POOLE’S popular watersports festival Windfest is leaving the town for Hampshire – with running costs blamed for the decision.

The event, established in 1998, will be renamed Windfest Re-Tuned and will now take place at Pylewell Park near Lymington, having previously been staged at Sandbanks.

It claims to be the longest-established water and beach sports festival in the UK and has grown to feature more than 15 action sports.

Organisers say it now needs additional land and camping space to grow.

Founder and organiser Gary Willingham also said it had cost £100,000 in infrastructure to put on and, as a free event, that was not sustainable.

Borough of Poole said the fee paid to the council was a “small fraction” of the overall running costs.

Windfest organisers say Pylewell Park gives them 1,500 acres of land, an 18th century house, a private beach and lakes.

But it will be a blow to Poole to lose the late-summer event.

Bruce Grant-Braham, chairman of Poole Tourism Partnership said: “This is a fantastic event and we are sorry to see it move to another location, particularly when Poole is synonymous with wind and kitesurfing.

“The addition of on-site camping reflects the organisers desire to grow the event into a fully-fledged festival. We wish them every success and would love to see them return to Poole in the future.”

Windfest Re-Tuned organisers say the new venue also allow for new features, such as mountain bike trails, yoga and a kite flying and boarding showcase on land and water.

This year’s event will take place between September 14 and 16 and will include music, comedy, silent discos, a skate ramp and children’s entertainment.

There will also be paddle boarding, slack-lining, a kite zone, volleyball, bike trails and yoga.

Leading sports professionals will wow the crowds with their kitesurfing, windsurfing, BMX and skateboarding skills.

Gary Willingham said he had thought “long and hard about the concept” and hoped those who had supported Windfest would follow it to Hampshire.

He added: “Windfest has grown enormously since 1998 and it is exciting to now be working on Windfest Re-Tuned.

“We wanted to make the event all-encompassing where everyone can camp overnight – a longstanding request we are now able to deliver – and enjoy the atmosphere of a huge action sports community.

“Pylewell is a stunning location and provides us with everything we need and more to allow the event to grow in the future.”