Christopher BarrettBestival and Camp Bestival co-founder Robert Gorham is being sued £650,000 by TicketLine for allegedly failing to repay in full a loan taken out to support Bestival (cap. 40,000) before the festival business went into administration in 2018.
Gorham, otherwise known as Rob Da Bank, has appeared at Central London County Court where, according to Mail Online, Ticketline has accused him of refusing to pay back around £650,000 of a £1 million loan that was provided to keep Bestival afloat.
Ticketline said it provided the loan directly to Gorham and co-director John Hughes to “save the day”, because they were not convinced their money would be safe if loaned to the Bestival company.
In 2019 Live Nation Entertainment’s LN-Gaiety and SJM Concerts formed a 50/50 joint venture to acquire Bestival and Camp Bestival (26,000). The events had been forced into administration by major creditor The Richmond Group, which went on to acquire the assets for £1.1 million via a newly-formed company, Safe Festivals Group.
While Bestival is no longer being staged, Live Nation has expanded Camp Bestival to a second site this year. The 30,000-capacity family-orientated festivals will take place in Weston Park on 18-21 August in Shropshire and at Dorset’s Lulworth Castle on 28-31 July.
Working alongside his illustrator wife Josie, Gorham launched the first Camp Bestival in 2008. He continues to oversee the event.