Over the Bridge organisers cancel Edinburgh music festival which Eurovision's Sam Ryder was set to play

A three-day music festival which was set to take place in Edinburgh’s New Town has been cancelled by organisers after the council deemed it would “cause undue public nuisance”.

Over the Bridge festival was set to welcome the likes of Eurovision star Sam Ryder, James Arthur and Razorlight to Stockbridge’s Raeburn Place playing fields at the end of July, with profits to be invested locally into local charities and projects.

However, on Thursday the organisers, who also run Stockbridge’s popular Neighbourgood Market, announced that a decision had been taken to cancel the festival.

In a statement posted on social media, the organisers wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that we have taken the difficult decision to cancel our Over The Bridge music event.

“We are extremely disappointed for a number of reasons, most notably the lost opportunity to support our chosen charities.”

They added that the reason for cancellation was because the regulatory services of the City of Edinburgh council had confirmed in a memo ahead of Tuesday’s licensing sub-committee that “the premises are not suitable for the activities proposed” and that the festival “would cause undue public nuisance”.

Organisers of the festival say that they “cannot support this assessment”, adding that an online survey that they had run had a 91% approval rate for the event, and had considered end times for the event which would have been 8.45pm on Friday and Saturday, and 6.45pm on Sunday.

It was confirmed that ticket holders will be refunded and they are currently in the process of doing so.

Disappointed organisers vowed to continue to support local Stockbridge charities, and thanked artists, contractors, consultants and local residents for their support.

A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “During the event planning process, our officers raised significant concerns over the anticipated noise levels and the impact on the surrounding residential area.

“The organisers weren’t able to offer a workable solution and have taken the decision to withdraw their application and cancel the event.”