Cancelling park festivals would be 'devastating'

Cancelling a series of music festivals would be a "devastating blow" that leaves tens of thousands of people "in limbo", the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has warned.
A series of events, including the Mighty Hoopla, Cross The Tracks and Wide Awake, are due to be held at Brockwell Park in south London from 23 May until 8 June.
But on Friday, resident Rebekah Shaman won a High Court challenge over the use of the site this summer, after arguing that the council did not have the correct planning permission for the events.
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: "We are currently assessing the impact of this judgment and determining next steps."
Michael Kill, chief executive of the NTIA, said cancelling the series of festivals "would directly impact thousands of people... many of whom rely on the summer season to sustain their livelihoods".
"The supply chain, from staging and lighting companies to local food and drink vendors, would suffer heavy financial losses," he said.
"The local economy - including independent shops, pubs, restaurants, and hotels - which sees a surge in business during these festivals, would be hit hard."
Solicitors acting on behalf of the Protect Brockwell Park campaign group have written a letter to Lambeth Council calling for events to be called off.
"The effect of the judgment is that the Brockwell Live event does not have planning permission," they said.
"As there is no planning permission for the Brockwell Live event, the event has to be cancelled.
"The site now has to be made immediately available to the public and cleared of the fencing and infrastructure."
Ms Shaman's legal argument centred around planning laws that prohibit changing the use of a park for more than 28 days each year without additional planning consent.
Presiding over the case, Mr Justice Mould found that parts of Brockwell Park would be used for these events for as many as 37 days during the series of festivals.
The judge said his ruling was only about the lawfulness of the council's decision to grant permission for the additional days - a decision he described as "irrational".
Ms Shaman said she did not want to take Lambeth Council to court, but felt as though it was not engaging with residents.
"This has been going on for years, it isn't a one-off situation and it has been a consistent deterioration of the park, to the point where the community had to speak up to protect the park for future generations," she said.
She added: "We are hoping to come to an agreement where events can still continue, but on a much lower level and also much more connected to the community."
Lawyers for Lambeth Council and festival organisers Summer Events Limited both asked for permission to challenge his decision but the judge refused.
However, they are still able to ask the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the decision directly.
A spokesperson for the organisers said: "Summer Events Limited are considering the judgment concerning Brockwell Live with their legal team.
"It would not be appropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk
Campaigner wins legal fight over park festivals
Campaigners call for end to big festivals in park
Event cancelled after park 'churned up' by festivals
Lambeth Council
Protect Brockwell Park

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Forbes

19 hours ago

• Forbes

This Ceramic Artist Started At The Table, Now She's Lighting Up Rooms

Erin Hupp's tabletop lamp was inspired by an egg cup. Kelly Puleio Erin Hupp was inspired by her work with Michelin-star chefs to create a new lighting collection. Kristen Loken Ceramic artist Erin Hupp has created custom tableware for chefs at renowned restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond including Californios, Nightbird, Sons and Daughters, and Pasta Bar. Now, she's applying her reverence for clay to a new venture: a lighting collection called Solum, Latin for 'of the earth.' Hupp wanted to expand her practice into another realm, while continuing her goal of creating custom art objects that are also functional. Much like she works with chefs, she's now also collaboration with interior designers to create the perfect mood and ambience for a room. 'Working alongside other creatives allows me to immerse myself in their vision and reinterpret it through my own artistic lens,' Hupp says. 'There's a unique synergy that emerges when two creative perspectives come together, resulting in something truly special.' Erin Hupp's pendant lamps are inspired by bowls she created for restaurants. Kelly Puleio Hupp first gained attention for her collaborations with restaurants, where she created handmade ceramics that enhanced the look and feel of the dining experience. 'My ceramics provide the architecture for the chef's menu and how it will exist within the restaurant space,' she told me in 2022. That same sense of storytelling and collaboration drives Solum, which includes table lamps, pendant lamps, and sconces—each made to order and customizable. 'Lighting requires specific parameters—size nuts, bolts, shrinkage rates. Art is a lot of math, but those constraints spark creativity and ingenuity. It's the same as when a chef asks me to design a plate with very specific dimensions and functionality. I love the problem solving.' She draws inspiration from everyday objects as well as previous restaurant collaborations. For example, one of her porcelain table lamps is inspired by an egg cup. 'There's something incredibly charming and sweet about a porcelain vessel used to serve French-style soft boiled eggs, where the top of the shell is delicately removed like a hat. I wanted to translate that sense of delicacy and design work into lighting.' Erin Hupp's tabletop lamp was inspired by an egg cup. Kelly Puleio Similarly, her pendant lamp is inspired by a simple bowl, and the wall sconce is inspired by a sauce pourer she created for Pasta Bar in Los Angeles, and the wall light echoes a caviar dish she created in collaboration with The Caviar Company. 'By replacing the caviar with a beautiful Tala porcelain light bulb the form takes on a completely new feel and purpose.' Erin Hupp's wall sconce was inspired by a sauce pourer she created for a restaurant. Kristen Loken More than decor, Hupp views lighting as an intimate part of daily life—an object you interact with emotionally. 'Artful pieces in your home inspire you to be more connected and present in your day-to-day living,' she says. In a world of mass production, a personal connection is part of what makes a hand-made lighting fixture special and investment worthy. 'They tell a story in your home,' Hupp says. 'Storytelling, intention, and the hands that make it—that's what gives art its soul.' Hupp's interiors work also includes a collection of vases and mirrors. Erin Hupp designed and created bespoke tableware for San Francisco brunch restaurant Hilda & Jesse. Adahlia Cole The lighting launch does not mean she plans to give up creating dinnerware. 'My art practice starts with—and will always include—my collaborations with chefs for restaurants,' she says. 'It's about understanding their vision for color, texture, and the atmosphere they want to create. When we collaboration we're speaking the same language through different mediums.' Her latest restaurant project is with Chef Philip Tessier, who's launching Understudy, a culinary destination in Napa featuring a patisserie, butcher, teaching kitchen, and a culinary museum. Hupp's miniature cake stands and ceramic pedestals will be featured at the patisserie counter, supporting the creations of master pastry chef Frank Vollkommer. Hupp first experimented with jewelry design via a collaboration with San Francisco's Fiat Lux, and she's planning a capsule collection with San Francisco brand Goldstories. The pieces are inspired by her Fold Texture Plate, which was originally part of a two-piece caviar server created for The Caviar Co. She's reimagining it as a statement ring, necklace, and earring set. 'It's thrilling to see something I created in clay become wearable,' she says. Solum pieces are primarily available to interior designers, but she is open to commissions outside of the trade as her schedule allows.

