Coast Roads Festival in Barrow headlined by Jake Bugg gets approval

Westmorland and Furness Council has approved proposals from Coast Roads Studio to stage Coast Roads Festival in Barrow Park on July 27 and 28 as a ‘pilot’ to see if the park can host similar events in the future.

In documents submitted to the council, the festival describes itself as ‘family friendly’ and will feature a mix of musical genres and styles focussed on new UK artists and supporting locals.

The licensing sub-committee for the council granted a premises licence for the festival on June 21 despite the application receiving several objections from local residents.

A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “The council has had a number of discussions with the applicants, including at on-site meetings, to hear from them how they proposed to address concerns raised by residents living close to the park and a number of issues that the council wished to discuss, including around ensuring that the park itself would not be adversely impacted.

“Following these meetings the council is satisfied that the applicants are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the concerns are being addressed and has therefore agreed that Barrow Park can be used for the Coast Roads Festival next month.”

The listing for the two-day festival features headliner Jake Bugg alongside Ibiza in Symphony, K-Klass, Jackmaster, and Kerrang’d.

Main stage Jake Bugg.

A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council added: “The council recognises the potential for this event to have a positive impact on the town’s economy and cultural offer and is happy to support the festival for this year as a ‘pilot’, subject to a full review following the event to determine whether the park could be used for similar events in the future.’’

Conditions include that the permission is limited to this year’s event only and that the festival should have a finish time for all music of 10:30pm.

Other conditions include having members of staff patrol the exits from 6pm to midnight to ensure there is no anti-social behaviour, as well as the implementation of noise and event management plans.

Speaking after the meeting, Coast Roads Music and Art Festival Ltd director Malcolm Lingard said: “I’m very pleased. We think the process shown by the licensing committee and the council has been robust. The measures they’ve asked for us to impart, we absolutely will.

“We’ve set up the residents committee so we can keep on hearing their voice leading up to the festival and most of all we want a really good really vibrant cultural event that everyone in the area can enjoy safely.”

However, there were objectors to the proposals who expressed concerns regarding people congregating outside the fencing and the impact on wildlife.

In the licensing meeting local resident Jane Reader said: “Our main concern is about what might happen on the outside of the fencing. It’s not just about security, it’s about public facilities so toilet facilities for those not attending the event.

“We’ve seen many events in the park as residents which we’ve enjoyed ourselves but it’s surprising how many people actually congregate on the fields around outside the boundary.

Barrow Park

“There’s no toilets so it’s likely they could be using the nearest bush but like I said none of those concerns have been addressed.”

Ms Reader suggested the event could take place at another venue such as the football ground or the rugby ground where it is enclosed.

She explained: “That way there are no concerns about wildlife, around people congregating outside the fencing, people urinating outside the fencing, it just doesn’t seem to have been considered.”

Mr Lingard told the committee the festival organisers have a list of resident pledges on the back of previous meetings to address their concerns.

Pledges include stewards and security staff patrolling the permitter after the event, a hotline for residents to ring if there’s any concerns, an invitation for residents to join the committee to give feedback right up to the festival as well as the festival paying for any damage caused to properties by festival goers.