COWLEY Road Carnival organisers are confident the event will return next year, despite axeing its first fundraiser due to low ticket sales.

Friday night’s concert at the O2 Academy was shelved after just 73 tickets were sold for the 1,000 capacity venue.

Last year’s carnival moved to South Park over cost concerns and this year’s was cancelled because of Olympic and Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

There are now fears about the future of the July 8 event, which has attracted up to 30,000 people.

But organiser Karen David said she was confident the community will help raise the £50,000 to £90,000 needed for the carnival to be in Cowley Road only.

She said: “We are moving forward with confidence that we will have an event and it will be Cowley Road Carnival on Cowley Road. All the people are coming forward to help us are telling us everybody wants this to happen.”

Friday’s £10-a-head show was to feature city act Death of Hi Fi, Secret Rivals, the Ran Kan Kan Cuban band and reggae DJ Aidan Larkin.

The venue was offered for free and band fees were nominal, Mrs David said, but advance sales were too low to cover costs.

Mr Larkin branded expectations “unrealistic” and feared the carnival’s absence from the Cowley Road had damaged public confidence.

He said: “You can’t really expect people to come out in December to support a carnival that happens in July.”

Sarah Wearden, of Cowley Road boutique Indigo, said: “I feel hopeful, I have to feel hopeful, because the street needs it.”

Aziz Rahman, who plans to hold a fundraiser at his Cowley Road restaurant Aziz, said: “I am very hopeful that next year’s event will go ahead in Cowley Road.”

But he said more traders needed to give cash.

  • Other carnival fundraisers planned are:
  • Silent Night: Two Charlie Chaplin movies, The Pawn Shop and The Immigrant, with live Wurlitzer music. Ultimate Picture Palace, Jeune Street, Friday December 21, 7pm. Tickets £12/ £10 from the box office or uppcinema.co.uk
  • The Oxford Imps Comedy troupe: Pegasus Theatre, Magdalen Road. Tuesday, February 22. £7 / £6. Tickets from the box office, 01865 812150 or pegasustheatre.org.uk
  • Fundraising dinner: Aziz, Cowley Road. April 16. Food from around the world, music, entertainment and raffle. Tickets from the restaurant or 01865 794945.