Gala setting up on Peckham Rye

[beansprout]

Was driving past earlier today - am assuming that some loud music will be taking place. Hope that they take all their rubbish home with them or at the very least there are large extra bins.

Not my thing at all but do hope that folk will be sensible.

Enjoy!

[DuncanW]

https://thisisgala.co.uk/sustainability/

[beansprout]

Thank you - didn?t mean to cause any offence.

[DuncanW]

None taken - not by me anyway.

Just thought the link would be helpful.

[hpsaucey]

Walked past with son. Stopped to look at the bit opposite Harris Boys where all that lovely long grass/ meadow and mowed path through it was as it was so beautiful and I wanted to show him. Sadly long grass gone and perimiter fence in - hoping one not because of the other😥.

HP

[Nigello]

Gala is pledging a lot of pledges, so let's trust them and see how the Rye is left after the three-day event.

[heartblock]

Sounds like a great organisation. Sometimes meadow grass is cut and left laying so it seeds the ground, so I?m hoping this is just good management.

[Penguin68]

Hay making generally runs sometime between July and September, depending on the wild flowers in the meadow. It is perhaps slightly early to cut now, but not overly so. It is better to cut the hay before it is trampled, as it would be by the event - so probably an acceptable call.

[hpsaucey]

Expert opinion here: https://www.habitataid.co.uk/blogs/blog/how-to-cut-wildflower-meadow

I'll hope sensible path being followed.

HP

[Lebanums]

Gala have been pretty good at leaving the rye how they found it in the past, aside from the worn out areas from foot traffic, but it all grows back.

They are also very good at chauffeuring people out in the evening with minimal disturbance. This comes from the experience of being at the event and a neighbour.

[AylwardS]

Thanks Beansprout for mentioning this. I?ll time my visit on Friday to earlier to avoid crowds / loud music.

I think wait and see is the way to go as far as the meadow is concerned. Gala seem to have made good pledges and someone has experience of them being responsible.

The council have a commitment to biodiversity and have chosen not to mow in some areas so hopefully this is planned. See this page on the council website for more information https://www.southwark.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces/ecology.

I?d hoped to go once more to see the meadow but the weather has either been too hot or to wet for me lately.

[Penguin68]

The council have a commitment to biodiversity and have chosen not to mow in some areas

In those areas where the council is in charge of the upkeep (including cemeteries) there has been a general policy of allowing 'meadow' grasses to grow in certain areas, whilst keeping other areas (e.g. around 'active' graves) properly mown. But all meadows do have to be mown in high or late summer - and then ideally grazed, although this is not Southwark policy, probably understandably. This is one area where the council do seem to be delivering what, I'm suspecting, a majority of their residents would want (I certainly do - and I feel more comfortable about painting others with my beliefs on this than I would over LTNs!)

[Nigello]

I am surprised it takes a full week or more to get ready, ten days in which access to the park is restricted. I know it takes some time but this seems a bit excessive.

[alice]

Hoping for a sunny weekend

[Siduhe]

I am surprised it takes a full week or more to get ready, ten days in which access to the park is restricted. I know it takes some time but this seems a bit excessive.

I would say that's normal where you have a small team and have agreed measures in place not to damage the site (normally a max number of vehicles, or max size of vehicles] - you can certainly do it more quickly with more people, bigger trucks, more activity, but it all causes more inconvenience to other users of the area and more damage to the site.

I've got no connection to Gala but some friends run a small festival of comparable size where they have the whole site (not a part of it, so no fencing required) and it takes them a week on site to set up.

[Nigello]

What does Southwark gain (apart from being able to say it's hosting top-notch live music, etc. etc.)? Does it stand to lose, say, if tehre is damage or is there insurance and baked-in assurances to right any wrongs from organisers?

[Cyclemonkey]

Money. Festivals pay to use these sites.

[Houseoflego]

In all fairness the rye was a mess when they the first time and took months for the grass to grow back. There were ruts and holes for ages. I?m not against the gala and hope everyone has fun but let?s not pretend it has no impact. I?m not sure how you repair that stuff quickly.

Lebanums Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Gala have been pretty good at leaving the rye how

> they found it in the past, aside from the worn out

> areas from foot traffic, but it all grows back.

>

> They are also very good at chauffeuring people out

> in the evening with minimal disturbance. This

> comes from the experience of being at the event

> and a neighbour.

[hpsaucey]

Houseoflego Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In all fairness the rye was a mess when they the

> first time and took months for the grass to grow

> back. There were ruts and holes for ages. I?m not

> against the gala and hope everyone has fun but

> let?s not pretend it has no impact. I?m not sure

> how you repair that stuff quickly.

>

> Lebanums Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Gala have been pretty good at leaving the rye

> how

> > they found it in the past, aside from the worn

> out

> > areas from foot traffic, but it all grows back.

> >

> > They are also very good at chauffeuring people

> out

> > in the evening with minimal disturbance. This

> > comes from the experience of being at the event

> > and a neighbour.

Yes - this! Was a bit of a mess the first time - report here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.southwark.gov.uk/assets/attach/11081/Gala-2019-Report-V1.4.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiEv7CQ7ofyAhUbTxUIHaRnA20QFjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw2JcZkSHurT3L8H7OMHSONE

As someone who loves the park, wildlife and festivals hope different this time.

HP

[first mate]

Not really clear how preserving wildlife and a festival of this size go together?

On a completely different note, the entrance to PR has loads of broken glass stuck into soil. Rubbish also left strewn around in the Japanese summer house. What is it with people?

[hpsaucey]

first mate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Not really clear how preserving wildlife and a

> festival of this size go together?

>

> On a completely different note, the entrance to PR

> has loads of broken glass stuck into soil. Rubbish

> also left strewn around in the Japanese summer

> house. What is it with people?

1. Agree reckon the wildlife would have something to say...

2. Sad...

[hammerman]

Surprised that Southwark would let a festival/event go ahead on their green space anyway in the opening of Covid restrictions.

Just down the road in Rye Lane shoppers have been restricted by the closure of the lane to buses and traffic since Southwark closed it all down to environmental issues.

Seems like Southwark have seen the light and are now going to re-open the lane to buses and traffic.

[Blah Blah]

Festival stage has just started and it is already louder than last time. Here comes three days of hell again.

[Blah Blah]

Anyone have the noise complaint team number handy. Going to need it on redial I think.

[chichirara]

Some beautiful music lined up for this weekend.. I only hope I can hear it from my garden. Some of London?s finest new jazz playing.. lathe likes of Alfa Mist Wayne Snow etc..