A MUSIC festival, which is expected to attract up to 7,000 people, is set to take place at Thoulstone Park near Chapmanslade this summer. But it has been met with mixed reactions from local residents.
Advertising itself as ‘the UK’s leading sustainable music and arts festival’, Sunrise: Another World promises to bring a variety of musical genres and events including comedy, cinema and workshops to the family-friendly event from 30th May – 3rd June. Plans for the festival include six main music venues, with other smaller arts and music venues on the site. Top acts include Dub Pistols, The Beat and Krafty Kuts.
Although the festival has been publicising its intention to come to a ‘secret site on the outskirts of Frome’ for some time, the festival only officially announced its site last Friday and many residents of nearby villages only learnt of the festival’s intentions to come to Thoulstone Park last week – a source of consternation among some locals. The festival’s plans have met with mixed reaction, including fears of noise and traffic chaos from residents.
Sunrise, which has run for seven years on sites near Yeovil and Bruton, only earmarked Thoulstone Park after its original plans for another site fell through. The festival is still awaiting a decision from Wiltshire Council on its premises licence, and representations from the public will be received until April 4th.
A public meeting, attended by 150 residents coming from Chapmanslade and other local properties, was hosted by Chapmanslade Parish Council last Thursday. Festival organisers attended the meeting to tell villagers more about the plans and hear comments both for and against the festival.
Dan Hurring and Alex Lepingwell, directors of the festival, both spoke to stress the festival’s willingness to engage with the local community. However, given the lack of prior consultation, residents expressed their skepticism, with one accusing the festival of ‘sneaking’ in. One resident of Short Street said, “You said it is very important to communicate, but we only found out about the festival last week. You sold tickets last November, you launched the festival on the Saturday [9th March], we found out on the Sunday. It doesn’t inspire us with confidence, we are the closest to the venue. If you think that’s community minded, we don’t agree.”Another nearby resident added that the festival had left residents “at the bottom of the heap.”
Residents in Thoulstone and Short Street raised fears concerning noise from the site, especially from bass frequencies. Festival organisers countered that the main stage will close at 11.00pm and efforts will be made to contain noise and disturbing bass frequencies after this time.
Although festival organisers say traffic will be directed along the A36, rather than smaller roads, opponents said that the area will not be able to handle the volume of traffic that can be expected.
Another speaker raised concerns for the families in the immediate vicinity in Thoulstone. “It’s a very small community of seven families, it’s going to be absolute hell, it really will be.”
Although the festival gestured to the economic benefits the event could bring the area, local businesses do not necessarily agree. A local caravaning site advertises itself as a quiet site, while Barter’s Plant Centre in Chapmanslade raised concerns that the possibility of traffic congestion will put people off visiting their centre during their busiest time of year.
However, some members of the community say they welcome the festival. One said, “The consensus from kids and young people is quite positive. We’re getting a lot of negative feedback here [at the meeting], but it is only a small portion of the village.” Another said, “I think it’s a very exciting and positive thing, thank you for considering Thoulstone.”
The festival apologised to villagers for the short notice and admitted that the situation for planning this year’s festival had not been ideal, citing the late change of venue for the festival. Sunrise’s Alex Lepingwell told villagers, “We would like to think there is a long term future at this site and we want it to be something your involved with, engage with, and benefit from.”
But one parish councillor said, “You’ve not even got your feet on the ground, and you’re assuming we’ll accept this.”
More about the festival can be found at www.sunrisefestivals.co.uk
Dan Hurring, event director said, ‘The site was chosen due to its great access, beautiful location and stunning features, and also the fact that we share some solid environmental principles with the owner. Thoulstone Park itself has great drainage, and although we are all praying for a sunny weekend, this will ensure the site is accessible in all weathers. We at Sunrise: Another World Festival, felt we could help bring some economic renewal to the area and to the golf course, which has been fallow for 13 years and is currently underused and in a state of disrepair.
“Wiltshire is a beautiful county with a great track record of outdoor events and a thriving cultural calendar, we are desperately pleased to be part of that.”
