A Stirlingshire outdoor music festival has been rebranded and is set to return in 2025 after a serious of controversies led to its cancellation.
Across three days, Back Doune the Rabbit Hole will take to Cardross Estate in Stirling on August 1, 2, and 3 next year.
It comes after Doune The Rabbit Hole was cancelled in 2023 following a number of controversies, including being accused of failing to pay artists and technicians in 2022.
The event is now being taken over by recording and touring artist Brian Harkin and Preston-based booking agency Rock Artist Management.
‘Financial difficulty’
Doune The Rabbit Hole was set to take to the Cardross Estate from July 21 until July 23 in 2023, however organisers announced in June 2023 that the festival had been cancelled.
The company behind the event, Doune The Rabbit Hole Festival Ltd, subsequently entered liquidation after suffering “huge financial difficulty”.
The Perthshire festival, which was previously organised by former diplomat Craig Murray, relaunched under the new management of Festival Beverage and Property Services Ltd, who “pledged” to pay outstanding payments.
However, organisers announced that the festival was cancelled in 2023 – and blamed the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu) union after they called on artists, contractors and festivalgoers to boycott the event due to money still being owed.
The union claimed that the company still owed “tens of thousands of pounds” to performers and crews who performed and worked at “multiple previous festivals”, however organisers described this as a “campaign of misinformation”.
In a joint statement, Bectu, The Musicians’ Union and Equity said that the cancellation of the festival was “unfortunate” but that the even “massed well over £1m pounds in unpaid bills to both bands and staff”.
Organisers concluded that “this is definitely ‘it’ for Doune the Rabbit Hole”, adding that the festival would not return in the future.
However, rebranded as “Back Doune the Rabbit Hole” the festival is returning to Cardross Estate on August 1, 2, and 3 2025.
Mr Harkin says he aims to restore the the freshly renamed Back Doune the Rabbit Hole festival back to the “high regard in which it was held by audiences before the challenges of 2023”.
He said: “We are absolutely buzzing to announce that Back Doune the Rabbit Hole will be going ahead in Scotland in Summer 2025 under new management.
“As the team appointed to manage this much-loved music festival, we are privileged to be able to bring it back for audiences to enjoy.
“Doune the Rabbit Hole has always been known for its unique atmosphere and diverse lineup, and we are thrilled to be able to uphold its traditions to ensure we produce a festival that is inclusive and family friendly, providing an unforgettable experience for festival goers of all ages.
“With a refreshed vision and a commitment to delivering the best festival experience yet, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back next August to relive the magic with Back Doune the Rabbit Hole.”
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