The city council approved the application: a concert for 15,000 fans will take place in Bristol's Queen Square
The Bristol City Council has approved a series of concerts to be held in Queen Square, accommodating 15,000 fans per day, despite objections from dozens of neighbors. The concerts are scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from August 9th to 11th.
The concerts will be organized by live music promoters FKP Scorpio UK, known for their work with superstars like Diana Ross, Ed Sheeran, and Bryan Adams. "This company has been granted a license," Bristol Live reports.
However, nearly 50 residents and business owners have opposed the plans, fearing that noise and disruption will severely impact their lives.
Janet Wilson, a homeowner in Queen Square, described previous large events held there, such as Arcadia in 2015 and a Massive Attack concert in 2003, as "catastrophic" and a "horrible experience" for neighbors. "The noise levels they produce - 96 decibels - will damage children's eardrums," she stated.
Resident Clara Davies argued, "Queen's Square is the only flat green space in the city center. Shouldn't we prioritize maintaining and improving this space for the local community to enjoy?"
"This application will set a precedent, and Queen Square will become an event venue that local people will avoid," she added.
Mark Curtis, Bristol City Council's senior pollution control officer, mentioned that conditions had been agreed upon with the promoters regarding site management, but they had not reached an agreement on noise levels for residents in Queen Square itself, which is required before events can proceed. In announcing the decision, sub-committee chairman Cllr Richard Eddy (Conservative, Bishopsworth) stated that the committee had added an additional condition for a telephone number and email to be displayed publicly so that residents could address any complaints.
The events will be open to the public from 5:00 PM to midnight on Friday, from 2:00 PM to midnight on Saturday, and from 2:00 PM to 11:45 PM on Sunday.