Richard Ashcroft has informed fans that will no longer perform at UK’s Tramlines Festival because of the event’s government imposed COVID-19 restrictions. “I had informed my agent months ago I wouldn’t be playing concerts with restrictions,” Ashcroft wrote in an Instagram post. “The status of the festival was one thing when I signed up for it, but, sadly was forced to become something else. It must be an age thing but the words Government Experiment and Festival 😂😂😂.”

The festival organizers are still making it appear that Ashcroft is still playing at the festival. “Richard wishes to confirm that in spite of the publicity issued by the tramlines organisers he is not appearing at the tramlines festival on july 24,” he wrote in a note on his website. “He does not understand why he is billed as appearing. Once he was advised that he could only appear subject to certain government restrictions he immediately advised the organisers that he would not appear under those circumstances. He apologises to all of his fans for the confusion but that was not of his making.”

While the event is full-capacity, it will be a part of England’s Events Research Programme, which means the festival will be under certain restrictions to help the UK government test the safety of returning to full-capacity events.