Chichester: Priory Park Festival organisers pledge to minimise disruption

Organisers of the Priory Park Festival, part of the 2017 Festival of Chichester, are working to ensure it all passes off harmoniously with residents nearby.
Robin Bextor in Priory Park (credit Wayne Humphrey)Robin Bextor in Priory Park (credit Wayne Humphrey)
Robin Bextor in Priory Park (credit Wayne Humphrey)

They have repeated the action they took last year in the run-up to the Festival and have written to some one hundred local people.

The Priory Park Festival will welcome a multitude of different musical artists and bands to the city-centre park on July 7,8 and 9.

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Reassuring local residents that noise, litter and behaviour will be properly monitored and managed, in his letter festival director Robin Bextor also included contact details, giving people an opportunity to voice any concerns.

Mr Bextor also outlined the schedule for the three-day event, confirming that sound checks would be carried out in advance: “It is important to communicate with local residents and for them to understand that we will do all we can to ensure that the Festival causes minimum disturbance. I hope many of them will join us for what promises to be a superb event.”

Tickets: www.prioryparkfestival.co.uk, or in person or by phone at the Novium (Tower Street, Chichester) or by telephone (01243 775888 - option 1). Tickets are discounted for all carers and children under 11 go free with an accompanying adult. Doors open at 17.00 on the Friday and 13.00 on the Saturday and Sunday. All music will conclude by 22.45, earlier on the Sunday.

The weekend features Tony Christie, Georgie Fame, Hugh Cornwell, The Christians, S Club, Deborah Bonham Band, Chris Farlowe, Jim Cregan Band, The Bog Rolling Stones, Ruby and the Revelators, Johnny Mars, Heath Seeker, Soul of Santana, Nos Miseri Homines, La Havana Jazz ft Nic Saunders, Station 47, Abba Chique, The Flustered Mothers, Curfew, Sideways Symbol, Cured Riot and Josephine And The Artizans.

The full letter to residents is below.

Priory Park Festival July 7/8/9.

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“I hope you will forgive me for sending this circular letter to you but I want to share with residents who live close to Priory Park our plans for a family festival in a few weeks’ time.

“As you might be aware as part of the Festival of Chichester we are planning a weekend of music and arts to be held in the Park on July 7, 8, and 9. Our intention is to provide a worthwhile event that is both fun and enjoyable, while ensuring that it causes the minimum of disruption and disturbance to local residents.

“We have taken over the former Real Ale and Jazz Festival licence, and the event will be of a similar size. It will last three days (instead of six) starting at 5 PM on Friday July 7, finishing at 10.30 pm on the Friday and Saturday and at 10 PM on Sunday July 9. On Saturday and Sunday the entertainment will start at 1pm. There will be no music, apart from the occasional sound check in the morning, outside of these times and the curfew times mean just that: 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday, 10pm on the Sunday.

“We plan to appeal to a family audience while reflecting the artistic intentions of the festival. There are children’s entertainers, food and drink and live music. This includes local youth performers from the Chichester Music Academy, Jazz artists, as well as performers such as Georgie Fame, The Christians, Dodgy, and Tony Christie.

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“The site will be set up from Wednesday July 5 and will be struck on Monday July 10. We will pay particular attention to how people attending both arrive and depart, and will be working with the relevant authorities to ensure there is sufficient marshalling at all hours.

“We very much hope you will join us for what we hope will be a memorable event. The festival will benefit two local charities as well as providing entertainment. If you get this letter and buy your tickets from the website (www.prioryparkfestival.co.uk) use code OVA for a 10% discount. You can also get tickets from the Novium museum either by telephone or in person but the discount does not apply from there.

“Obviously noise will be a concern for some residents and to make sure you have contact with the organisers and can make your opinions felt there is a telephone line that will be manned throughout the event.

“The number is: 07541576121 All calls will be monitored and logged and all comments will be passed both directly to the festival organisers for immediate action where appropriate, and to the council for future use.

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“We are holding sound tests on the Thursday to ensure that we can control the levels of sound adequately to prevent undue disturbance. This will be during the afternoon and not after 19.30.

“Many thanks for your time

“Robin Bextor

“Priory Park Festival”

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