A POPULAR hot air balloon festival in Llangollen has been cancelled for this year – with the unpredictable British weather being blamed.

David Green, whose Xuberance Events rescued the Llangollen event four years ago, says the decision not to put the show on this year had been a difficult one.

He made the announcement at a meeting of the Llangollen Partnership yesterday when he also revealed that as well as continuing to run three further shows at the Royal International Pavilion he was planning two more new events for next year.

This year’s shows, the Gardening Show, on the weekend of June 5 and 6, the Motorbike Show, on August 7 and 8, and the Llangollen Food Festival, on October 16 and 17, all go ahead with the promise that they will be bigger and better than ever.

The first of those, the Gardening Show will this year feature an extra Homes and Lifestyle Show as part of the mix alongside an enlarged Art Show and a new Food and Drink section.

Speaking about the balloon festival, Mr Green said: “This decision hasn’t been taken lightly.

“As a balloon pilot myself, it was very hard decision to make.

“We have looked at many different options and ideas, but unfortunately, are unable to make the event financially viable without compromising on quality.

“The festival costs over £40,000 to stage and the balloons are 100 per cent weather dependent.

“With no external funding or financial support of any kind, we can’t afford to risk this kind of outlay, given the British weather.

Chairwoman of the Llangollen Partnership, hotelier Stephanie Booth paid tribute to David Green at the meeting of the organisation this week and said: “We’re delighted David’s other shows are going ahead – Llangollen needs more events not fewer.

“He is definitely going to run five major events next year and this will be very welcome.

“We take the town stand to all David’s shows and we want to work with him, he is a very experienced operator who is a very important part of the mix in the town of Llangollen.”