Call for an end to large commercial events in park

The In the Park music event attracted 70,000 to Sefton Park, the council said

Opposition figures have called for an end to large-scale commercial events in a city park.

The Green Party on Liverpool City Council complained that a significant area of Sefton Park was closed off to the public for three weeks ahead of a music festival.

Group leader Tom Crone also said sound levels at the In the Park event at the weekend - which about 70,000 people attended - breached agreed decibel limits.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman said more than 60% was still accessible and issues raise by residents will be looked at in a post-event debrief.

Sefton Park was also used as the venue for the Africa Oye event in June

Mr Crone said events at Sefton Park should "really be for the people and for the communities around here".

"Fencing half the park, often charging people loads of money to come in... it doesn't feel right and I don't think that's what our local public parks are for," he said.

He said after some local residents complained to a council hotline which had been set up, the sound was measured and found to be above the agreed decibel limit.

"The council needs to think really long and hard about whether this type of event is the right kind of event for Sefton Park," he said.

'Much-needed income'

A Liverpool City Council spokesman said the city's greenspaces, such as Sefton Park, "provide a spectacular natural backdrop to hold events such as Cream’s In the Park".

He said such events bring in "much-needed income" which is used to finance local cultural organisations and contribute towards the cost of free events in the city.

He said the events also attract visitors who spend money in local businesses.

"We do try and balance access during the setting up and derigging of an event, but safety is our absolute priority.

"However, more than 60 per cent of the park was still accessible," he said.

The spokesman added: "A hotline was set up to report issues with noise, and issues raised will be fed into the post-event debrief.”

The event organisers have been contacted for comment.