Plymouth City Council hits back after Sir Rod Stewart 'ordered off stage' at gig

Plymouth City Council has strongly denied that it ordered Sir Rod Stewart off stage early at his performance on Saturday night.

Fans at Plymouth Argyle's Home Park stadium were left disappointed after the singer "stormed off" stage when his set was supposedly cut short.

Sir Rod finished his second to last song at 10:30pm, when the stage darkened at the venue's cut-off time.

To add to fans' fury, his last song was We Are Sailing, appropriate for the naval city.

Those in attendance took to social media to vent their frustration over how the performance ended.

But now the council has clarified that it did not ask the rock legend to vacate the stage, despite the claims. “Despite social media rumours and inaccurate, unsubstantiated reports online - Plymouth City Council and Home Park did NOT ask Rod Stewart to stop his concert on Saturday night," a Plymouth City Council spokesperson said. 

“Any allegation that the Lord Mayor asked the performer to stop are also untrue. The Lord Mayor was not at the concert.

“Arts and culture are very important to Plymouth City Council and an integral part of growing our local economy.

"The venue had an 11pm Special Events Certificate, issued by the Safety Advisory Group, which the venue made clear to the artist’s promoter.

“As with any concert, should a performer decide to end their set before the licenced curfew set out in the Special Events Certificate, it is not because of any decision made by the local authority or the venue.”