Festival in Chapmanslade to be debated by Wiltshire Council

The organisers of a small festival called Bottlefest have applied for permission to host the event at Thoulstone Park in Chapmanslade, from September 20 to 22.

However, an objection to the temporary events notice (TEN) was received from the environmental health authority.

This will be debated by councillors on Tuesday, August 6, in Trowbridge County Hall.

The regenerated Thoulstone Park re-opened in early 2024. (Image: Google)

Applicant and Bottlefest co-founder, Adam Forrester, states on the application form that a maximum of 275 people would be present at the festival.

It also notes that music would be inaudible to those off-site after 11.00pm and a phone line would be available for residents in the case of any issues.

The form reads: “Our goal is to bring our community of music enthusiasts together and showcase a variety of grassroots musicians.”

It adds: “We understand that hosting such an event requires close collaboration with the local authorities and the community.

“We are committed to working closely with both to ensure that the event succeeds and causes minimal disruption to the local area.”

Nevertheless, the council’s environmental control and protection team has objected to the plans.

The Bottlefest organisers were told: “We have decided we have to object to the application because in 2023 an event with similar timings took place under a TENS.

“Despite there being a Noise Management Plan (NMP) in place this department received 29 complaints from residents about disturbance from music noise.

“Officers of this department also carried out monitoring during the event and found music levels to be excessive and not managed in accordance with the NMP.

“It is appreciated you application states music will not be audible off site after 23:00.

“However we have no evidence to show how, or give us confidence that this will be effectively managed.

“In addition to this music before 23:00 can cause unreasonable disturbance to people living nearby and there is no evidence supplied to demonstrate how these noise levels will be controlled.”

Thoulstone Park was first used as a venue for a music festival for The Sunrise Festival in 2013.

Get On Festival was held at the location in August 2023 and generated some complaints.

In October 2023, the owners of Thoulstone Park, Mr and Mrs Hughes-Hallett, were denied a premises license for events of up to 499 people, with amplified music and on-sales of alcohol between the hours of 8am and 11pm.

They have owned the site for over a decade after restoring it from a disused golf club and planting 25,000 trees.