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GuilFest may face competition to be the major festival in Guildford next year, as it enters into formal talks concerning its return.

Organisers have confirmed that they have submitted a formal application to return to Stoke Park after a one-year absence, although they are not the only party to express an interest.

Hundreds of supporters of the event packed the public gallery and an overflow room on October 10 in order to support event director Tony Scott as he gave a petition with 1,000 signatures to Guildford Borough Council calling for the event to return.

He said: “The support we received was incredible. To have so many people there talking about all of the positive things the event does for the town, was fantastic. We really want to come back.”

Following the meeting, in which councillors expressed support for the event, which went bust in 2012 with debts of £300,000, Mr Scott confirmed that a formal application had been made in writing.

However he claims that he will be asking the council for its assurance that no other major music event will be held on the site.

“There’s no way you could have two major events in the same year. No way,” he said. “They would cancel each other out.”

His comments represent an attempt to block the return of Live Nation’s Magic Summer Live, which filled the gap left by GuilFest this summer, attracting thousands of revellers to performances by Bryan Adams and Jamiroquai.

During the meeting GuilFest supporters criticised the event for its policy of not allowing people to leave the event site and return later, meaning local traders did not benefit.

Magic Summer event director John Revell had expressed an interest in returning when questioned soon after the July event, but a Magic Summer spokesman declined to comment on its current position.

The Surrey Advertiser has learnt that two parties, one being GuilFest and the other’s identity unconfirmed, have organised meetings with the council, while there have been several expressions of interest.

Councillor Matt Furniss was able to confirm that the council was in talks with GuilFest, but could not give the name of the second interested group.

He also admitted that it was unlikely that two major events could be held in park within a single year.

“We don't want to overload what is a very important site to Guildford,” he said. “The meeting was impressive and we are delighted to see that level of support for a petition.

“Our position is that if Mr Scott can get an event off the ground and can provide the guarantees and financial securities required for an event of this size, then that is fantastic.

“There are criteria that need to be met so that we have security for the tax-paying public.”

Mr Scott said the Olympic Torch event held in Stoke Park in 2012 had a massive effect on ticket sales.

“It started out that we were expecting a small event of someone running through the town. Then it turned into this huge event with the Rizzle Kicks headlining it, while tickets were next to nothing. It destroyed our sales. GuilFest has been running successfully for 21 years and we can’t wait to do it again. We have the public support, clearly, but we are now at the stage where we need an answer from the council as quickly as possible.

“This is the stage where we are looking to book acts, organise sponsors and different providers to come along. This is the time of year when they are starting to think about what they are doing next summer and we want them to be at GuilFest.”