Bexley Council has confirmed there are no plans to reinstate the Danson Festival five years since the last event.

The two-day festival attracted 60,000 people to the park, but despite its popularity, the council says it can’t handle such a big event anymore.

It has also been revealed the council saves £150,000 by not hosting the event in the historic park.

Danson Park, which has an oak tree that is more than 200 years old, was the setting for the annual festival that attracted names as big as Craig Charles.

The last time the park hosted the festival was in 2013, before a controversial decision to pull the 2014 event sparked outcry from residents.

A council spokesman said: “Unfortunately Danson mid-park is not currently suitable for large-scale events such as the Danson Festival. The council saves approximately £150,000 from not putting on the festival.

“Whilst the festival has not been held for a number of years, we have recently increased the number of community and cultural events we have hosted and supported – and we continue to look at new opportunities to bring the community together to share experiences and celebrate.”

It’s understood the issue is mainly with the ground, and that despite the good location and size, the soil drains poorly.

The heavy machinery and rides that were at the festivals also contributed to the damage of the grass.

When the news broke in 2014 that the festival would not be taking place, Cllr Don Massey said it was the hardest decision he had had to make.

A campaign group was established in 2015 to “save” the festival – which attracted 3,000 members in just three days.

A council spokesman explained why the festival has not been put on in recent years.

He said: "The geology of mid-park is comprised of thick London clay subsoil with a relatively thin covering of topsoil. This means the area has very poor natural drainage.

"This problem is significantly exacerbated during the summer months when the clay has hardened and rainfall saturates the thin topsoil, making it very susceptible to damage.

"This combination of soils, poor drainage, the very wet winter of 2013/14 and the increasing frequency of heavy summer rainstorms encountered in recent years, together with an event that incorporates heavy equipment/vehicles and which attracts in excess of 50,000 people over a two-day festival, has increased the risk of substantial long-term ground damage."