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Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta 2025 refused Knavesmire site by tourist chiefs

The organiser of the Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta has said he is "gutted" after being denied permission to hold the event in YorkThis year's spectacle was due take place on the city's Knavesmire on the last weekend of John Lowery said Make It York had refused permission for what was one of the biggest events in the city's calendar, citing traffic management and licensing as Lowery said: "We've got a history of doing that work and proving that we've done highways and environmental health." The BBC has approached Make it York for a comment. The festival, which began in 2017, had been held at York Racecourse before it switched to Castle Howard in 2023. The event did not take place in Lowery said they were eager to return to the Knavesmire and, despite gaining permission from the racecourse, were refused by Make It tourist organisation manages the land on behalf of City of York Council."We were told that it would have to go out to an expression of interest after four months. Once the expression of interest came in February, we applied. Yesterday we found out that we were unsuccessful and there would be no event," Mr Lowery said."I'm gutted. As a York person, for me there's no better feeling than being on that stage and seeing thousands of people happy and enjoying themselves."Mr Lowery said they had tried to keep prices down and had previously worked with food banks to offer free tickets."A lot of people can't afford to go to these festivals and concerts so it's a real shame that something affordable can't happen in the city," he said. Mr Lowery said with regards to concerns about traffic and licensing, the team behind the event had "been there, we've done all that"."We spent £25,000 the last time we were there doing traffic. We've never had any trouble with traffic for the last two years."We feel as though we would have met X, Y, and Z if we were asked to do X, Y, and Z."The organiser said it was now too late to find an alternate venue for 2025 but was hopeful for next year."We won't give up," he added. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.