An application for a licence to hold a three day Deaf Foam Festival has been rejected by a local council due to noise concerns.
Although the licence did not make mention of noise, the festival’s website and social media accounts said that there would be live music all night.
The festival was due to host entertainment such as Deaf dancers, comedians, acting, poetry and much more – and many tickets had already been sold.
Extract:
Plans for a three-day festival likely to attract at least 500 deaf people from across the UK have been rejected.
On Wednesday, Central Beds Council’s licensing sub committee met to debate the event which police had been objecting to – because they feared it would be too noisy.
The England Deaf Party wanted The Deaf Foam Festival to take place on July 8-10 at Stockwell Farm, Leighton Road, Eggington, with entertainment running through until 4am. Despite not gaining a licence its website says certain ticket types are sold out or nearly sold out.
Beds Police licensing officer PC Liam Mitchell has told Central Beds Council that the event’s website and social media pages made reference to ‘Live Music, All Night Long’. “This is despite regulated entertainment not being requested on the application,” he said. “Such music is likely to result in a repeat of the noise nuisance seen by the residents of Eggington during the event in 2014 [The Illusive Fest].”
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Cathy
March 2, 2016
Sounds like a great festival! But how disappointing for those who have already purchased tickets. Are refunds permitted?
I think there may be a lesson to be learnt here: permission to run music festivals should be sought well before selling any tickets. It is only common sense and prevents great disappointment aswell as time and money spent on planning the event.
The fact this festival has been run before it is little wonder that the Police are cautious and objecting to it. I know that added problems for the Police is obviously communication and this is likely to put them off having to sort out this festival again. It would be similar to the event that ran yearly events in Blackpool. There the Police struggled with communication and it made arrests difficult until they started having an interpreter on standby!
Whoever is planning this event needs to consider all these points for next time and ensure they advertise correctly and get permission well in advance of selling tickets.
Aine
March 6, 2016
There’s obviously some confusion, a Licence was not granted, then it states 2nd paragraph “Although the licence did not make mention of noise”, whether or not “noise” was mentioned in the application, the noise levels is the responsibility of the organiser, probably entails noise risk assessments. Shame though i hope those people do get a refund and get another opportunity to go on a 3 day bender, Good Luck !