A PLAN to stage a weekend rock festival on the new Monmouthshire Show ground has provoked uproar among residents living close to the site. One local resident, who contacted the Beacon, expressed fears that the site "could turn into another Glastonbury." Another, John Harvey, who lives in Wyesham, said: "When the show committee bought the fields on the Redbrook Road, many people were worried that it would go the way of other showgrounds up and down the country and be hired out for pop groups and other things which would cause tremendous disturbance to local residents. "Up until now we had no grounds to justify those fears but notices have now appeared for a two day event for up to 2,000 people with a bar open until 2am." "I shall be objecting to the appropriate authorities and I think a lot of others will do the same." Another reader, who is urging objectors to contact the licensing section and environment department of Monmouthshire County Council, said: "When the show committee purchased the land it was suggested the ground would be used for caravan rallies and the like - that suggestion now becomes a joke. "It is an area of outstanding beauty and should not be defiled by rock festivals and the like." The event, scheduled to take place on 24th and 25th August, is being organised by The Patriot Games Rock Festival, based in Aldershot, Hampshire, and is set to run from12noon until midnight on the first day and on the second, on through until 2am of the following day. Advertised on the internet as a "weekend of live rock music", the festival features 15 bands, as well as beer, food, trade stands and a custom bike show. Notices posted on the showground state that an application has been made for a premise licence to Monmouthshire County Council and that "any objections to the application should be made within writing not later than 28 days after the date (June 12th, 2007) thereon to the Licensing Officer?" However, a spokesperson for Monmouthshire County Council said an entertainments licence would not be necessary because music was not the main part of the event; if it was intended to sell alcohol at the festival, it would be necessary to apply for a temporary licence. Mr Harvey told the Beacon that he would also be objecting to plans to build "a toilet block" on the site. "The building will be within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Mention is made of blue plastic and that hardly fits in with an Area of Natural Beauty," he said. Asked to comment on residents' concerns, Show Secretary Kay Spencer said it was up to the organisers of the rock festival to apply to Monmouthshire County Council for a premise licence, which would cover live music, alcohol and for any food served after 10pm. "All we do is let them have the land for which they pay us - it's up to them to get the licence." Mrs Spencer said she was ninety-nine per cent certain there would not be any problems. "It's going to be on the field furthest away from Wyesham; it's a ticket only event for 2,000 people. These people are hoping to make it an annual event so if they put one finger out of place this year they're not going to be invited back." As far as the building was concerned, Mrs Spencer said it was not a toilet block but an agricultural building. Under welfare at work procedure, a toilet block and rest room had to be provided. "Before we bought the land, planning permission had been passed for an agricultural building twice the size of the one we're building but the planning permission had lapsed so we had to reapply. This building will be far less obtrusive."
