Leicester's Victoria Park gets green light to host music festival

More then 35,000 tickets will be available for the festival in Victoria Park

A licence for a major two-day music festival at a park in Leicester has been granted by the city council.

The event will take place in Victoria Park on 16 and 17 September with more then 35,000 tickets being made available.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said it would be a boost for the local area and economy.

The most recent large-scale event to be held at the park was after Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said it had been agreed that a music festival could take place across two stages at the same location.

Organisers said there would be about eight artists a day on the main stage and the second stage would feature DJs playing a range of popular music.

There would also be a funfair, bars selling alcohol and food stands.

Victoria Park hosted Leicester City's title celebrations in 2016

Mr Soulsby said: "I'm obviously very pleased that we're going to have this major event in Victoria Park.

"This is a major boost to the area, to the businesses in the area and to the economy of the city more generally."

He said the park had successfully hosted large-scale events in the past including a Kasabian concert in 2014 and Leicester City's Premier League title celebrations two years later.

"I'm genuinely really looking forward to it," he added.

"These sorts of events are always a good boost to the city, it brings people together in enjoyment and celebration."

Some concerns have been raised by residents in relation to noise, anti-social behaviour, parking and general disruption.

Mr Soulsby said the council would be working closely with festival organisers to make sure disruption was kept to a minimum.