Hardwell gig organisers: “We want answers”

Furious promoters forced to pull the plug on a sold-out music concert have demanded answers from both the police and licensing authority.

Superstar DJ Hardwell was due to play to a capacity crowd at The Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh. But the event was stopped just hours before it was due to go ahead amid fears of drug taking and violence.

In an open later to Police Scotland and Edinburgh City Council event organisers Colours labeled the decision “at best, undemocratic” and a “slur on their professional reputations”.

It reads: “At present we have thousands of rightly irate customers calling, mailing and posting on social media creating a very negative light on our company.

“We would welcome the opportunity to meet at your earliest convenience to move things forward in a positive way, in order to re-schedule the event. Last Friday was a pre-made decision and was not a forum where constructive discussion could take place.”

The Hardwell gig was one of the most anticipated to be staged this year with around 7,500 fans from all over the country were due to attend. It took just 40 minutes for the £39.50 tickets to sell out.

However at his date in Belfast just days earlier more than 100 youngsters had to be treated by paramedics suffering for the effects of both drugs and alcohol. Police Scotland made it plain they were not prepared to take the risk the scenes witnessed in Belfast would not be repeated in Edinburgh.

However, the Edinburgh promoters argued Hardwell’s date in Dublin, the night before the Edinburgh gig was due to take place, passed off without incident.

The letter goes on to say: “Despite the problems faced in Belfast the Hardwell event in Dublin went ahead as scheduled on Friday 7th February without any safety issues arising. The success of this event was not and could not be considered as the decision to cancel had been made before any research could be undertaken. The correct facts of the Belfast event were, again, not fully considered.

“We understand the decision stemmed from Thursday’s “under age” drinking problems outside The Odessey Arena in Belfast. The Belfast event allowed entry by under-18s, whereas the Ingliston event was strictly for those aged 18 and over, a fact supported by the granting of an Occasional Liquor License for our Edinburgh event.

“It should also be noted that the majority of those involved in the incidents which took place outside The Odessey Arena had been refused entry to the event due to their alcohol intoxication, which means security at the Belfast event were doing their job correctly.”

Dutch Electronic dance DJ Hardwell, real name Robbert van de Corput, is from the city of Breda in the Netherlands. After the event was pulled he said on social media platform Twitter he was gutted by the decision, adding: “It’s out of my hands, we’ll announce a make up date asap!”