Wolverhampton park music festival for 3,500 sparks protests

Walsall-based New Vision Events Ltd has applied to the city council for a short-term premises licence to hold the event – which will also include the sale of alcohol – in Bantock Park on Saturday, September 3.

In its application, the company said the festival would run between midday and 10pm, and approximately 3,500 people would be in attendance.

However, the move has sparked the fears of residents living near the popular Finchfield Road park, who claim it will cause noise nuisance, littering and anti-social behaviour.

Council bosses initially began the hearing on Thursday but it was later adjourned until next month for licensing documents to be updated.

A number of people and public bodies had already contacted the licensing committee to air their concerns.

One resident, who opted to remain anonymous, wrote: “I wish to strongly object to an alcohol licence being issued for sales within Bantock Park, and make representations that I feel are relevant and relate to the licensing objectives.

“There are already problems with anti-social behaviour, consumption of alcohol and drugs being used in the park, and police attendance is a regular occurrence. I believe that the sale of alcohol from bars within the park will only lead to this being exacerbated.

“Also, there is insufficient parking in the surrounding area to support a large event. Already during busy periods in the park, vehicles are parked half on the pavements making it difficult and unsafe for pedestrians – particularly people with wheelchairs, prams, and pushchairs.

“It may of course be that some of the parkland is to be used for parking which will be a hazard in itself for people walking there, particularly as it is very popular with families and children,” added the letter.

“Also, with bars serving alcohol for ten hours it’s inevitable that some people will get into vehicles and drive when they are over the limit, which is of course a danger to the public both inside and outside of the park.

“Another concern is one of noise, both from drunken disorderly behaviour and the event itself. This is a quiet residential area and the majority of the park’s boundary is bordered by residential properties.

“Many of these are occupied by elderly people, including my own 76-year-old mother-in-law who is ill with leukaemia and needs peace and quiet – certainly not ten hours of festival noise.

“Any noise will be a nuisance to the people around the park, particularly as we live the closest. We look straight out over the park. Traffic noise is another concern, as I live right next to the park gate,” said the resident.

“The many hours or even days of traffic coming in and out to set up the festival, and what will probably end up as 12-14 hours of people entering and leaving on the day will be an infringement of my privacy and right to peace and quiet.

“I object to having to put up with all of this plus ten hours of festival noise which will definitely disturb me due to the position of my property. In addition, I already regularly have to clear empty and partially empty alcohol cans and bottles from outside and within my property due to people taking their own drinks into the park and discarding the containers.

“The granting of a licence to sell alcohol will, in my opinion, only make the situation much worse,” added the objection.

“The park is always busy with children and as such I don’t feel it’s a suitable venue to have alcohol on sale at all, never mind for ten hours. Children should not be in a position where they are witnessing what will no doubt be excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking and taking of illegal substances.”

Licensing bosses also heard from senior environmental health and Trading Standards officer Faye Pearson, who said mediation with the company had taken place to address the licensing objective of prevention of public nuisance.

The committee will make a decision on the application on July 19.