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Islington Tribune - by MARK BLUNDEN
Published: 22 June 2007

Sponsor’s pull-out forces axing of summer festival

EXMOUTH Market summer festival has been cancelled after sponsors pulled the plug at the last minute.
Organisers say there is no time to arrange new funding, but traders have called that “a cop-out”.
The festival, which has run for the past eight years, is the highlight of the Clerkenwell summer calendar, with its celebration of local shops, bars, arts and crafts.
Mark Sainsbury, chairman of Exmouth Market Traders’ Association, said: “We all feel very disappointed there will be no party in the street this year – always a highlight of our summer. I guess we have to look forward positively and hope it happens next year.”
The association, which organises the festival, has refused to name the sponsors who pulled out, only that they were in the drinks and communications sectors. A stand-in sponsor has not been found.
Traders are angry at the short notice given for the cancellation of the festival, which was due to take place on July 20.
Gary Little, owner of Leonards EC1 bar and restaurant, in Northampton Road, said: “It’s a great shame. It was cancelled four or five years ago but since then it has been a great success.
“I sat on the committee last year and quite a lot of it is left to the last minute anyway. They’ve had a year to sort it out and cancelling it with one month to go is a cop out.
“A lot of people are very disappointed this has happened.”

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