Popular UK festival attracting thousands per year is suddenly AXED as ‘devastated' organisers release statement
SUNDERLAND's Kubix Festival, one of the North East's most popular events, has been cancelled, leaving organisers 'devastated.'
The festival, which has attracted thousands each year since its launch in 2018, will not take place this summer as planned.
4
4
4
Held annually at Herrington Country Park in Sunderland, right opposite the iconic Penshaw Monument, Kubix Festival became a major fixture in the region's entertainment calendar.
It started with a bang in 2018, featuring acts like East 17, Peter Andre, B*Witched, and Ronan Keating.
Over the years, the festival has attracted huge names such as Steps, Sugababes, and Busted, with last year's headliners being the Year 3000 trio.
This year's edition had been eagerly anticipated, with reggae legend Shaggy set to headline and popular acts like A1, Louise, Liberty X, and Gareth Gates on the bill.
The Dance Arena was also set to feature big names like Basshunter, Darren Styles, and N-Trance.
But following speculation about the future of WannaSee, the company behind the event, organisers have confirmed that the festival will not be going ahead this year.
On Saturday, Kubix posted a statement on Facebook: "We're heartbroken to confirm that Kubix Festival will not be going ahead this year.
"Despite enormous efforts behind the scenes, recent developments have made it impossible to continue," the organisers said, also offering an apology to ticket holders.
WannaSee Ltd, the company responsible for Kubix, also released a statement announcing the cancellation of several festivals, including Kubix and Monument Festivals in Sunderland, Wannasee Penrith and Wannasee South, among others.
However, they confirmed that Lindisfarne Festival and Northern Kin would go ahead as planned.
The statement from WannaSee went on to explain the company's struggles: 'Despite extraordinary efforts behind the scenes to secure the future of WannaSee's events, we've reached a point where continuing is no longer possible.
"The impact of a difficult trading environment, combined with a sudden collapse in customer confidence, has left the business unable to recover."
After nearly 100 independent festivals over the past 13 years, the company expressed deep regret at its closure.
"We are devastated. We are proud of what we achieved and heartbroken to see it end this way," the statement continued.
Kubix Festival's organisers ended their statement with a heartfelt apology: "To all of our ticket holders: we are truly sorry.
"We understand your disappointment and frustration. Please contact your ticket provider or card issuer for refund information.
"Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being part of this journey."
The cancellation has left many fans heartbroken, but organisers have promised to do everything possible to refund ticket holders.
Many had been looking forward to the festival's return after a successful event last year.
With the line-up featuring a mix of pop nostalgia and dance classics, Kubix had become a celebration of fan favourites and an annual highlight in Sunderland's events calendar.
It's a difficult blow for the North East, which has long supported the festival.
For local businesses and vendors, the news will also come as a disappointment, as Kubix has provided an economic boost to the area in previous years, attracting visitors from all across the UK.
The festival's vibrant atmosphere had not only celebrated music but also boosted tourism, with Sunderland becoming a popular summer destination.
As fans take to social media to express their sadness and frustration, there are many questions about what led to the festival's sudden axing.
Some are hopeful that future editions of Kubix could be revived, but with the financial challenges facing the company, it seems uncertain when or if that will happen.
As of now, organisers have assured ticket holders that they will receive refunds and have thanked everyone who supported the festival over the years.
4
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Discontinued huge Cadbury chocolate bar reduced to £1.25 from £5 at major supermarket
CADBURY lovers were thrilled to spot a long-discontinued chocolate bar for sale at B&M for a reduced price. The chocolate block was spotted by a fan when shopping at the discount retail store. 1 The Cadbury Dairy Milk 110g bar, which comes in a special 'Congratulations' gift sleeve originally scanned for an eye-watering £5. But the mouthwatering treat will only set punters back £1.25 after making a return to retailers. Sweet-toothed revellers flocked to hail the find. "I want one," one shopper said. A second added: "Yummy!" A third revealed: "I got three today. "They've already been eaten." Cadbury has more new products coming next month. It is adding to their Twirl range with a limited-edition Twirl White Dipped bar, which will be available from early June 2025. This new version combines the classic Twirl milk chocolate layers with a smooth coating of white chocolate. We've outdone ourselves with this one' say Cadbury Ireland as they reveal new limited edition bar 'coming soon The iconic chocolate brand shared the news in a post on Facebook earlier this month. "OK but we've really outdone ourselves with this one," it told chocoholics. It described the new flavour as "unreal, indulgent, smooth, swirly, creamy, melty, new, and mouthwatering." However, the confectionery veterans also revealed that this new buy "won't be around forever". So once this exciting new bar hits shelves, Cadbury fans may want to stock up while they can. "Introducing Twirl White Dipped, keep your eyes peeled for when you can get your hands on it," the post read. The launch image showed the famous flaky texture of a Twirl bar en-coated in white chocolate instead classic milk chocolate. Cadbury representatives confirmed the bar is set to hit shelves on June 2. Making a comeback Earlier this month, chocolate fans were buzzing with excitement after spotting a new Cadbury treat that brings back fond memories of a beloved classic. The discovery was shared in the popular Facebook group, Food Finds UK, where shoppers were quick to notice its striking similarity to the nostalgic Cadbury Tasters. The new treat, named Cadbury Dairy Milk Balls, is said to resemble the discontinued Tasters, which first appeared in 1996. These small, round Dairy Milk