BOUTIQUE music festival Cotton Clouds, nicknamed ‘party on the moors’, could go ahead again in Saddleworth this year.
The former company that ran the festival for three years at Saddleworth Cricket Club, Greenfield entered liquidation last year with more than £135,000 owed to unsecured creditors and with estimated assets of only £39,217.
Now, Credible Media – owner of the Oldham Evening Chronicle and radio station Revolution 96.2 – have acquired the rights to the festival from insolvency practitioners Campbell, Crossley and Davis.
Now the local media group – led by local businessman Matt Ramsbottom – are looking to revive the event.
Mr Ramsbottom said: “It was clear from all the feedback we received that live music fans from across the North West wanted Cotton Clouds to continue.
“We are looking to collaborate with Saddleworth Round Table and other North West promoters.
“We are keen to stage the festival at the same venue next summer and already we’ve engaged in positive conversations with Saddleworth Cricket Club about the structure of the event.
“We want to make Cotton Clouds a hugely successful event once again, one which will capture the imagination of live music lovers from all ages.”
The 2019 two-day festival was headlined by ex-Joy Division and New Order bassist, Peter Hook and legendary reggae artists, the Wailers.
In previous years, Sister Sledge, Lightning Seeds, Starsailor, The Coral, The Sugarhill Gang, Ash and Nick Heyward have all graced the main stage.
But the festival has also championed the music of local artists and bands in its three-year run with the likes of Callow Youth, The Maitlands, Stereohaze, The Flatline, Dirty Laces and Gardenback getting an opportunity to rub shoulders with music legends.
This year’s event was dogged by bad weather on the opening Friday with the attendance reportedly down on the previous year.
But the famous cotton clouds returned 24 hours later as the Wailers wowed the crowd.
This won’t work with the round table. I’d get original organisers back in advisory capacity. OK, I’m so sorry for their creditors but they really really knew how to organise a pretty big event in an area where there are a lot of residents. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Use their expertise and experience, I speak as a self interested resident who was very impressed with the organisation of this event.
Sorry Linda couldn’t disagree more, there are contradictions in your statement
A) To organise a big event you must be able to balance the books, anyone can book a few bands, erect marquees etc.
B) The event wasn’t successful if it was draining almost £50k per year. And had such small capital. I know many locals who didn’t attend this year because the headline bands didn’t appeal. Ticket sales were down irrespective of the weather.
C) The event was ok, but overpriced and the bars were poor, huge queues, poor variety.
D) A lot of small local businesses lost out because of these guys and would never be part of it again if they were involved still in any capacity and people would be hesitant to purchase early tickets. Pay these businesses back, then maybe you have a point.
E) Never understood the rushed ‘Friday’ evening start to the event, either make it a one day or two day festival.
F) I agree the spine is there but there was clearly plenty of room for improvement.