Colchester News
Bid to allow 10,000 in for park concerts
5:26pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
EVENTS organisers have welcomed moves to double the size of the audience allowed at festivals organised at Colchester’s Castle Park.
Colchester Council’s parks team has applied for as many as 10,000 people to be allowed in the part for occasional special events such as the Concerts at the Castle series.
Although the event is now being held this year, as it would clash with the Olympic Games, the park remains a major venue for concerts and festivals.
Don Quinn, of Snake in the Grass, which runs the Food & Drink, Medieval and Oyster festivals in the park, welcomed the move and said he thought the council’s parks team would easily handle the extra customers.
He said: “I think we have the most beautiful park in Britain, so the more people who can enjoy themselves here, the better. The park can certainly take it and I’m sure the council will be responsible in the way it manages it.”
Ben Howard, who is planning the third Colchester Free Festival this summer, said: “The park has the capacity for higher numbers.
“Commercially, it’ll be good for festival organisers and the park itself. The more people there, the more people there will be visiting the stalls, so it’s a positive thing.”
If the application is approved, council environmental control officials will insist the volume of music will be strictly controlled and impose a strict 11pm curfew on all live music.
One neighbour has objected to the application, complaining insufficient information was available on the council's intentions for the park.
A decision will be made by the council’s licensing committee on Friday, March 2.