Paisley Alive festival killed off due to low ticket sales
BBCScotland's first ever music and fitness festival has been scrapped due to lower than expected ticket sales.
Organisers behind the Paisley Alive event had intended to combine music acts like Emeli Sande with health and fitness sessions and coaches, including an appearance by 1990s TV stalwart Mr Motivator.
The one-day event was scheduled for Barshaw Park on 4 July but organiser Scott McFarlane has said the festival will not go ahead, after "a lot of thought and careful consideration".
People who had already bought tickets will be automatically refunded within the next week.
McFarlane said: "Despite strong early support and conversations with many of you across Renfrewshire, ticket sales haven't reached the level required for us to deliver the event to the standard intended."
He added that there were also rising infrastructure and production costs making it impossible to go ahead.
He said: "A significant amount of work has gone into developing Paisley Alive over the past two years, built on a genuine belief in what it could become. The intention was always to create something positive for the town - something new, and something the community could be proud of.
"Being a local guy born in Paisley, I know many of you were looking forward to it, and I'm sorry to disappoint. To everyone who supported the idea and bought tickets early, thank you."
Acts booked included Rag N' Bone Man, Sister Sledge, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 and Cammy Barnes, as well as Sande.
Among the fitness acts booked were hyrox and breathpod instructors, alongside classes in self-defence and line-dancing.
When the festival was announced, organisers said it formed part of a bigger plan to breathe new life into the park and become part of the local community.
The past several years have presented challenges for many music festivals, with increased costs and the ongoing impact of the covid pandemic forcing dozens to be cancelled, including the Connect event in Argyll.
