typically-British response to the let-down as groups formed queues waiting for taxis outside the exits while some broke into song to try to cheer themselves up.

* See this website and www.goodwood.com on Saturday for for further statements from Goodwood. The ticket office reopens for enquiries on Monday at 9am.

STEVE BONE