Lounge on the Farm Festival asked to provide more safety information by council

Festival fans must wait another month before finding out if Lounge on the Farm will get its licence this year.

Yet organisers say the festival will go ahead “regardless of the result.”

Bosses of the three-day event were told at a city council licensing meeting on Monday they have a month to provide more safety information.

Committee members want a traffic management plan, details of ambulance provision, fire assessments, risk assessments, details of a proposed taxi rank and information about how many stewards would be on the festival site and where.

Council legal adviser Pauline Goldsack said: “Members are going to adjourn as there are matters we are not happy with. The committee wants to know these measures are in place before granting the licence.”

The council’s environment officer had objected to the application on noise grounds, and the police had objected because they wanted more stringent rules to ensure public safety and prevent nuisance and crime.

But both withdrew their objections after negotiations and assurances from the organisers, who hope to attract 6,200 revellers to this year’s festival.

But ten people who live near the site, as well as Lower Hardes and Nackington Parish Council, still have concerns. During the meeting Douglas McCully, of the parish council, said: “We are not against Lounge on the Farm, we would just like to place on record some of our concerns. One of these is noise.

“Those who live close to the site find this very intrusive. Traffic management has been diabolical and very dangerous.”

The parish councillor said gatecrashers and people holding private parties near the site were also a concern. But he said the festival’s organisers had been very cooperative.

Evelyn Wright, who lives near the Merton Farm site, said: “As almost the nearest neighbours we are very affected by the festival, but perhaps we are being too sensitive.

“We have been to the event and enjoyed it very much, so are not against it in principle.

“But the problem is the length of the event and the fact that it effectively writes off doing anything for the weekend, or anything outdoors.”

Victoria Hazell, one of the festival organisers, admitted last year’s event caused noise complaints from as far away as Bridge and Petham because of the wind direction.

She said: “The festival does create disturbance but we are trying to decrease the impact. I hope the benefits of this event to the city can be recognised.”

Among other measures, organisers have set up a 24-hour hotline for local people.

Lounge organiser Matt Gough said: “The extra information requested is all work that has been carried out in previous years with Canterbury council and as such we are able to provide it; it’s just never previously been required by the licensing sub-committee.

“The festival is still able to operate under the umbrella license of Merton Farm regardless of the result of our new license application and as such Lounge On The Farm will take place as planned.”

Tags: Event Licen, Event Traffic Management, Lounge on the Farm festival, Matt Gough

Category: Event Law & Legal