Leicester music festival park plan subject to 'significant' conditions

Organisers say more than 7,000 people attended last year's Africa Music Festival in Nelson Mandela Park

Music festival bosses have been told they will only be able to hold an event in a Leicester park if they meet "a significant number of conditions".

Leicester City Council has granted a licence for the Africa Music Festival to take place in Abbey Park despite police concerns.

Leicestershire Police said there was "crime and disorder" when the event was held in Nelson Mandela Park last year.

Y2K Entertainment said it wanted to run its 2024 festival safely.

Despite the licence approval, organisers will have to meet 62 different conditions before the final go-ahead for the event is given.

A council spokesman said: "The application for a premises licence was approved, with a significant number of conditions, by the licensing sub-committee following a meeting on 16 April.

"The event organisers will now need to meet and work with a multi-agency safety advisory group which includes our festival and events team, emergency services, regulatory services and others.

"Only once the safety advisory group is satisfied that the event can go ahead safely will permission be given for the use of Abbey Park."

'Safe and enjoyable'

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the conditions included the production of detailed safety and noise control plans which are satisfactory to the council.

Alex Marapara, of Y2K, said moving the venue across the city would help address concerns.

"I am happy to get the licence and we will work with the local authorities to make sure it is a successful event," he said.

"We want it to be safe and enjoyable.

"We will talk to the safety advisory group and make sure we meet all the conditions it has set for us."

He said the festival, scheduled for 24 August, aimed to celebrate and promote artists from African nations including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.