Festival prices cut to boost ticket sales

A star-packed line-up is not enough to prevent a popular Staffordshire music festival featuring Supertramp's Roger Hodgson being hit by the recession and a slump in ticket sales.

Organisers behind the Acoustic Festival of Great Britain, which takes place next month at Catton Hall Park near Lichfield, say ticket sales have been poor locally, and prices have been slashed in a bid to entice music fans.

Admission for music lovers who attend all four days of the festival now costs the equivalent of £20 per day, with camping fees scrapped.

Organiser Myke Stephens said fans would have to fork out three times that amount to see just one of the bigger acts on the line-up in concert.

"This is Roger Hodgson's only UK date," he said.

"Tickets to see him can go for anything up to £85, so it's unbelievably good value."

Weekend tickets for the 2008 acoustic festival cost £100 for three days, plus £25 for camping.

More than 4,000 people attended the event.

According to Mr Stephens, summer festivals are having to pull out all the stops to keep drawing the crowds.

He said: "We've added an extra day to the event this year, and really it will be more like a holiday than a festival.

"A lot of people can't really afford to go away this year, particularly not abroad.

"With this, you get a long weekend away and listen to some great bands, and children go free.

"The Acoustic Festival isn't like Glastonbury or Download; the average age is 45-plus, and there is a brilliant family atmosphere."

Deacon Blue, the Animals and folk singer Imelda May are among dozens of acts taking to the stage at Catton Hall Park over the Spring Bank Holiday.

A limited number of day tickets for the festival, which runs from May 22 to 25, are on sale at £25 each.