Cornbury Music Festival takes final bow after 18 years

The last ever Cornbury Music Festival has taken place with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra closing the show.

The festival's final weekend at Great Tew Park in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, also featured Bryan Adams, James Blunt, and Ronan Keating.

The event, which began in 2004, was meant to end in 2017 but promoter Hugh Phillimore reversed the decision.

He said 2022 "really, really, really, really, really is the last one".

In 2017, Mr Phillimore admitted "our vanity got the better of us when our supporters badgered us to continue".

The festival was last held in 2019 before being postponed twice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Phillimore told the BBC: "Stupidly I was persuaded back, but it was hard coming through the pandemic.

"We sold a lot of tickets and the choice was either to refund everyone and call it a day, or have one more shot at it. It's been lovely, but enough is enough."

Ahead of the festival he told ticketholders "though we've been here before... this really will be the last Cornbury".

"We've loved every precious moment of this dear little independent festival but I'm afraid it is now time for me to hang up my festival lanyards and call it a night," he added.

Other acts taking to the stage at the last event were The Darkness and The Waterboys.

Mica Paris, who played on Saturday, said: "I've done so many Cornburys, because it's always a great festival.

"I'm just sad it's the final one. I'm not believing it."

During its time, the festival has seen appearances from Amy Winehouse, Blondie, Robert Plant, Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Ray Davies, and Bryan Ferry.

It was originally based in Cornbury Park, in Charlbury, before moving to Great Tew in 2011.

The original site now hosts the Wilderness Festival.

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