A CIDER and Music Festival will not go ahead at Stratford Rugby Club due to “significant” concerns about noise and traffic.
Stratford District Council’s licencing panel refused a premises licence for the one-off family festival at the rugby club in Loxley Road when it met on Thursday May 22.
The application had been submitted by On Tick Ltd – an events company specialising in running large scale events.
The festival attracted opposition from a number of residents as well as SDC’s licencing and environmental health chiefs.
If given the go-ahead, the two day event, would have been staged on the weekend of July 12, from noon until 10pm, and July 13, from noon until 9pm, and feature music from a host of tribute bands, food and trade stands and fairground rides. The application also sought permission to allow boxing or wrestling outdoors.
It was anticipated up to 2,500 people could attend the festival each day.
It was to have been a one-off event after the applicant withdrew plans to hold it annually.
Henry Biddington, SDC’s environmental health and licensing manager, and Ben Ellis, SDC’s senior environmental health officer, both objected to the premises licence.
Mr Biddington expressed concern around the lack of onsite parking and access to the site.
Mr Ellis raised concerns about the close proximity of the event to homes. The rugby ground is directly behind properties in Loxley Road and close to others on the Tiddington Road and Elgin Gardens. Mr Ellis was further concerned about the noise and disruption from crowds leaving the event.
There were four objections from residents living on Loxley Road.
Jason Savidge the chairman of Stratford Rugby Football Club supported the application.
On making their decision, the licencing panel expressed significant concerns regarding both noise impact and traffic management.
They noted that a substantial number of residential properties directly adjoined the proposed site, and residents would likely suffer noise nuisance.
The panel added that in the absence of a road closure or suspension of on-street parking, attendees would likely park along both sides of the road, reducing it to a single lane at best and potentially obstructing emergency access which raised concerns regarding public safety.
