The Transition Festival given official ‘Green’ light.

THE GREEN light for an environment festival in Torbay has been given by licensing councillors.

The Transition Festival due to be held on September 19 at Hollicombe Park, Preston, can now legally go ahead after councillors granted the site a premises licence.

Event organiser Samantha Bearne applied to Torbay Council, which owns the park, for the licence to use the site for music and entertainment.

After hearing of council environmental health controls to prevent too much noise, security measures and a 10.30pm wind down, a licensing sub-committee of Torbay Council granted the license. There were no objections from police.

The event is a one-day music festival focusing on local arts, food and environment to highlight climate change and the costs of oil. It to be held within the walled park, which was formerly a gas works.

Miss Bearne said they wanted the option in the future to hold events over a weekend.

She said music and drink will be stopped 10.30pm, and there will be security staff to prevent people taking alcohol off the site and to control crowds.

“We are just hoping it is to going to be a community event and we would want residents to get involved on the day.”

She said as well as music there would be dance, performance and poetry.

Environmental health officer Chris Widecombe said noise controls should be a condition of the licence and added: “These conditions will mitigate noise and public nuisance. We want to ensure that noise is not clearly intrusive into a property.”

Park neighbours Margaret and Michael Kite opposed the granting of the licence, fearing noise and vandalism, both to their property and to the park.

Mrs Kite said she was reassured by the time limit and security controls and added: “We want the park to be used as an amenity and what is being suggested sounds delightful.

“We just have awful concerns about how things can quickly get out of hand.”

Councillors considered their decision in private for 25 minutes before granting the licence.

They concluded noise conditions, security controls and shorter hours met licensing aims.

Tags: environment festival, event organiser, The Transition Festival

Category: Event Industry News