Gala Festival extension for 2023 - area of park proposed to be closed from May 16 to June 10

[kiera]

Southwark's Licensing Committee met today to make the decision on Gala's Premises licence application. The council had received only 23 objections, as opposed to 56 in support.

Gala's application to hold events over 6 days was approved with very little amendment.

The council will publish the full decision within a week.

[Lebanums]

I guess at least for once they went with the majority vote, not that it would have mattered.

[first mate]

Devastating result.

Add this to moves moves to remove protective covenant of MOL at Greendale and we can see the direction of travel.

I am assuming that anyone anywhere in the Borough could vote in favour of Gala for 6 days. Cannot believe 56 in favour is made up of people living near the Rye. I imagine objectors were local, so wonder what weight was given to those who are not?

[sunbob]

Just had an email, the second weekend is not going ahead! 😀

However they are still planning to put the application in for the following year. We need to keep the pressure up. Contact your local councillors, MP etc…

 

What was the email when you received lbsmith73? More recent posts say that the 6 days are now approved.

[fishboy]

Very disappointing that the Premises licence has been approved. Presumably the 56 supporters were friends, family, employees & fans / followers of Gala, rather than "hyperlocal" residents.

But my understanding is that the Premises licence only gives permission to use the land, and they will still need to apply for an Event licence to hold next year's event, and possibly all future events? So it may need a more concerted effort to publicise the increased disturbance & damage the extra days will cause local residents to get maximum objections. A good way to start this process would be to document / flag up / report / complain about EVERY negative aspect of this year's event, as it would appear that Gala rely on facts & figures like number of complaints to support their applications.

One thing I'd like to do after the event is a scientific(ish) analysis of the litter left behind. I'm thinking one of those 1 meter square frames laid down and count / collect all the litter in that area, repeated at random all over the site. That way the true picture can be reported accurately, and will hopefully stir up some reaction - a bit like the Lego Lost at Sea Twitter account?

[first mate]

I believe they are already advertising a 6 day event, having earlier said it would only be three. This suggests the events licence is a given.

[fishboy]

I'm sure they are, and I accept it probably is, but still worth highlighting & documenting the detrimental aspects in the hope someone might take notice? I think most people have nothing against the festival per se, just the location - why oh why can't they hold it on the Rye?!?

Out of interest, where are they advertising a six day event? And surely not for this year, as I thought they'd retracted the event(?) licence application as there wasn't enough time to organise the second weekend this year?

[first mate]

https://southwarknews.co.uk/news/community/gala-festival-set-to-hold-mammoth-six-day-event-on-peckham-rye-park/

My mistake. It does seem that for this year it will be the format used before. However, given the 6 days premises licence, they obviously plan to extend the event for 2024.

I agree that we should continue to resist.

[Clifton]

My understanding is that this year's event is three days long, but Gala intend to apply for an Event Licence for 6 days in 2024 (and probably subsequent years), having now secured the necessary Premises Licence. The degree of disruption (of various types) to those living locally is such that numerous objections to the extension are inevitable, but there will be responses in favour from people living elsewhere who want to attend, and I doubt that the objections will be successful. Nevertheless, we must try - please contact Councillors over the coming months.

[Nigello]

https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/tough-mudder-finsbury-park-damage-green-spaces
 

N London lament over council’s allowing of park to be used for events similar to the one being discussed on this forum 

[satsuma]

20 hours ago, Nigello said:

https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/tough-mudder-finsbury-park-damage-green-spaces
 

N London lament over council’s allowing of park to be used for events similar to the one being discussed on this forum 

Tough Mudder is completely different, especially at this time of year. It will always destroy the grass due to the nature of the event and it being Spring, the ground is even more likely to get churned up.

[Nigello]

The article also refers to other ways in which councils use public spaces such as parks to raise money for services, which is relevant to this thread. 

[wordsworth]

Can't wait for it to start. Loud, proud,.... 

[first mate]

@wordsworth ironic, given your name or chosen moniker. The poet Wordsworth celebrated the power of the natural world, and its central importance for humanity, even in a city like London. 
 

See below, explaining why relatively quiet, green spaces are so vital for city dwellers.

https://depts.washington.edu/hhwb/Thm_StressPhysiology.html

Edited April 22, 2023 by first mate

[fishboy]

This email just arrived from "GALA Community Team" [email protected]

I love how it says "a reminder" when it's the first I've heard of it! I don't think I can attend, it would be great if some here could (esp in person) to ask some pertinent questions and report back? 

Dear all 

I hope you are well. I just wanted to remind those who have not already RSVP'd that we are hosting the final Gala stakeholder meeting this evening. 

This event is intended to provide local residents with useful information about the event, that could impact on them and the detail of final measures to mitigate impacts as much as possible.

There will be a short presentation, followed by the opportunity for questions.

You can attend either in person or via Zoom. 

In person: 
Old Nun’s Head 

15 Nunhead Green, 
London SE15 3QQ

18:30 – 19:30 

Zoom: 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87471841870?pwd=dDNCYnh4RllWb0pKaTlkOTk4NE5aUT09

Meeting ID: 874 7184 1870
Passcode: Peckham

Please do RSVP  if you have not already by replying to this email, listing either 'Zoom' or 'in person'. 

