The future of the Love Parade, Britain’s biggest free outdoor live music event, is in jeopardy as it has yet to be granted a Public Entertainment License. The U.K.’s BBC Radio 1 said today (July 13) it has satisfied all safety requirements for the event, scheduled to take place in Newcastle upon Tyne on July 21, but Newcastle City Council has yet to fulfill traffic management conditions imposed by the city’s police.
Organizers estimate that the parade, which features a convoy of 25 floats, will attract crowds of more than 250,000, about half of whom are expected to travel to the city by car. Special park and ride sites were to be set up to cater for up to 30,000 vehicles. Fatboy Slim, Sonique, and Pete Tong were among the acts scheduled to perform.
Radio 1 has now suspended promotion of the event. “The council leadership have shown massive support for Radio 1 and the Love Parade over many months,” Controller Andy Parfitt said. “We have been embraced warmly by so many people in the region, but they now need to bang a few heads together and get this issue sorted out, or thousands of music fans are going to be disappointed.” Parfitt has written to the leader of Newcastle City Council, Tony Flynn, demanding outstanding issues be resolved by tomorrow night.
The cancellation of the event will prove detrimental to the region’s economy. In Leeds, where last year’s event was held, an independent report commissioned by the local Council revealed that the event generated about #12.8 million (U.S. $17.9 million) in revenue. This year, Newcastle Council has estimated Love Parade will bring up to #15 million (U.S. $21 million) into the city. It issued a statement today which read, “We are currently involved in urgent negotiations to satisfy all the conditions necessary to issue a Public Entertainment License. However, public safety is paramount and the Council will only license events where this can be guaranteed.”
As previously reported, the Berlin ministry of the interior banned that city’s edition of the Love Parade, originally scheduled for Saturday (July 14), claiming the event clashes with a demonstration by Love Parade opponents who had registered their event first.
