When fans of Cliff Richard heard he was to reunite with his former band The Shadows for a rare tour of the UK, words couldn't describe their excitement. Determined would-be concert-goers in Sheffield who planned to pitch tents in the box office queue to secure front row tickets for the show ran into a problem, however.
The fans - many of whom are old enough to have followed Cliff's career from the early days - have been forbidden from queuing outside Sheffield Arena before Sunday, when the tickets for the October 2009 gig go on sale. Many fans who don't have access to a computer to buy seats online have vowed to fight the ban, though.
Grandmother Viv Johnson, 60 - who camped out for a fortnight last time her idol played in her Sheffield home town - says: "We’re adults. We've never had any trouble and after a cup of tea we’re asleep by 11pm."
Venue bosses explained the move to block the veteran music lovers is prompted by health and safety concerns, as it is unable to care for fans who want to camp out for days at a time. The new rule, by which sleeping bags and tents are banned, now applies to all ticket sales.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
