AN expanding food and drink festival in Hereford is cancelled for this year due to an uncertain future following a significant rent hike.

Indie Food Festival has been held for two years every August bank holiday in the car park behind The Burger Shop and The Bookshop in Aubrey Street.

Last year's festival saw 8,000 people come through the gates over the course of the weekend.

But due to uncertainty over significant rent prices within that part of the city, the festival organisers have decided to take a "fallow year" like Glastonbury does and jokingly said it is "to let the tarmac rest."

In reality they will be looking for a new site to hold the festival.

One of the organisers, Dorian Kirk, said: "We love Indie Food. We think it is such an incredible thing which the local community created. It would be such a shame to not have it.

"We are having a year off and can get more excited for next year."

Dorian, along with brother Ed, run The Bookshop and Burger Shop in Aubrey Street and have been faced with a significant rent rise from their landlord, as have other independent traders in the area. In addition, bosses were also asked to sign a 10-year lease.

"We are making sure we are making the right decision for the business," Dorian said.

And while key decisions are being made, the festival will have a year off and be held on a new site next year.

Dorian said: "We will come back bigger and better in 2019."

He said they are already developing concepts for next year's festival.

Last year there were DJ sets from Mat Horne and Mystery Jets as well as bands, a craft area and talks supported by Hay Festival.