Festival 'moved' over chemicals

Rick Astley is among the artists due to perform at the festival

The organisers of an 80s music festival claimed they had moved the event to a new venue because of a history of toxic chemicals at the original site.

Ingenious Festivals Ltd said they moved Retrofest to Loudoun Castle in Ayrshire on the advice of their insurers.

The move came after a Glasgow City Council survey reported contamination at Richmond Park in the city, which had been due to host the August festival.

The council stressed the park posed no health risk to the public.

Their survey of the park, which lies close to Glasgow Green, found the ground had a history of being contaminated by chemicals including chromium.

'Preliminary survey'

Festival director Malcolm Cannon said: "At the last minute we've had to pull out of Richmond Park after our insurers advised that it would not be prudent to continue with the festival on that site.

"The council has chosen to leave the park open rather than sensibly perhaps taking the decision to close it temporarily until they investigate further."

Gloria Gaynor, Level 42 and Rick Astley are some of the top acts from the 1980s music scene performing at the popular festival on 29-30 August.

East 17, Midge Ure and Aswad will also take to the stage in Galston.

Organisers were told of the survey results at a meeting at the City Chambers on 3 July.

The contamination is associated with a chemical plant at nearby Shawfield, which closed in the 1960s.

Richmond Park has a history of contamination

Chromium is a natural metal that has historically been used in the textile industry and as a coating on car parts.

Glasgow City Council said that where chemicals have lain deep in the ground and untouched for decades they are not considered a risk.

A spokesman said: "We understand that organisers have decided to move their event out of Glasgow due to a number of factors.

"As is routine when a major event is to be held the council carried out a preliminary survey to establish ground conditions on the site.

"It was noted, in the resulting report, that there has been a history of contamination in the area due to an old chemical works being located nearby.

"However, any contamination would not have posed a risk as no excavations were planned for the site."