Residents divided ahead of 15th Boomtown Festival

The adults-only event is due to feature 450 acts and will run from 7-11 August

Residents are braced for the arrival of more than 60,000 people who will descend on their town for an annual music festival.

Boomtown festival, which is celebrating its 15th year, has been based at the Matterley Estate in South Downs National Park, near Winchester, since 2011.

The adult-only event, which will run from 7-11 August, said it celebrates an "infinite variety of music from around the globe".

The Boomtown team held a meeting with residents in July where locals expressed their views on the festival.

Boomtown festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary

Carol, who has lived in the area for seven years, said: "There is a lot of local animosity to it, a lot of [residents] don't like it.

"I cannot stand it, it's very noisy, the traffic is terrible on the days of the entry and going out."

She did admit there were thousands of people who "have the time of their lives" at the event.

One resident, who has horses, objected to the "pyrotechnics" at the event because they spooked his animals.

'Better and better'

Daryl was introduced at the meeting as a good news story for the event.

He is a local resident who has performed at the festival in the past and he said "every year it just gets better and better".

A lot of other residents were supportive of the festival, including Jimmy, who runs a local IT company and said Boomtown is good for his business.

He said: "We get loads of call outs from the traders on site, the people building the stages, the people running the festival... it boosts us every August."

Kevin Milner lives in Ovington, close to the site, and has an Airbnb in the area.

"It doesn't affect us, it actually brings millions to the community," he said.

He believes that "every year the traffic management gets better" and "you just live with it" in the area.

In a statement, the festival said: "We know that living near a festival can sometimes require just as much consideration as attending it.

"Each year, we share a public information guide to provide our local community with essential details - our aim is to help navigate the event and provide access to any support they may need.

"We really want Boomtown to be a great experience for everyone.

"If you encounter any issues or have any concerns, please reach out to our dedicated local community hotline, available from Saturday 3 August to Monday 12August. We want to find solutions together."