Mint festival gets licence despite concerns over anti-social behaviour
- Published
Mint was held at Stockeld Park, between Harrogate and Wetherby, in 2017
A dance music festival has been given the go-ahead at a new venue despite claims festivalgoers used people's gardens as toilets last year.
Mint, which was previously held at Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, will be staged at the former RAF Church Fenton, near Tadcaster, next month.
Organisers surrendered the previous licence after a North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council review.
Selby District Council granted permission for the new site earlier.
Jim Walton, who lives in Spofforth near last year's festival, said hundreds of people left the site on foot with some urinating and defecating in people's gardens.
He said it was like "a retreat from a war zone" with pedestrians mingling with traffic and claimed residents collected a bin bag of drug wrappers that they'd found on their properties.
Concerns have been raised about the amount of traffic entering and leaving this year's venue.
Church Fenton parish councillor Jo Mason said: "Church Fenton's roads are smaller and narrower than round Stockeld Park, yet even more festivalgoers are expected.
"No matter what fancy transport plan you come up with, these roads cannot accommodate those levels of traffic," she said.
Mint said it was "working closely with all relevant responsible authorities to ensure this year's Mint festival is another safe and enjoyable event".
Selby District Council said it was satisfied organisers had drawn up a detailed event safety plan.
"The plan puts in place a number of arrangements to deal with the concerns raised in terms of traffic management, crowd management particularly for entering and leaving the venue, nuisance and crime," a spokesperson said.