Soul star James Brown will not be performing in Oxfordshire this summer after another concert planned by the Very Impressive Party Company -- the firm responsible for the doomed Andrea Bocelli event -- was shelved.

James Brown Mike Dandridge, of Vipco, had promised he could attract "internationally acclaimed artists" such as James Brown -- known as the Godfather of Soul -- to Kidlington's Stratfield Brake recreation ground for a concert on July 30.

But James Brown's European publicist Adam Dewhurst said yesterday: "No way are we doing this gig."

He said he had never received any paperwork from Vipco. He added: "The concert in Oxfordshire was on James Brown's schedule as a 'to be confirmed', but a deposit was never sent through. There was nothing signed and nothing is happening."

The prospect of the soul star performing had thrilled the management committee at Stratfield Brake, which is made up of parish councillors from Kidlington and Gosford and representatives of the cricket and rugby clubs which use the ground.

But Patricia Redpath, clerk of Kidlington Parish Council, said: "Once residents' fears about transport and traffic had been allayed, there was a genuine sense of excitement.

"We had been convinced that it was possible to stage such an event if you got the right person to do it. Whether these guys Vipco are the right people, after all of this, remains to be seen."

Mrs Redpath added: "They're not going to achieve everything they need to within deadline and if the Bocelli concert is now put back to June or July, that would make the Stratfield Brake concert difficult to arrange, as it was due to go ahead on July 30."

A spokesman for Cherwell District Council, which would have to issue a public entertainment licence for the event, said: "We have not received an application. A meeting was held in December with the Very Impressive Party Company to discuss this proposal, but no more has been forthcoming from them."

Mr Dandridge postponed the Bocelli concert on April 19, 12 hours after telling the Oxford Mail it would be going ahead "110 per cent".

Mr Dandridge was unavailable for comment.