ORGANISERS of the failed Bayside Festival have apologised for leaving people out of pocket.

Joe Hall, managing director of Mainsail, the company that ran the stricken venture, spoke to the Echo as administrators for his firm announced it will go into voluntary liquidation at the end of the month.

Letters have gone out to creditors with claim forms attached.

Mr Hall said: “We are extremely sorry that the event failed. It was a fantastic event and we are just very sorry.”

The Bayside festival village had been part of the Olympic events taking place in Weymouth and was shut down 10 days prematurely, much to the shock and anger of traders, staff, performers and ticket-holders.

Mr Hall said he was unable to comment on the festival but added that his company has also lost out and he had also been left angry and frustrated.

He said: “We are completely gobsmacked.”

Mr Hall said he saw the business he had built up for 12 years crumble within 12 days.

Mainsail blamed ‘dire’ visitor numbers for the festival’s failure.

The company went into administration on August 3 and administrators have now announced it will be going into voluntary liquidation on August 30.

In a letter sent out to Mainsail Limited creditors, administrators Portland Business and Financial Solutions Ltd have asked traders, exhibitors and performers to provide details of any claim against the company.

Ticketholders have been advised to contact their credit card pro-vider to see if they can get a re-fund. If unsuccessful, they have been asked to complete claim forms.

Staff who have not been paid have been told to get in contact with the administrators.

People who bought tickets to go on the MV Balmoral will have their tickets honoured by the owners of the ship.

Weymouth and Portland Bor-ough Council, which came under fire for not stepping in to save the festival, has said it had no role in operating the festival.

A spokesman said the decision to close Bayside was ‘taken solely by the commercial operator’.

Chief executive David Clarke said: “The borough council is very disappointed that the commercial operator running the festival failed to deliver the event for the full Olympic period.

“The decision to end the Bayside Festival early was taken solely by the commercial operator.

“I am very sorry that Mainsail’s decision affected visitors, local people and business. Businesses should seek their own legal advice in relation to any claims they may have against Mainsail as operator of the Bayside Festival.”

Trading Standards advice . . .

TRADING Standards have given advice to customers who paid money to Bayside Festival and Mainsail.

Dorset Trading Standards manager Ivan Hancock said once a limited company has ceased trading and has gone into liquidation, it was ‘always unlikely that customers would be successful in getting money back.’ He said there were ‘other options that customers can consider.’ He said: “If they have paid on a debit card they can contact their card provider to see if they are entitled to a refund under their banking rules.

“In the event that someone has spent more than £100 on a credit card they are likely to be entitled to a refund under the Consumer Trading Act.”

People can get advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0845 4040 506.