Music lovers excited over festival plans

AFTER months of silence during the licensing process, the organizers of a Wirral music festival have finally spoken out.

Sunset Festival at Thors Rock is an Eclectic Music Event with DJ's, Live Acts and Bands. It is not a rock festival!

Wirral Borough Council have now granted the license for 7,500 people to attend the Sunset Festival at Thors Rock in the beautiful countryside at Thurstaston in May 2010.

Festival goers will be able to camp on Friday night with live music beginning at 1pm on Saturday 28th May and ending at midnight with campers staying until Sunday afternoon.

Organisers Gerrard White and Andrew Carr said: "The truth is we have always had a vast amount of support for the festival from local residents & businesses in Thurstaston, Irby, Heswall and West Kirby from the very start.

"In the past 3 weeks alone we have had over 1,800 South Wirral supporters join the Festival Facebook Group which continues to grow by the hour! "The majority of negative opinion to the festival has come directly from the South Wirral Conservative Councillors Jeff Green & David Elderton who have gone out their way to stop the event. "We were astounded that in this current economic recession that the Conservative councillors could totally disregard, not only the benefits the festival would bring to businesses in the area, but also everyone who loves live music across the borough."

The festival will be using the same security, safety and traffic management companies who help run major events across the UK from Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds Festivals to Aintree Races.

Merseyside Police & Fire who backed the event from the start will also play a major part in the safety of the event.

Geb and Andrew said: "We will do our best to continue involving the immediate residents and work closely with them to resolve any fears they have regarding the festival throughout the coming year. "Our aim from the start was to bring outdoor live music to the Wirral at an amazing location run in a safe and professional manner. These events are safely run across the country every year, so we can do the same on Wirral. Now we can finally start moving forward and promoting the benefits of the event."

The festival will be eclectic show featuring world famous DJs, bands and live acts also with a John Peel Tribute Tent giving local acts a chance to shine.

Two local charities will also benefit from fund raising at the event.

The location is set in 150 acres of Wirral's finest countryside, with views across the Dee estuary far as North Wales & Anglesey providing a fantastic back drop for the event, and the hope of a great sunset would create the perfect show in 2010.

Head line acts will be confirmed in January 2010 with tickets going on sale in February. There will be a choice of day tickets and camping tickets available. Entertainers, dancers, fair ground rides and a fancy dress theme will all add to the carnival atmosphere.

Local businesses in Thurstaton, West Kirby, Heswall and Irby stand to share in a quarter of a million pounds being spent by festival goers before, during and after the event. Liverpool City Centre will also benefit with a further £100,000 being spent in the bars and nightclubs after parties.

A website is under construction and details of headline acts and how to buy tickets will be released in the next few weeks.

GERRARD WHITE & ANDREW CARR

INITIAL PRESS CONTACT: ANDREW CARR