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Gary Barlow apologises after littering the Eden Project with plastic confetti

Singer said he would stop using confetti cannons in outdoor venues for future shows

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Tuesday 12 June 2018 09:39 BST
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Gary Barlow apologised after fans criticised him for using ticker tape at his Eden Project show
Gary Barlow apologised after fans criticised him for using ticker tape at his Eden Project show (Getty)

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Gary Barlow has issued an apology after firing confetti cannons in one of the world's greenest venues.

The Take That singer's performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall was criticised by fans and environmental campaigners following the incident, which saw fans showered with small pieces of plastic.

A Twitter account devoted to eradicating single use plastic, CornwallAgainstSUplastic, wrote to the pop star: "I was appalled to see plastic confetti littering the Eden Project after your last gig there.

"What on earth [sic] was a plastic confetti cannon doing there? In a place such as the Eden, [which is] working so hard at getting rid of SU plastics."

Another critic said: "Wonder how long it will be before it's made its way to the sea and we're picking it up @GaryBarlow. Come on, it's not really rocket science."

However some fans defended the singer, and pointed out many concert goers had collected the confetti at the end of the show, to keep as souvenirs.

Barlow, who performed on 6 June to a sell-out crowd as part of his UK tour, has since tweeted an apology and cancelled all ticker tape at outdoor shows because "beyond the effect, it just turns into litter".

"Apologies to @edenproject for firing our confetti cannons," he wrote. "I hope this doesn't mean we won't be asked back? We've cancelled all ticker tape at outdoor shows because the reality is, beyond the effect it just turns into litter."

The Eden Project opened to the public in March 2001 and launched its Eden Sessions the following year, with the venue having hosted artists including Oasis, Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini and Muse.

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