The Whitehaven Festival has finished – marking the end of an era. 

After 18 years of drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the town and bringing millions into the local economy – chief organiser, Gerard Richardson, yesterday stood down. 

And with no one able to take on the role, Whitehaven Festival Company has called it a day. 

The news has been met with shock and sadness. As well as 10 displays from the spectacular Red Arrows, Gerard has brought big names to the town including international soprano Katherine Jenkins, former X-Factor judge Louis Walsh, boyband McFly, Madness, Boy George and Status Quo. 

Others include hairdresser-to-the-stars Nicky Clarke, celebrity magician Dynamo, soap star Michelle Collins, top chef and Strictly star Ainsley Harriott and, of course, Jean Christophe Novelli.

The international celebrity chef, who has been coming to festivals for eight years, described the event as "phenomenal" and said it was sad news. Jean Christophe, who travels the world performing at events, gave Gerard and the festival the highest accolade. "It is one of the best shows I have ever participated in worldwide," he told The Whitehaven News this week.

The festival chief said he was "gutted" but that it was time for him to step down. "We had been looking at the return of the full three-day Maritime Festival for next year but when it came down to formalising the plans, I realised that I couldn't take on the stress and decided that I needed a break," he said.

"I know people will be disappointed but what they don't realise is that this consumes about 30 hours a week for me as a volunteer and it was not possible to get someone else to take it on.

"It will be a huge thing missing from my life, my family has grown up with the festivals and I do feel sorry for the town as it will be a big loss."

Gerard has suffered from ill health and depression. His father died two days before the 2009 festival and the day before the 2011 event he received confirmation that he had a malignant tumour on his kidney.

"I have suffered from depression ever since, it does take its toll on you and becomes tiring, the doctor advised me to stop doing this three years ago," he said.

Each festival takes over a year to plan and organise for Gerard and on top of that he runs his own business, has been a magistrate for 19 years and has written several books. Married to Dianne, he also has a growing family of four children and six grandchildren. 

From the first Maritime Festival in 1999 - which was expected to attract 10,000 but actually resulted in a crowd of 80,000 - the event's success developed, became an annual occasion and branched out to include major concerts and other shows, such as home and garden. 

Gerard said: "The turnout for the first event was unreal, we grabbed huge crowds, kept them and built them. I am not sure anyone else could achieve that again."

Gerard was awarded the MBE in 2011 in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to the tourist industry and to the community in Whitehaven.

He has many lasting memories from over the years including the Queen's visit in 2008 and also the many private visits which were organised for poorly children or adults with terminal illness who got to meet their idols and enjoy VIP treatment. 

And, of course, there's been a wealth of celebrities. "We got some phenomenal turnouts and we have had some of the best gigs ever, I think Madness was the ultimate and Katherine Jenkins playing twice - in a car park!"

The team behind the Vulcan bomber praised the festival describing it as one of the best events it had done and Status Quo frontman Francis Rossi, during an interview on Radio One, said their two Whitehaven gigs were among their best. 

Gerard added: "Without realising it at the time, we ended on a fantastic high which was a small film festival which resulted in the major news of the re-opening of the town's Gaiety cinema."

And as to whether he would return to organise events in the future: "I always say, never say never."