Headliners The Fratellis pull out of Stirlingshire music festival in contract row
Scottish rockers The Fratellis have pulled out of a Stirlingshire music festival in a contract dispute.
The Chelsea Dagger stars had been due to headline the Saturday night at the revived Back Doune the Rabbit Hole on the Cardross Estate, near Port of Menteith, this summer.
However, both the band and the organisers of the festival have now confirmed they will not appear at the event in August.
It is an early setback for the organisers of the festival, which has been revived and rebranded after controversy plagued its predecessor, Doune the Rabbit Hole.
A statement on The Fratellis' website said: 'Unfortunately, our planned summer festival appearances at the recent Stone Valley South, and forthcoming Monument, Back Doune the Rabbit Hole and Lindisfarne Festival will not be going ahead.
'This is due to the promoters of each event not fulfilling our contractual obligations to pay deposits to confirm the band's appearance.'
The group will still appear at Slessor Gardens in Dundee as part of Discovery Festival in July.
A statement from the Back Doune the Rabbit Hole organisers said: 'We're sorry to confirm that The Fratellis will no longer be performing at Back Doune the Rabbit Hole.
'Their appearance was arranged through a third-party promoter.
'Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of our control, the booking has not been fulfilled.
'Like many of you, we're incredibly disappointed by how this has unfolded.
'We know how much people were looking forward to their set, and we completely understand the frustration.
'We're working hard behind the scenes to secure a brilliant replacement and will be announcing your new Saturday night headliner very soon.'
Marc Almond, The Zutons and Newton Faulkner are some of the acts set to perform at the event.
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