Somerset chief sympathises with festival organisers

Despite the weather there was a goodly crowd for the second day of the Bath Festival at The Rec today, with all of the tents being fully booked.

Thankfully those who made the trip to Bath enjoyed almost a full days play with some interesting cricket, and tomorrow looks like being another fascinating day.

Bath Area Chairman Robert Appleyard told me: "The corporate guests have turned up in numbers and all the tents are fully taken today. It's just a pity that the weather is so dicey because it has put some supporters coming along to watch."

Somerset chief executive Peter Anderson had sympathy with the festival organisers and told me: "I feel sorry for the organisers who have had to set the ground up in very wet conditions, with an unsightly quagmire on one side. The cause of the festival has not been helped by the intransigence of the rugby club preventing us from parking on their pitch."

He continued: "The weather obviously has affected the numbers attending the festival, and this along with the loss of car parking revenue could damage the financial viability of the festival."