Thruxton Circuit has offered complimentary admission to a 2027 race meeting to people who had tickets for the cancelled Hampshire Air Festival, while reiterating that the failed event was independently organised and was not a Thruxton Circuit event.
The inaugural Hampshire Air Festival had been due to take place at Thruxton Aerodrome, near Andover, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, before being cancelled just five days before the event.
Organiser Montserrat Events & Festivals Limited subsequently announced that steps were being taken to place the company into liquidation, with its directors taking independent legal and insolvency advice.
The cancellation left ticket holders facing uncertainty over money they had paid for the event, with Montserrat advising customers to contact their debit or credit card provider directly to discuss options for recovering payments.
However, Thruxton has now stepped in with a goodwill gesture for those who had expected to spend the weekend at the Hampshire venue.
The circuit has announced that every Hampshire Air Festival ticket holder will be offered complimentary admission to a Thruxton race meeting during 2027.
In a statement, Thruxton said: “We know a lot of people were looking forward to visiting Thruxton this weekend for the Hampshire Air Festival.
“The event was organised and promoted by Montserrat Events, not by Thruxton Circuit, but it was our venue ticket holders were expecting to visit, and we’d still like the opportunity to welcome you here and give you a great day out.
“So, we’d like to offer every Hampshire Air Festival ticket holder a complimentary admission ticket to a Thruxton race meeting in 2027.
“It won’t replace the event you were expecting this weekend, but hopefully it gives something to look forward to and the chance to come and experience Thruxton.”
Hampshire Air Festival was not a Thruxton Circuit event
The distinction between the venue and the festival organiser has been made clear in documentation published before and after the cancellation.
The Hampshire Air Festival’s own ticket terms named Montserrat Events & Festivals Ltd as the organiser of HAF 2026, while Test Valley Borough Council licensing records also show Montserrat Events & Festivals Limited as the applicant for the event’s premises licence.
Following the cancellation, Thruxton issued its own statement confirming that the airfield had been hired by Montserrat Events as the venue for the festival.
Thruxton said at the time: “Thruxton would like to make clear that the Hampshire Air Festival is not a Thruxton event; the airfield had been hired by Montserrat Events as a venue to host the Air Festival.”
The circuit also said it had no knowledge of Montserrat’s ticketing arrangements and was therefore unable to advise customers on refunds.
The event had been promoted as a major new addition to Hampshire’s aviation calendar, with a programme expected to include historic aircraft, aerobatic displays, modern aviation and family entertainment.
As recently as July, Babcock had been announced as a key sponsor, with publicity for the partnership identifying Jonathan Moore, CEO of Montserrat Events, as representing the organisers of the Hampshire Air Festival.
The festival was also subject to a premises licence application considered by Test Valley Borough Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee on 26 August, with Montserrat Events & Festivals Limited listed as the applicant.
But on Monday 7 September, Thruxton announced that it had been informed by Montserrat that the festival had been cancelled.
Montserrat later said: “It is with profound sadness that the directors of Montserrat Events & Festivals Limited have to announce the cancellation of the Hampshire Air Festival 2026 due to take place at Thruxton Aerodrome on 12 and 13 September.”
The company added that steps were being taken to put the business into liquidation and that suppliers and other stakeholders would be contacted with further information regarding claims and enquiries.
Complimentary 2027 tickets
Thruxton’s latest offer is separate from any refund or financial claim Hampshire Air Festival customers may have against Montserrat Events & Festivals Limited or through their payment provider.
Anyone who held a ticket for the cancelled festival can apply for the complimentary Thruxton admission by completing an online form and providing their original Hampshire Air Festival ticket reference.
Thruxton’s team will then contact eligible ticket holders with further details about the 2027 race meeting offer.
The circuit added: “We hope we’ll get the chance to welcome you to Thruxton in 2027.”