chocolates were similar to Maltesers but lacked the crunchy centre. Despite their rich, chocolatey taste, Cadbury Tasters were quietly discontinued in the mid-2000s due to low sales. Top discontinued products Here are our top discontinued snacks - including picks from our team... Fabulous Bakin' Boys Cupcakes Consumer reporter Emily Mee says: "It was always a good day when I spotted these in my lunch box at school. Putting a layer of chocolate on top of a vanilla cupcake is a simple idea but a genius one. I would pay good money to try these again..." Ready Salted Chipsticks Head of Consumer Tara Evans says: "Ready Salted Chipsticks. Why did they get rid of this classic flavour? Some people think ready salted is boring - but why mess with a classic? I often feel taunted when I see the salt and vinegar version in shops." Coco Pops Rocks Tooti Frooties Senior consumer reporter James Flanders says: "Tooty Frooties were a chewy blast of childhood joy. Scrapped after 50 years, they were Britain's alternative to Skittles - and in an age obsessed with nostalgia, bringing them back just makes sense. Lots of dupes can be picked up at budget supermarkets but they just don't taste the same." White Maltesers While the milk chocolate version is still going strong, White Chocolate Maltesers were pulled from shelves in 2014. Mars said it was a "difficult decision" at the time, and fans still post comments on its social media pages calling for it to come back. Heinz Toast Toppers Out of all the discontinued products, this is one of the ones we see the most calls for to come back. The creamy cans came in a variety of flavours like chicken and mushroom or cheese and ham. They were binned in 2015 after delighting shoppers for decades. Cadbury Spira Another of the regular calls we see is for the Cadbury Spira to return. The chocolate featured twin bars in each pack which were formed into a spiral shape, with six hollow tubes running through each one.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'How can Geri rubbish the legacy of the Spice Girls... who does she think she is?': As furious row erupts, sources VERY close to the band tell KATIE HIND their withering verdicts on 'lady of the manor' Geri
When the Spice Girls lived together in their modest semi in Maidenhead, before they achieved pop stardom, they would speak endlessly about misogyny in the music industry. Repeatedly told that they wouldn't get on the cover of magazines because 'women don't sell', or being spoken to rudely by male record label bosses, they grew more and more angry. They would, I'm told, spend evenings discussing how they could change the world to make it a better place for women and girls.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Robbie Williams takes a dig at Beyonce with playful jibe as they both bring their tours to London
Robbie Williams has taken a playful swipe at Beyonce as the two both played concerts in London over the weekend. The former Take That singer, 51, took to the stage at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium while Beyonce performed at Tottenham's Stadium just four miles away. During his show on Friday, Robbie couldn't resist poking fun at the American singer, 43, who is in the UK on her Cowboy Carter tour. According to The Sun, while encouraging a sing-a-long to Bon Jovi's Livin' On A Prayer, Robbie quipped: 'You won't get that at a f***ing Beyonce gig.' Robbie admitted he was 'anxious' in the lead up to his 38-date tour, saying: 'I turned to my wife [ Ayda Field ] and said, "Babe, I'm anxious about this." From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'She said, "Rob, you behave like this is normal. You behave like you have to do this for the rest of your life. You behave like stadiums is where you're supposed to be." ' Robbie said this was all the encouragement he needed as her words changed his 'perception'. Beyonce is playing six nights in London this summer on June 5, 7, 10, 12, 14 and 16 - with the first kicking off on Thursday. While ticket sales for her 2023 Renaissance world tour in the UK sold out within minutes of being released it hasn't been quite the same this time around. On Thursday there were still 539 free seats left in the stadium which holds around 62,000 people for concerts. The cheapest seats available for the show were £71 for obstructed view seats while the most expensive were £278 for seated in better areas. The ticket sales may reflect less interest in her country-tinged Cowboy Carter material compared to her dance-friendly Renaissance material. The singer–songwriter also may be struggling to get fans who saw her on her whirlwind Renaissance tour to come back just two years later, this time at even higher prices. Over the past few months Beyoncé appeared to have drastically slashed prices at some of her shows in order to get fans to buy the unsold tickets. Some fans who saw her in LA were able to nab tickets as cheap as $35 before Ticketmaster's fees. It comes after Beyoncé insiders have lifted the lid on how she has become a record-breaking billionaire. The Houston-born superstar and her husband Jay-Z became music's first billionaire couple and are now worth around $3billion. And in a new interview those who have worked with her over the years have revealed how her work ethic that is on 'another level' and her attention to detail have been reflected in her impressive bank balance. Producer Larry Griffin Jr worked with the star on her 2011 album 4, told The Times Culture magazine: 'She knows exactly what she wants. It was one of the most intense weeks of my career.' She recorded a whopping 75 songs for 4 and had to narrow them down to just 16 for its release. In an example of her incredible work ethic, she hosted listening parties where family and radio people scored each song from one to five. Other insiders pointed out how the attention to detail on her current Cowboy Carter tour show 'another level' of planning and precision. Architect Ray Winkler helped design sets for two of her tours and said in the Times interview: 'The visual landscapes of her shows are just extraordinary.' Choreographer James Alsop worked with her for her song Run The World and added: 'She was involved in every aspect'. James explained how she rarely took breaks, eating and drinking as she rehearsed. Others who have worked with her also tell how she will watch tapes back of her shows to see how she can improve next time.
