An unscheduled ‘pull up’ gig by UK rapper Dizzee Rascal has been ‘postponed’ just hours after it was first announced.
The award-winning artist took to Facebook reels to promote the free event on the King’s Steps in Margate this evening (May 9) but now it has been ditched.
The reason given is that this is due to filming taking place in the town.
However, concerns had been raised by local councillors and police.
Dizzee Rascal was promoting his upcoming show at Dreamland on Friday 29 August alongside British lyricist Mike Skinner of The Streets, and DJ Badger.
In response to concerns raised by Margate councillor Rob Yates, Dreamland operations director Shane Guy said the venue had not organised the free ‘pop-up’ and would be asking for it to be cancelled.
Cllr Yates said: “Today Dreamland have realised that inviting 700,000 people to Margate steps to listen to Dizzee Rascal without any planning was not a great idea.
“Whose fault was it? Either Dreamland or their promoter or Dizzee Rascal’s team. It doesn’t really matter. This was clearly a ticket stunt for the event at Dreamland in August and as a ward councillor I’m glad that Dreamland have cancelled the event, especially after the tragic incident in July last year.
“Events need to be appropriately managed.”
UPDATE
The gig might have been cancelled but Dizzee Rascal decided he was going to visit Margate anyway.
Fans crowded around the rapper after spotting him on the seafront and he had a chat and posed for selfies.
Well that councillor Rob Yates won’t be getting my vote ever again bloody council ruins everything !!!
hypocrite Rob Yates ! well let me remind you of the event you got behind a few years back and funded the unlicensed pop event at the Lido pool in Cliftonville , no event management plan
,no insurance, no health and safety on a derelict site .
700,000 people….. where did somebody pluck this number from?
Cllr Rob Yates moans again and gets his way .
Bloody council take the piss , take our money but when someone announces a free event they get involved to get it pulled .
May I suggest he supports Thanet instead of running it into the ground .
“700,000”!? Who is he trying to kid?
Just a politician doing his utmost to create the worst case scenario, the important word is “invited” so the figure probably comes from the number of views or followers Dizee has. Anyone that saw the post can be seen as having been invited, of course no one has any idea how many would turn up.
Either way the publicity stunt was ill considered, it would’nt take more than a few thousand to have tirned up for the entire area to have become impassable. Where would crowd control come from, toilets, traffic mangement etc etc.
Seems he wants to mimic fat boy slims event in brighton many years back.
Am I the only one who’ve heard of Rob Yates but never heard of Dizzee Rascal?
ditto peter
Undoubtedly, yes.
Rob Yates you clown where did you get the 700.000 number from .
Maybe you need to go back to school as you’re guess work is shambolic pretty much like the council is all the time . Take from everyone and never give anything back .
I could be wrong but I think Glastonbury only grt 250,000
Blatant lies by Dreamland, they are not worried about people or safety. Dreamland only cares about money. A gig last year overrun by drugs and the death of a young girl and multiple in hospital and they book the same acts for this summer.
Shame on them.
Same acts yes some are but others are new .
Sugababes , Texas , rewind festival were not there last year .
Sad but a correct decision by TDC. Licensing is a statutory role and part of the work of TDC to try to ensure community safety. Organising mass events without a licence means there will be no medical or police support available and almost certainly no event management plan should something go wrong.
Sad, but sensible decision. prior preparation and planning prevents pretty poor performance