Yahoo

5 days ago

• Yahoo

Kneecap Removed From Scottish Festival TRNSMT Due to Police Safety ‘Concerns'

Kneecap announced their performance at the Glasgow festival TRNSMT in July has been axed 'due to concerns expressed by the police about safety at the event.' 'To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry… it is out of our hands,' the Northern Irish trio wrote on social media. 'Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We've played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will.' More from Rolling Stone Kneecap Play First Shows Since Terror Charge: 'They Tried to Stop This Gig' Kneecap Respond to Terror Charge: 'This Is a Carnival of Distraction' Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Jewish Museum in D.C. The band added that they will instead be performing at the O2 Academy in Glasgow on July 8. Tickets go on sale on Saturday at 10 a.m. BST. TRNSMT is set to take place at Glasgow Green on July 11-13. A spokesperson for the festival told NME, 'Due to concerns expressed by the police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday July 11. We thank fans for their understanding.' Kneecap headlined Wide Awake festival in London last weekend with no safety issues. However, the band's appearance at TRNSMT is not the only show they've had canceled recently. These include Germany's Hurricane Festival and Southside Festivals, and Cornwall's Eden Project. Following the news about TRNSMT, 2000trees festival, set for July 9-12 at Upcote Farm in Cheltenham, England, confirmed they were not deterred by the controversy surrounding the band. 'After loads of speculation & numerous requests from the press of late, we are happy to confirm that YES! @kneecap32 are still headlining the Thursday at 2000trees this July,' the festival shared on Instagram. 'If their recent shows in London are anything to go by, this promises to be one of the most memorable headline sets we've ever had at 2000trees.' The festival added, 'You may have even seen Kneecap at 2000trees before, this will be their 3rd visit after all. But headlining the main stage this summer is going to be something else entirely! We will ALL be there in the pit with you for one of the most exciting, fun & historic sets you'll see this summer.' Kneecap member Mo Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – was recently charged with a terror offense charge after he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag onstage during a show in London last year. 'We deny this 'offense' and will vehemently defend ourselves,' the band wrote in response, adding: 'This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is.' During their performance at Wide Awake, Ó hAnnaidh told the crowd, 'They tried to stop this gig. Honestly lads, you've no idea how close we were to being pulled off this gig.' He also alleged that his charge was accelerated in order for Kneecap's high-profile, televised set at Glastonbury next month to be pulled. 'I'd like to take the time to say, bear in mind I went for an interview with the counter-terror police and within days they came to a verdict that they were going to charge me, never has it been that quick,' he told the crowd. 'The reason it was that quick is because Glastonbury is just around the corner. They're trying to silence us from speaking on stage at Glastonbury the way we did at Coachella. That's a fact.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

Yahoo

6 days ago

• Yahoo

Fans Mistake 2000s Pop Star, 34, for Shania Twain: ‘Absolute Body Goals'

Fans Mistake 2000s Pop Star, 34, for Shania Twain: 'Absolute Body Goals' originally appeared on Parade. JoJo is not looking back, but a recent appearance at the Mighty Hoopla pop music festival had fans mistaking the Too Little, Too Late songstress for another music legend. The comparison is certainly a compliment—a testament to both singers' lasting careers (and timeless appearance!).In a video shared to social media of JoJo's performance at the London-based music festival, she can be seen wearing a two-piece sheer sequin outfit, resembling a pitch-perfect mermaid. With her blonde hair cut just below her shoulders and light bangs framing her face, fans were quick to comment on her striking resemblance to Canada's own Shania Twain. On a TikTok video, one fan wrote, 'Thought this was Shania Twain!' while another commented, 'Thought this was Shania Twain in her prime.' When not mistaking JoJo for Shania (a compliment to both, don't you think?), fans were overwhelmingly supportive of the 34-year-old. One wrote, 'She is beautiful,' and another noted, 'She looks fantastic.'One commenter summed up what so many were thinking while watching the video: 'ABSOLUTE BODY GOALS.' Compliments—and all caps—well deserved. JoJo, whose real name is Joanna Noëlle Levesque, is currently performing both new and classic hits on her Too Much To Say Tour. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Fans Mistake 2000s Pop Star, 34, for Shania Twain: 'Absolute Body Goals' first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.