The cancellation of a popular music festival next year has been met with huge disappointment from performers and fans alike.

Next year Village Green Festival will not be taking place at Chalkwell Park, Chalkwell, following confirmation at the festival’s thank you event on November 8.

Ann Holland, councillor for culture, tourism and the economy says many are disappointed that the festival, run by Metal, is going ahead.

She said: “We recognise that many will be disappointed that Metal will not be running Village Green Festival in 2018. However, the year off will enable Metal to prepare for a new, refreshed Village Green for 2019.

“Metal’s work in the borough is partly financed through the council which also helps secure much more external funding from Arts Council England among other sources. We have a Service Level Agreement which allows us some influence over the services and events that Metal offers in Southend. Ultimately, however, the decision of whether to provide Village Green lies with Metal.”

This year, the festival hosted some of the seaside town’s best up-and-coming artists and even a few chart toppers in Nothing But Thieves, Kate Nash and Billy Bragg.

In previous years, the Village Green stage has offered also provided a stage for X Factor hopeful, Matt Linnen, who performed at the festival in 2016.

Among the stars who were saddened that Chalkwell Park would not be filled to the rafters next summer is rising star from Rochford, Lydia Kitto, 23.

The vocalist, who has had more than 250,000 plays on Spotify, including her debut single, “Run To You”, which has had air time on BBC Radio 1, performed on the festival’s Village Green Stage in 2016 and again last summer.

She said: “It is a great shame that the festival isn’t going to happen next year.

“It’s a perfect chance for us as Southend artists to get together and perform at such a big show for the people in the area. Having had the chance to stand on that stage myself, it’s a great feeling going back there. At least Village Green’s going to come back in 2019, and hopefully it’s going to continue to grow.”

While Village Green takes some time off, Mrs Holland has said that Metal will be very busy working in the Southend community.

She said: “Metal provides many other services in the borough besides Village Green, including NetPark, Idea13, an online platform for culture across Southend, Metal Art School, Artsaward, Netpark Wellbeing project, and the popular unaccredited masters’ course for graduate artists, Toma.

“We are currently in the process of confirming our agreement with them for the coming year, and we anticipate that this will focus on smaller events that engage in a wider audience during 2018, continue to get funding for the borough’s cultural events and continue to develop cultural services as an important local employment sector.

“We will continue to work closely with Metal as we do with other partners over the coming months to ensure that cultural activities continue to enrich and enhance the lives of those who live in, work at or visit Southend.”

Village Green will return to Chalkwell Park in 2019 where it will celebrate its ten year anniversary celebration.