Leicester: Firms' support for music festival in Victoria Park

The park has previously hosted concerts by Kasabian as well as Leicester City's title celebrations in 2016

Plans to stage a major two-day music festival in Leicester have been welcomed by local businesses.

Festival Republic - which organises events like Download and Wireless - have applied for a licence to put on an event at Victoria Park in the city.

Firms hope it will bring them a much-needed financial boost after the coronavirus pandemic.

If approved, the festival will take place on 16 and 17 September with a capacity of 38,000 people per day.

Letters have been sent to local residents and businesses telling them about the planned event.

It said the festival would have two stages - one where about eight artists would perform each day whilst the other would be used for DJs.

Live music would start at 12:30 BST and finish no later than 22:30 on the Saturday and 22:00 on the Sunday.

The park has previously held concerts by Kasabian as well as Leicester City's title celebrations in 2016.

It also hosted acts like Craig David, Alicia Keys and Busted at Radio 1's One Big Sunday events between 2001 and 2003.

Craig David performed in Victoria Park during the BBC Radio 1 One Big Sunday Music Festival in 2001

In 2020 Leicester become known for spending more time in lockdown than anywhere else and so firms have said they hope an event like this could repair some of the economic damage.

Gabby Miller, from the online magazine Cool as Leicester, said: "Having something like this, bringing new people into the city, bringing people back into the city, is just a massive thing to have.

"It uplifts everybody, they spend in local businesses, it would be a great thing to happen."

Mr Trambaclal said his restaurant business was still suffering from the pandemic

Businesses on nearby Queen's Road, in the fashionable Clarendon Park area of the city, were excited by the plans.

Miteche Trambaclal, the director of Portuguese restaurant Port and Nata, said it was a fantastic idea.

"It's quite amazing because since Covid business has been a bit weak.

"I think this might bring more people," he said.

Lindsey Barretto, the manager of Grounded Kitchen, said: "Times have been tough, we have been quiet.

"For me to be able to experience something and for it to be able to help our business would be absolutely outstanding."

Ms Barretto said a music festival in Victoria Park would be "outstanding"

Local people have expressed some concern over noise and litter but have still widely supported the festival plans.

One person said: "I think it's brilliant for the area, brilliant for the neighbourhood and I really welcome it."

Another said: "I think it's a really positive idea. Previously they had stuff like Kasabian on the park and Leicester City and it really lit up the area.

"I think the park is maybe under utilised."

Festival Republic is holding a drop-in event to answer questions from the local community on 19 April.