East Cambridgeshire festival site can host 28 Christmas parties a year

A farm in East Cambridgeshire is set to play host to 28 Christmas[1] parties a year. Sunnyridge Farm in Lode, which is also the site of the LodeStar Festival, has been granted a licence to hold the festive events between December and January. Police had initially raised concerns over the proposed events, about whether the organisers would be doing enough to ensure the parties were safe.

However, the organisers TR Events, agreed to additional measures to address the concerns raised. The application for a licence to hold up to 28 Christmas events was made by Douglas Durrant. He asked East Cambridgeshire District Council[2] for permission to hold the events at the farm, including selling alcohol and playing live and recorded music until 00.30am.

Concerns were initially raised by environmental health officers at the district council and Cambridgeshire[3] Constabulary. Environmental health officers highlighted that people lived near to the site and said they did not think the initial control measures proposed would be appropriate to stop some aspects from being "highly disturbing" for people.

Police said the initial plans did not "sufficiently demonstrate" how the organisers would ensure the events were safe.

At a meeting of the district council's licensing (statutory) sub-committee[6] last week (December 7), councillors heard that the organisers agreed additional conditions to address the concerns. These measures included limiting the 28 annual events to taking place between December 1, and January 10, and for each event to have a maximum capacity of 499 people. An event management plan would need to be submitted and approved before a party took place.

The district council decided to grant the new licence after the agreement was reached between the organisers, police, and environmental health officers.

The decision notice published by the authority said: "In reaching this decision, members of the sub-committee took into account that no representations had been received from 'other persons' defined by the act, and they agreed that the agreement reached between all parties provided greater protection than the original application provided, and did not widen the scope of the original application submitted.

They also agreed that the amendment would have no adverse effect on the general public or any responsible authority as a result of those amendments being agreed."

References

1. ^ Christmas (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
2. ^ East Cambridgeshire District Council (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
3. ^ Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
4. ^ New 20mph zone in Soham sees final decision delayed by Cambridgeshire County Council (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
5. ^ Ely dad fined for being drunk in charge of a toddler at bowling alley (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
6. ^ licensing (statutory) sub-committee (www.eastcambs.gov.uk)