THE ongoing uncertainties associated with the Covid pandemic have postponed plans for a new festival which was due to take place on the outskirts of Chester.

The Secret Sessions Festival was due to take place from September 2-5, 2021, at Bolesworth Castle, but will now take place at the venue next year.

But the so-called 'pingdemic' in recent weeks has, according to event organisers, caused challenges with performers, stakeholders and team members. Further risk in the form of the pending Covid passport regulations has been another potential hurdle.

Harriet Jordan-Wench, organiser of the Secret Sessions Festival, said in a statement on behalf of the team: "Unfortunately, none of these risks are currently covered by event insurers. We also need to know exactly how Covid passports will be applied and what impact they will have on live events, there is just too much uncertainty.

"Our festival is about connection, experience and interaction and we are keen to build something special, trying to deliver the event during the tail end of the pandemic is simply proving too difficult.

"The festival team is saddened to have to make this decision, but we know it's in the best interests of our performers, wellness instructors, festival goers and staff.

"But all is not lost, we'll be back better than ever. With a 60 per cent women and non-binary live music line up, a wellness village full of activities like you’d never imagined and fun packed family time - including designing and making costumes for a parade to celebrate all our amazing cultures and communities.

"This festival will happen, and it will be the most amazing post pandemic celebration we can provide."

Deepa Parekh, festival director, added: “We believe our inaugural 60 per cent Women & Nonbinary Live Music and wellness festival is something that really resonates with festival goers after a what has been a difficult 18 months for many.

"But trying to deliver an event towards the end of the pandemic has proved too challenging.

"We have held a series of promotional events during the last few months, all of which have been compromised by the so-called 'pingdemic'. We have experienced the increased absence of team members, performers and technical staff because of NHS app notifications leading to isolation.

"Stories of them being unable to find enough staff to stay open have become an everyday occurrence for some of our key stakeholders.

“If the industry is going to rebuild and return to pre-pandemic levels quickly, we need to know exactly how Covid passports will be applied and what impact they will have on live events, there is just too much uncertainty and inadequate insurance to cover the artists and performers we’re trying to promote.

“Rather than force the issue this year, we have decided to postpone our inaugural festival until the risks posed by Covid are greatly reduced.

"We are delighted that Bolesworth Castle are still as passionate as us out the ethos of the festival and we are currently working with them to agree the new date which is very likely to be the first week in June 2022.”

All ticket holders will be offered the opportunity to transfer their tickets to the new dates and if they are unable to make the new dates, refunds will be offered via Ticketline.

The postponement is the second such announcement at Bolesworth Castle in two weeks, after the three-day Great Balloon Race Extravaganza, which had been due to take place this past weekend, was postponed due to a number of key suppliers being 'pinged' by the Covid-19 Test and Trace app.