ORGANISERS of a music festival in Gower told councillors on a licensing sub-committee it was a family-run event and not a “big rave”.
They said they cared about people living nearby and that they would consider reducing the licensing hours they’d sought for the Jo Po Fest at Weobley Castle, near Landimore.
The event is one of a small number held in the grounds of the castle every summer. It is being staged over three days and nights from Friday August 23 to Sunday August 25 and features pop, rock, indie and electronic acts, and various family entertainment. Some people have objected.
A Swansea licensing sub-committee heard that the festival normally took place under a Weobley Castle premises licence but that applicant HD Events Ltd wanted to gain more control, including the proceeds of bar sales, and had therefore submitted a licence application of its own.
Although the festival features three days of entertainment, the application was for live and recorded music and sale of alcohol from Wednesday to Sunday, starting at noon and with music finishing as late as 1.30am on Saturday and Sunday and supply of alcohol at 1am on those two days. These were slightly later hours than under the castle’s own licence.
Huw Jenkins, of HD Events Ltd, said the later night-time hours proposed reflected potential future growth and different types of entertainment being provided in the future. Asked if the company would consider reducing these hours, he replied: “Absolutely.”
Mr Jenkins said control of bar sales would help the festival be “financially beneficial for us” although there was no intention, he said, to make a lot of money from it.
He and Julian Poole – one of the festival organisers – said staff and vendors and some family and friends would set up on the Thursday, that the event only occupied one field, and that there was ample parking. They said ticket holders would arrive on the Friday, adding that the event was nowhere as big as Love Trails Festival which takes place in the grounds of the castle in July.
There were five objections to the application, including two from community councils. One objector’s email said four events could already take place a year in the grounds of Weobley Castle. “This additional event will further diminish the quality of life for local residents in communities neighbouring the festival site by virtue of increased noise and disturbance for the duration of the event over the August bank holiday period,” it said.
Another objector said: “This is a peaceful, rural community which people visit as an escape from the stresses of modern life, consequently it would be a huge shame if Weobley were to become a regular venue for music events lasting into the early hours.”
Mr Poole said he’d like councillors to experience Jo Post Fest for themselves. “We care about people in the village,” he said. “It’s not a big rave, as it can be portrayed.”
Mr Jenkins added: “It’s a family-run event. A lot of people attend from the local area, and a lot of local business owners want to be involved.”
The sub-committee retired to take legal advice and consider its decision.
