License Granted For One-Day Sussex Arts Festival

A licence has been granted to allow a one-day arts festival to continue to be held in Loxwood.

Known as The Wake, the festival started last year in Loxwood Meadow, using a temporary events licence. That permission was changed to permanent during a meeting of Chichester District Council’s licensing sub-committee on Thursday (March 27).

The new premises licence will allow live and recorded music between 11am and 11pm, with the sale of alcohol from noon to 10.30pm.

No more than 1,000 customer will be allowed on the site at any one time, with the public being allowed entrance between 11am and 11pm.

Applicant Josephine Hagan, of Fringe On Top Ltd, said there had been no problems at the first festival, with security, stewards and traffic management plans keeping everything in check.

A noise management plan was also being explored.

She added:

“I had no complaints after the event, I had no complaint during the event. Everyone left saying how wonderful the day was.”

The family oriented festival is made up of folk-based music, literature and readings. It includes a children’s area, which is watched over by marshals.

The council received objections from a neighbour, along with Sussex Police and the Environmental Protection Team.

The latter was happy to remove the objection once a noise management plan was in place. The same was true of Sussex Police once a number of conditions were met.

They included a Challenge 25 policy for the sale of alcohol, under-18s being accompanied by an adult, a drinking water point being put in place, troublemakers being kicked out, and security staff who watch over children having the required DBS checks.

The licence was granted, with all the conditions stated by Sussex Police and the Environmental Protection Team to be put in place.

Mrs Hagan said:

“I want nothing more than to run a safe, happy, well-run event.”

The Wake will be held on Saturday August 23. For details, log on to thewake.uk.