If you are unable to attend but would like to book in another meeting, please reply to let me know as we plan to book in another Zoom Info meeting prior to the live event to walk everybody through the final plans. The content will be the same meeting as this one. 

Many thanks, 
Yas & Cornelia 

[first mate]

Well, first I have heard of this too. How or where has this been publicised? Anyone who is local and uses the park should be considered a stakeholder. That would apply to me, yet I had no warning of this meeting tonight? This sort of approach does not invite confidence.

Will there be Council reps at the meeting? If not, it begins to feel like ownership of that section of the park for that time has been passed over to Gala.

Note another timely article in Guardian today. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/23/the-guardian-view-on-parks-an-asset-that-should-be-for-everyone

Edited April 24, 2023 by first mate

[fishboy]

Just received an 'Invite' (what's happened to the word "invitation"?) to the next / last Gala propaganda show...

Gala Community Invite - 11th May

Hi all 

We wanted to hold a repeat of the last meeting that took place on 24th April, for those who could not attend. 

This meeting is to inform the local community of the specific measures in place around security, noise, traffic, waste, wildlife and ground reparations. It will also inform of communication methods and reporting procedures. There will be an opportunity for questions.

Meeting details are:

Thursday 11th May 
18:30 - 19:30 

The Clockhouse (the snug) 
196A Peckham Rye,
London SE22 9QA

or via Zoom

Please RSVP your attendance back to this email address ([email protected]) to receive the Zoom link or confirm your in person attendance - we have limited in person space, so please do confirm in advance. 

Many thanks, 
Yas & the Gala team. 

Edited May 10, 2023 by fishboy
Inserted missing RSVP email address

[fishboy]

Received this email yesterday. I'd forgotten there had been a consultation - possibly because of the inevitability that it would have little or no effect on the council's position on the park trashing event. Interesting that they "consulted more widely than in previous years" - to get more positive responses from people not directly affected, maybe?

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

Dear Peckham Rye Park Stakeholder,

Re: Event Application: ref number SWKEVE000569 GALA Music Festival  - Stakeholder consultation

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the consultation we carried out for this event.

We apologise that we are issuing this report later than planned. In addition to our usual practice of conducting the event consultation online and via email with those registered on our Event Stakeholders List for Peckham Rye Park & Common, we also contacted 4,800 properties surrounding Peckham Rye Park by letter in January, directly inviting a much larger number of people than usual to share their thoughts with us on GALA’s proposals.

As a result of consulting more widely than in previous years, we also received a greater number of responses than usual.

It has therefore taken officers longer to ensure that all responses were adequately addressed in the mitigation measures negotiated with the event organiser.

The consultation findings report is attached. The report will also be published on the council’s stakeholder engagement web page:

www.southwark.gov.uk/PeckhamRyeParkEvents

Key mitigations and improvements that the event organiser is proposing to make to the delivery of GALA music festival 2023, informed by the comments received during the consultation period, include:

·       Reducing the format of the festival to 3 live event days instead of 6, in line with previous years

·       Rectifying all historical ground damage from 2021 and 2022 as well as reinstating the ground from any direct impact of the 2023 event; GALA will be employing landscaping company BW Services Ltd to undertake the works

·       Improving the waste management operation during the event and the post-event clean-up by working with specialists Greenline Waste Management; the Friends of Peckham Rye Park will be invited to attend the final site check to ensure the clean-up is satisfactory

·       Compliance with the council’s new Events Environmental Sustainability Guide, newly introduced for 2023/24 and designed to ensure events actively contribute to the council’s commitment to being carbon neutral by 2030

·       Increasing the number of free and discounted tickets available to local residents and charities.

If you have any questions about the information provided, or wish to add further comment about this application, please don’t hesitate to contact us by 12 noon on Friday 12 May 2023.

Best wishes,

Charlie Simm

Senior Events Officer

On behalf of the Southwark Events Team

[first mate]

I see that the entrance to the park on Colyton road is a designated Gala taxi pick up and drop off point. Has that been the same in other years?

[wordsworth]

Probably. 

[first mate]

Encouraging use of taxis to access an event in a park seems at odds with the council's stated desire to reduce car use.

[ontheRye]

The sign on Colyton is directing taxis eastwards to Strakers road which has traditionally been used for this purpose, see extract from Southwark consultation response. Also, the park is locked at sunset

“The GALA team create a taxi pick up and drop off point (PUDO) in an area close to the junction of Strakers Road and Peckham Rye (East).”

[first mate]

I will look again. When I saw the yellow sign yesterday, it looked as though the drop off was on Colyton. Happy to be corrected. But, creating a designated taxi drop off point seems at odds with a lot of the Council's stated aims around car use.

Edited May 13, 2023 by first mate

[fishboy]

Sounds of plant machinery coming from the event site after the promised cutoff time of 8pm on build days. Called the hotline to be told it is the generators for two refrigeration units which can't be turned off now they've been installed. So on a lovely summer's evening we can either close the windows or have an irritating drone in the background. I don't recall constant low level noise for two days before the festival being mentioned in any of the propaganda meetings?

[Happyme5]

It looks awful and I am sure it is bad for the wildlife especially birds as it is prime time for nesting. Still I am sure that there will be lots of profit for the company running it.  I have no idea how much the tickets are being sold for. Does anyone know the cost of tickets? 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Happyme5