THE 30th anniversary Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival is now expected to take place from Friday, September 25, to Sunday, September 27.

Middlewich Town Council confirmed the event would be moved from its original June date earlier this week, and a new date has been confirmed today, April 23.

In a statement, the council says it hopes the date ‘is far enough away for current restrictions to be lifted’ – but if restrictions remain in place, the event will have to be moved to 2021.

It is hoped the move can give the town’s businesses a boost in what has been an unprecedented year of challenge.

Cllr Jonathan Parry, chairman of the festival working group, said: “There are lots of small businesses that rely on the Folk and Boat Festival each year.

“This year they need that boost more than any other time. We want to give the festival the best chance possible of happening.

“We know that it cannot take place in June but in line with lots of other festival and gig postponements, we feel that late September is the latest and best time to give our town the festival which will be very welcome after this lockdown.”

Scouting For Girls are still set to headline the event on the Friday, while China Crisis will play on the Saturday and The Commitments will perform on the Sunday.

Toyah Wilcox and Lucy Spraggan are not able to perform on the new date, but new artists to replace them are set to be confirmed.

Tickets are being carried over to the new date, but anyone who cannot attend can request a refund.

The move comes after Cheshire East Council advised that no events should take place on its land until at least the start of July.

Lisa Benskin, town clerk, added: "We are all aware that the majority of businesses in Middlewich are suffering at the moment and the message from the usual fringe venues was that anything we could do to make Folk and Boat happen in 2020 would be welcomed by them."

Middlewich Town Council says it will not spend any additional money on the event at this time in case it is ultimately cancelled this year.

An external committee meeting will be held monthly from June 4 online to track the latest advice on social distancing and review the decision to hold the festival in January.

See middlewichfabfestival.co.uk for more information or email Lisa on clerk@middlewich.org.uk

The last remaining tickets for the event are still available on the festival's website.