A three-day summer festival which could see ‘up to 10,000 people’ turn out to hear music, dance, and drink has been met with strong local opposition – with one person claiming similar events in the past saw people ‘using their garden as a toilet’.
Starlight Concerts Live (Entertainment) Ltd, in London, has applied to Bucks Council for a new premises licence for The Legends Festival, at The Henley Showground, in Henley-on-Thames.
The licence is intended to be used for “tribute acts performing on an outdoor stage” – and could see “up to 9,999 persons” in attendance, according to council documents.
PICTURED: The Henley Showground
However, one member of the public said they had “suffered severe disturbance” from other outdoor events at the ground, which “generated a totally unacceptable level of noise” that was “extremely unpleasant and intrusive”.
They also said they had people “trespassing into my garden to use it as a toilet…with soiled clothing left in my garage”.
A neighbour backed that same resident, saying they are ‘concerned about the detrimental effect to the natural enjoyment’ of their property.
The Henley Showground is owned by the Caulden Faw Estate and comprises around 60 acres on the banks of the River Thames.
PICTURED: A map of the area
Starlight Concerts hopes to be granted permission to serve alcohol, exhibit films, provide live and recorded music outdoors, and have dancing on August 6, 7 and 8.
Opening hours will be Friday, 3pm to just before midnight, and Saturday and Sunday, 11am to just before midnight.
However, licensable activities (above) will run from 4pm-11pm on Friday, and 12pm-11pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Four objections were received during a 28-day consultation.
Some cite noise pollution, while residents living nearby fear their ‘right to peace is undermined’, and that “a statutory nuisance may occur”.
Mediation by Starlight Concerts did not result in any complaints being withdrawn.
The matter will be discussed during a licensing sub-committee hearing, on June 10.
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