TRADERS hit out at the ‘shambolic’ state of affairs in Weymouth after the Bayside Festival was closed and the organisers went into administration.

The atmosphere around the site yesterday morning was one of confusion, disappointment and anger as traders were left in limbo awaiting their fate.

Event organisers Mainsail announced at a meeting with traders in the morning that they had gone into administration.

A statement from Bayside Festival organisers blamed the site closure on ‘dire’ visitor numbers.

Managing director Joe Hall said later: “We tried as hard as we can, we are extremely sorry for everyone who has taken part.”

Stallholders were told they couldn’t open and people waiting to get in were turned away at the gate.

As anger grew there were calls for council officials to resign over the debacle.

Peter Noble, chairman of Team Extreme, said his company has lost £28,000 due to the Bayside Festival folding.

He said: “We have been going for 25 years, and hold shows all over the world, and we have never faced anything like this before.

“We are pulling out, but we have already paid the hotel in full, and we had a new show team coming in next week. It has cost a lot of people.”

“All I want is the people – the real persons involved – who took all these decisions to resign, whether LOCOG, the ODA, local council, and various chairmen, all of whom were told they had it wrong two years ago.

“But as with all government and local government employees on public money, they haven’t the guts if they get it wrong – they hide behind bureaucracy.”

Traders said they felt betrayed and anger mounted as pleas for a borough council representative to speak to them fell on deaf ears.

It was unclear whether people who have bought tickets to music performances would get refunds.

Julie Storey, who helped to organise the festival, said she and staff heard the news at the same time as traders were told.

She said she didn’t know what would be happening with regards ticket refunds and there were a number of other issues to be resolved, including staff pay.

Council tourism spokesman Ian Bruce said it would be ‘wrong’ for the council to step in and provide musical entertainment for Olympics visitors.

He said: “We’d be wrong to spend tens of thousands of pounds providing musical entertainment.

“If people are that desperate, I’ll go down there and sing to them myself.”

There will be a number of live concerts in Weymouth Pavilion during the Olympics in place of the Bayside Festival.

Jonathan Lane, one of the organisers working with the bands, said there were a lot of local bands already confirmed so far and many more to follow.

He said: “ It’s all a bit last minute but it’s going to be great.

“Tickets are only £1 so it’s a good chance to come and see some local live bands.”

Concerts will take place every day from 7pm to midnight until the end of the Olympics, entry will cost £1.

Council says: It's not our fault

Head of Weymouth and Portland 2012 operations Simon Williams refused to accept that the responsibility for the failure of the Bayside Festival lay with local Games organisers.

He said that although the borough council had signed a contract with the commercial operator, the contract had not been based on projected visitor numbers.

He added that the council would not be taking over the site despite pleas by traders.

And he refused to accept the assertion by Bayside festival bosses that ‘dire’ visitor numbers were to blame for the failure.

He said: “We don’t accept that the visitor numbers are ‘dire’.

“Weymouth is very busy today and there is a real buzz in the town.

“The lower than planned for visitor numbers associated with the Olympic Games is not unique to Weymouth and Portland.”

He also refuted suggestions that the Games were turning into an economic disaster for the town and insisted that the area was getting excellent coverage.

“This will deliver a lasting legacy with visitors wanting to visit our beautiful county in the future.”

He said of Bayside: “Obviously it’s a shame because we all wanted it to go well.

“But there’s still a lot on offer in Weymouth including the Live Site on the beach.

“It’s all about the sailing and the sports.”