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Square festival loses licence

Welsh indie festival Square has had its licence revoked by Ceredigion council amid concerns over safety, crime and disorder.

Organiser Christopher Dare has admitted problems with funding the festival, but claims that Square will be returning, albeit as a smaller event:

"2009 was a difficult year financially and organisationally," he said in a statement, "there are many a crease that need to be ironed out before we consider hosting another event, And an increasingly competitive market for music festivals and the reasonably bleak economic climate has also added to the decision not host the event in 2010. In the future we will be going back to basics, reduce the number of stages and the capacity to focus on delivering a well produced event. Our line up will be kept to an erratic nature and we aim to give a good dose of youth culture to the west coast of Wales."

The picture painted by Ceredigion council reads very differently though, with the decision to revoke the licence claiming, "inadequate control, leadership and delegation demonstrated over staff and the event in general."

Talking to the BBC, Chief Inspector Robyn Mason of Dyfed-Powys Police in Aberystwyth said he welcomed the licensing panel's decision:

"At the review, we highlighted problems caused to police and to other emergency services at the 2009 festival," he said.

"We do not object to such festivals taking place, but organisers need to work with us to ensure that any potential areas of concern can be ironed out in advance."

Last year the event was headlined by Supergrass.