FESTIVAL-goers will have to go the long way round to get to StratFest due to ongoing major roadworks.
Organisers of the family music and street food festival, to be held at The Stratford Park Hotel, said the event would still be going ahead despite people being unable to access Ingon Lane from the A439 Warwick Road.
Festival-goers will have to go the long way round to the hotel via the A46 instead.
There have been roadworks on the Warwick Road since February as Warwickshire County Council carry out major safety upgrades.
The roadworks – scheduled to last five months – have caused traffic chaos throughout the town due to one-way systems and diversion routes being put in place.
But StratFest organisers told the Observer contingency plans were in position to allow the festival, which is returning to the town after an eight year hiatus, to still go ahead on Saturday June 1.
A spokesperson said: “This is something the hotel is aware of. It has been the case for a few weeks now, and they have been advising all guests – golf, weddings etc. – the same directions.
“Easiest way to access the hotel is via the A46, coming off onto King’s Lane, then onto Ingon Lane. This is the same in both directions, from Warwick or Stratford. In terms of sat nav, the advice is to put ‘Stratford Park Hotel’ in to Google Maps or similar. This will redirect to the hotel. The advice given is to use the name of the hotel, not the postcode.”
StratFest was last held in 2016 and previously attracted more than 1,500 people.
At this year’s event there will be a stage featuring the best musical talent from across Warwickshire, as well as a children’s section with fairground rides and activities.
Stratford Park Hotel will also be organising a variety of street food to be available for festival goers on the day.
The event ran for five years up to 2016 and during that time also helped to raise cash for local charities and causes – including Warwickshire Air Ambulance in 2015.
The road safety scheme on Warwick Road will include a reduction in the speed limit, a protected turning lane at the Ingon Lane junction, which has experienced a high number of collisions, streetlighting to improve visibility of crossing pedestrians at fisherman’s car park, parking restrictions to prevent dangerous parking along the route, an off-road cycle lane, footway provisions which will better connect pedestrians to the town centre, as well as pedestrian crossing points.
