Waterside Arts, the Hythe based charity which organises the Arts Festival in The Waterside each year, has been frustrated by the new licensing regulations.

The popular free, open air concert on the last night requires a number of permits and licences from New Forest District Council but now the law has changed the procedures are much more complicated.

The new Licensing Act became law last autumn and as result not only it is far more difficult to get a licence, it is considerably more expensive.

Consequently, the organising committee have reluctantly decided that there will be no evening, open-air concerts at either Gang Warily (Fawley) or in the centre of Hythe this year. In previous years up to 3000 people have enjoyed listening to music as a finale to the Waterside Arts Summer Festival.

“Two years ago the authorities would not allow us to use The Promenade and now the regulations have defeated us completely”, said Waterside Arts Chair, Brenda Smith, she added “the Festival is a very popular community event and the free final concert attracts audiences not only just from The Waterside but from much further afield, it is a great shame that new Government legislation will prevent us from staging these events in 2006.”

However, the rest of the Arts Festival will still take place between July 7th and 15th with many events ranging from choirs and orchestras to folk music and poetry at different venues all along The Waterside.

“We intend to provide daytime music and dance performances in Hythe Village centre on the final Saturday, when we expect to be able to use the new performance area on Hythe’s Promenade as well as the streets and spaces around the village centre.”