Raggamuffin won't return to Rotorua this year

Shaggy performing at Raggamuffin in Rotorua in 2014. PHOTO/FILE

Rotorua will not host the Raggamuffin festival this year.

The promoters of the show announced on Friday that the 10th festival, scheduled to be held in Auckland this weekend, had been postponed until November due to poor ticket sales, noting alternative venues would be considered.

Rotorua was one of the venues mentioned, but the Rotorua Lakes Council said it was fully committed to other events and would not be hosting the event.

It came after dozens of readers on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page welcomed the news that organisers were looking at a new venue, with many saying it should never have left Rotorua in the first place.

Rotorua hosted Raggamuffin from 2008 to 2014 before it was moved to Auckland.

Raggamuffin promoter Andrew McManus confirmed he was looking at new venues, but directed all other questions to his publicist Sally Woodfield.

Ms Woodfield said Rotorua had been an option for the rescheduled event, but the council's decision not to bring the festival back was a disappointing outcome.

"Many people have fond memories of Raggamuffin in Rotorua and this would have been taking it back to where it started."

In a short statement to the Rotorua Daily Post, council sport and recreation manager Rob Pitkethley said the council "is currently fully committed in terms of events and event attraction at that time".

Ms Woodfield said other locations in the North Island were being considered, including Taupo.

"There are a lot of other venues that could be looked at as well," she said.

"It needs to be something central and we would like to bring back that aspect of the road trip because that seems to be what people are wanting."

Mr McManus said he had been in contact with the bands and artists booked to play and the headliners had given an assurance that they would be available to return in November.

Ms Woodfield said there was a lot of work to be done before a new venue was decided.

"There are an enormous number of loose ends and then we'll be considering what options there are in terms of location."

"[Mr McManus] certainly did want to take it back to Rotorua," she said.

Taupo District Council business and technology group manager John Ridd said he was unable to comment on whether the council had been approached to hold the festival in the town.

"Any discussions with potential event organisers are confidential."

- Additional reporting Matthew Martin