Glade festival quits West Berkshire

Organisers blame West Berkshire Council for the decision to move the Glade festival out of the area

AN ANGRY backlash has begun among Glade festival fans after organisers blamed West Berkshire Council for the decision to quit the area.

A statement released this week by one of the festival team, Anselm Guise, said: “We are moving somewhere else where we can run later and louder.”

He blamed “restrictions set by West Berkshire Council”.

Last week it was reported how festival director Luke Piper released a statement claiming the event had been “forced to move”.

He added: “West Berkshire has been the Glade’s home since the inaugural event in 2004 and we have built up many close relationships with the local community, so it was with great sadness that we made this decision.

“We would have liked the council to follow statutory guideliness to support cultural events. The festival was becoming established as an asset to the area and we had planned a smaller event this year but we have had a very rough ride with this local authority.”

Ironically, the decision to pull the plug comes after the granting of a five-year license to operate at Wasing in April and the lowest number of complaints ever.

But after years of wrangling over sound levels and policing costs, the final straw for organisers followed a review of the license prompted by a single Tadley resident.

Andrew Flaxman told a meeting of the council’s licensing sub committee in October that the music was still too loud.

The festival team fielded several former critics-turned-supporters to help fight its corner and there were 16 letters of support for the existing license terms.

Organisers also offered to liaise in future with residents as far afield as Tadley.

But the committee ruled that there should be a further reduction in sound levels at next year’s event.

Internet forums devoted to the Glade and its music contain several angry attacks on the council, many of them from local people.

Festival supporter Vic Taylor, from Newbury, said: “It’s West Berkshire’s loss – the event has gained an international profile and brought lots of cash into the local economy at a time when it desperately needs it.

“Now they’ve thrown all that away.”

Aldermaston Parish Council chairman Dave Shirt said today(Wednesday): “It’s true that, as a village, we have done quite nicely out of it. The village green has been improved in several ways, including an oak seat costing almost £2,000.

“Having said that, I always felt that any money spare should have gone towards the upkeep of the Wasing Estate, which needs it.”

Wasing Estate’s agent, Ian Lindsay, said: “We are sad to be losing the Glade as it has been a significant financial support not only for the estate, but for many businesses in the area.

“The organisers were committed to using local suppliers and this revenue will now be lost at a time when all are facing financial difficulties.”

West Berkshire Council declined to comment

Source: Newbury Today

Tags: Anselm Guise, Forced to move, Glade Festival, Luke Piper, Wasing Estate, West Berkshire Council

Category: Event Management, Festival News