Hope for rescheduling of cancelled Priory Park 100 concert

Jim Cregan at last year's Festival of Chichester

Cregan & Co, featuring singer Ben Mills and Rod Stewart guitarist Jim Cregan, were due to perform on Sunday as part of the Priory Park 100 initiative, but they fell victim to the divisive Velo South plans which clashed with the centenary celebrations.

However, Robin Bextor, who last week had to make the 'difficult decision' of cutting short his Sunday line-up, has now offered fresh hope to fans of the band, who were a big success at last year's Festival of Chichester — although it won't be as early as this weekend despite the Velo South cancellation.

Robin said: "Unfortunately we cannot put the show back on this Sunday because the stage will be dismantled on Saturday night and we can't get the technical staff back in. The weather is also going to be terrible on Sunday.

"I would be delighted to bring them back to Chichester at a later date.

"Myself and people in Chichester love Cregan & Co. They were the stars of the festival last year. We would love to have them here again.

"Jim (Cregan) is a big ambassador for the town."

Film and television producer and director Robin, father of the dance-pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, offered the band a slot on Saturday night, but they were already committed to a concert in Somerset.

Robin added: "We would have been very happy for Jim to put something on tomorrow. I would be really keen to put him on.

"It's just shame we already stood everything down for Sunday.

"We just haven't got the support staff."

Speaking to the Observer, Jim expressed his desire to re-arrange the show on Sunday as planned and admitted that he was disappointed that it wasn't possible. He said: "We would have liked to have come on Sunday as originally agreed.

"It was such a big success last year and were treated so well, we would love to come back."

Cregan & Co tour director Neil Byford admitted that attempts to reschedule the event for this weekend may have been wishful thinking despite the Velo South cancellation, but confirmed that he would discuss potential arrangements with Robin about the possibility of bringing the band back to Chichester to perform at a later stage.

He said: "It was probably hope beyond hope that we could get them back to perform this weekend and I understand that the necessary staff have been laid off.

"It would be great to come back at some point as we enjoyed it so much last year and we would love to do it again. We are really keen to come back."

See our original story here.

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