Reading Festival boss set to hold 3-day music festival in Luton this year

A three-day musical extravaganza is all set for Luton in May after the council supported a licensing application from the event promoter.

Renowned promoter and businessman Melvin Benn applied to stage the festival in Stockwood Park over the Whitsun bank holiday weekend.

As managing director of Festival Republic Limited, Mr Benn is one of the country’s leading names in the musical entertainment world.

Mr Benn and his organisation promote and run the annual music festivals at Reading and Leeds, among various live attractions staged across the country.

The borough council’s licensing panel considered his application to approve a premises licence at a meeting in the Town Hall on Monday (January 22).

In a statement, LBC said: “The licensed applied for by Festival Republic was granted by the local authority’s licensing sub-committee. The application was agreed with minor amendments.”

This licence will allow entertainment including live music, recorded music, dance performances and films, as well as enabling alcohol to be sold to be consumed on the premises.

Permission was being sought from noon to 11.30pm on Friday, May 24 and from 9.30am to 10.30pm on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 for the entertainment.

There will be “a funfair and sponsor activations” for the event, as well as system sound checks ahead of each day’s entertainment and for rehearsals on Thursday, May 23.

The expectation is that the fair rides and sponsor activations will play a controlled level of amplified music, the application form added.

A resident submitted a representation to the licensing service last month warning about noise disruption, anti-social behaviour and the main entry points to the park via London Road and Farley Hill may be congested

He said the sound from the PA system will be frequently audible in the gardens of Whitehill Avenue and called for noise levels to be monitored.

The applicant addressed these concerns and agreed for noise level monitoring using sound meters throughout, with staff walking around the venue regularly.

A noise hotline would be available during the festival, manned at all times, while Mr Benn would consult the local community ahead of the event.