A South London park that hosted six festivals in less than two weeks will be taken over by more events for over a month in summer, including a giant Pokémon hunt.
Brockwell Park in Lambeth will welcome thousands of visitors for three events between June and September 2023.
The three events are this weekend’s Lambeth Country Show, a giant Pokémon hunt in August and a 5k charity walk to raise money to combat prostate cancer in September.
Scott Ainslie, Lambeth Green group’s co-leader, said he couldn’t stand in the way of what he dubbed “one of the greatest cultural events on earth,” the Lambeth Country Show.
Lambeth councillors approved the use of the park for the events just days after some people living near the park complained of unbearable noise from music festivals held in the park over the last two weekends. Some residents have also expressed anger at a large part of the park being fenced off since mid-May for the events.
Francis Martin, who lives in Herne Hill near to the park, said the festivals were too big. He told a council planning meeting on June 6: “I don’t particularly object to holding festivals in Brockwell Park. My supposition is that they’re too big. Because they’re too big they end up being too loud.”
He added that he felt councillors were playing lip service to democracy as the three events had already been planned and advertised.
Residents living near Brockwell Park hit out over six ‘noisy’ festivals in just nine days
Mr Martin said: “It seems to me you don’t really have a choice whether or not to approve this planning application as in these events are already permanently organised, the infrastructure is already in place… I’m sure you will approve the event today and not stop Lambeth Country Show for the first time in 60 years.”
A planning committee made up of five Labour councillors and one Green councillor voted to wave through the 36 days of events at a meeting on Tuesday June 6. The 36 days includes the time spent installing and taking down stages and fencing.
Cllr Ainslie, member for Streatham St Leonards, added: “I would just caution against over the overuse of the park and the over commercialisation of it but it’s probably more to do with the permitted development events rather than this particular planning application so on this particular planning application I support it wholeheartedly.”
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