ONE of Colchester’s longest standing summer festivals has been bumped from the calendar by pop singer Craig David.

The noughties icon was announced as the first summer show in Colchester Castle Park on Sunday, June 2.

But it has emerged that date had been booked by Don Quinn’s Snake in the Grass events company for the popular annual two-day medieval fair, which attracts 8,000 visitors over the weekend.

And when Mr Quinn queried the double booking with Colchester Council bosses, he was told since the park had transferred over from the authority to its commercial arm, Amphora Trading, it was no longer valid.

READ MORE: Craig David to headline massive show in Colchester's Castle Park

Despite the setback - including having to break the news to dozens of stallholders and performers - the medieval event has now successfully moved to June 15 and 16.

But Mr Quinn has made the decision to take a number of his popular festivals away from Colchester, because of his dissatisfaction with the new arrangements.

He said: “We had a legitimate booking which was reneged on by Colchester Council and then Amphora Trading.

“We were told we ‘Didn’t have it in writing’ and when we said we had, they said: ‘Yes, but that was with Colchester Borough Council, Amphora runs it now’.

“We think that is a dishonest way to do business.”

Mr Quinn added: “We were told we should move our date to make way for an ‘international super star’ and the show would attract 15,000 people. In fact, we have an interesting and good performer who was famous some time ago but by no means along the lines of Elton John.

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“We have been told by promoters we know that Amphora could have booked this act easily on other dates and other more prestigious acts were available for other Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season.

“Clearly Amphora does not want events such as the medieval fair or the Colchester Food and Drink Festival as it was prepared to extinguish it in favour of ‘off the peg’ shows with no connections to the town.”

Promoter, the Liz Hobbs Group, has confirmed “thousands” of tickets will be on sale for the Craig David show, rather than tens of thousands.

Mr Quinn added: “We now find that only about 5,000 tickets are being sold and that it will only be in lower Castle Park. The Medieval Fayre attracts over 8,000 people over the weekend and we were aiming for 10,000 in 2019.”

A spokesman for Amphora Trading said: “Amphora has had extensive correspondence with Mr Quinn, as well as meetings, to agree dates for the Medieval and Food Festivals in 2019.

“The agreement with Mr Quinn on other dates for 2019 mitigates the impact upon this event.

“We are always willing to work with a range of providers who wish to put on events in the town.”