Surrey festival has licence approved despite concerns from locals
A Surrey festival can go ahead after councillors approved its licence despite objections from residents about losing sleep and the impact on their mental health.
SladesFest will take place from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 July in Bramley, while Waverley councillors also approved a licence for smaller retreats and events at the site on up to eight other weekends in a year.
At SladesFest, in Slades Farm, Thorncombe Street, alcohol can be sold in one area of the site until 4.30am and music can continue until 5am.
The decision was made on Tuesday June 6, after a committee meeting in May was deferred to allow councillors to visit the site and to look at a noise management plan that had been submitted.
Organisers said they didn’t “expect the undying support of every resident” for their festival plans, but told the meeting they appreciated the “honest and respectful” feedback they had received throughout the process.
The festival will raise money for suicide prevention charity James’s Place, which was described by organiser Francis Hutley as “close to the hearts” of his immediate family.
There were 31 objections to the licence application, including from Bramley and Hascombe Parish Councils.
Concerns were raised about the traffic in and out of the site and, though a plan was in place for taxi drop offs and cars entering at different points, one objector claimed roads could be “impassable” for emergency vehicles throughout the weekend.
A test event in 2022 on a smaller scale was held, with this year’s festival allowed a maximum capacity of up to 1,500 people.
Councillor Jane Austin, a parish and borough councillor, raised concerns the 2022 event offered a “small scale snapshot” of what could unfold at the 2023 event.
She told the meeting: “We note the numerous reports of damage around the site, car accidents locally, repeated reports of noise disturbance, ongoing excessive noise, lack of sleep for local residents and negative impact on mental health for local residents, both young and old.”
The licence was granted subject to several conditions including following a noise management plan and all attendees being searched for illegal or unauthorised substances or objects.
Speaking after the meeting, a spokesperson for SladesFest said: “We of course feel this was the right decision and we are glad that they recognise the effort that we have put in to design an event that is of the highest possible standard.
“The open dialogue in the preceding two weeks of the hearing with councillors and local residents was extremely productive.
“We appreciate the feedback from all local residents and will continue to work hard to ensure that our events work for everyone in the area.”
Organisers will not be able to sell tickets on the day for the event, and an event management plan must be submitted and approved and implemented before it can take place.