Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       The Committee is asked to note that Council has received several requests from event organisers to host events across several city park locations in 2024. These include:

 

·        Bloomfield Gospel Hall Gospel Outreach – Dixon Playing Fields

·        Festival of Fools – Cathedral Gardens

·        Belfast 24 Hour Run – Victoria Park

·        Belfast Photo Festival – Botanic Gardens

·        St Patricks Day Festival – Cathedral Gardens

·        Lear – Victoria Park

·        Afro-Fest Belfast – Crescent Park Belfast

·        Annual 12th July Demonstration – Barnetts Demesne

 

2.0       Recommendation

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to grant authority to the applicant for the proposed event on the dates noted and to delegate authority to the Director of Neighbourhood Services to ensure the following:

 

                                          I.          Where appropriate negotiate a fee which recognises the costs to Council, minimises negative impact on the immediate area and takes account of the potential wider benefit to the city economy, in conjunction with the Councils Commercial Manager.

 

                                        II.          Negotiate satisfactory terms and conditions of use via an appropriate legal agreement prepared by the City Solicitor, including managing final booking confirmation dates and flexibility around ‘set up’ & take down’ periods, and booking amendments, subject to:

 

-     The promoter resolving any operational issues to the Council’s satisfaction.

-     The promoter carrying out appropriate resident and community engagement

-     The promoter meeting all the statutory requirements of the Planning and Building Control Service including the terms and conditions of the Park’s Entertainment Licence

 

2.2       Please note that the above recommendations are taken as a pre - policy position in advance of the Council agreeing a more structured framework and policy for ‘Events’, which is currently being taken forward in conjunction with the Councils Commercial team.

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Key Issues

 

3.1       If agreed, the event organiser or promoters will be required in advance of the event to submit an event management plan for approval by the Council and all relevant statutory bodies. This will include an assessment of how the event will impact upon the surrounding area and measures to mitigate these impacts.

 

Bloomfield Gospel Hall Gospel Outreach - Dixon Playing fields

 

3.2       The church has a small congregation with around 50 members who meet in Bloomfield Gospel Hall, Woodcot Avenue.  As part of their community work, they have held a number of gospel outreach events in Dixon Park in recent years. This has involved the erection of a portable hall for a number of weeks. In 2023 the council granted permission for drive-in services on Sunday evenings throughout the Spring and Summer months.

 

3.3       In addition, the church also hosted their outreach programme Monday to Friday throughout the month of June. The organiser has informed Council that this was very well received by the local community with a number of non-members attending the services.

 

3.4       The organiser would like to repeat the success of the last 2 years in 2024.  During the Sunday evening services a small curtain-sided van will be used as a platform for the event guest speaker with low volume battery powered portable loudspeakers being used to enable the persons speaking to be heard within the carpark. The group have also requested to carry out a Summer Bible Time outreach event that would include children from the local area along with Polish, Slovakian and Romanian children.

 

3.5       The organisers have a good working relationship with the Scirocco Football Club who use the playing fields.  The football club help to advertise the services on their website and on the few occasions that football training occurs during the services, there is ample room for both groups to co-exist.

 

3.6       The key dates for the request are:

 

·             Sunday Evening Services

·             Sunday 7 April 2024 to Sunday 29 September 2024 – 7pm to 7.30pm

 

·             Summer Bible Time

·             Monday 5 August to Thursday 8 August 2024 – 4pm to 5pm & 7pm to 8pm

·             Friday 9 August 2024 – 4pm to 8pm

 

24 Hour Run – Victoria Park

 

3.7       The event organiser has requested the use of Victoria Park to host the 24-hour championship race. The race is in its 14th year having moved to Victoria Park in 2016.

 

3.8       The key dates for the request are:

 

·             Friday 14th June 2023 – Set Up

·             Saturday 15th June – Official Race begins at 12pm

·             Sunday 16th June – Official Race ends at 1pm

·             Sunday 18th June – De-rig & off site for 3pm

 

3.9       It is estimated that around 250 runners will take part. This event takes place throughout the night and in previous years there have been a number of noise disturbances so Council officers will work closely with the event organiser this year to ensure these disturbances are mitigated. The event is to raise money to help send the Northern Ireland Ultra team to events along with a charity yet to be selected. The event will host the 24-Hour Championship along with the 100k & 50k championship. The event organiser also hopes that it will include the Irish 24-Hour championship.

 

3.10     As Victoria Park has 24-hour access due to forming part of the Connswater Community Greenway there are no additional operational considerations that need addressed as part of this request.

 

Festival of Fools – Cathedral Gardens

 

3.11     Festival of Fools Ltd have requested the use of Cathedral Gardens to host their Festival of Fools event 2024.

 

3.12     Festival of Fools is a free to attend family friendly festival that will incorporate circus and outdoor arts shows. The show will incorporate international acts that will provide both circus and street entertainment.

 

3.13     The key dates for the request are:

 

·        Saturday 4 May – Set up from 10am

·        Saturday 4 May – Main Show 12pm to 7pm

·        Sunday 5 May – Main Show 12pm to 7pm

·        Monday 6 May - Main show 12pm to 7pm

·        Monday 6 May - De Rig and Off Site

 

Belfast Photo Festival – Botanic Gardens

 

3.14     Belfast Photo Festival is a not-for-profit organisation that presents one of the leading international festivals of photography in the United Kingdom and the Visual Arts Festival of Northern Ireland. Launched in 2011, this now annual photographic event has been described as one of the “best photography festivals in the world” (Capture Magazine) and attracts upwards of 100 thousand visitors a year, celebrating some of the finest National and International contemporary photography across 30 museums, galleries and public spaces. Capturing wide appeal through popular culture, accessible themes and unexpected encounters with photography, the festival aims to instil and inspire public enjoyment and participation by utilising the most accessible artistic medium and bringing it to new audience in cool and unusual ways. The festival consists of exhibitions, talks, symposiums, workshops, screening, masterclasses, portfolio reviews and tours.

 

3.15     The primary location of the Belfast Photo Festival over the past years has been Botanic Gardens, where large audiences engage with our outdoor photographic displays each year. This is a free event, accessible to the public. It runs over the month of June and consists of a series of exhibitions mounted throughout the park. There are no registrations to any of the exhibitions mounted throughout the park. There are no registrations to any of the exhibitions in the park and charity collections made.

 

3.16     The key dates for the request are:

 

·        Set Up – 20 May to 2 June 2024

·        Event Run Time – 1 June to 30 June 2024

·        De Rig – 1 July to 8 July 2024

 

 

St Patricks Day Festival – Cathedral Gardens

 

3.17     Belfast TradFest are delivering the St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Musical Showcase programme on behalf of Belfast City Council from 15th – 17th March 2024. The main focus of activity will be the creation of a St. Patrick’s Day village around the Cathedral Quarter between 2pm – 5pm on Sunday 17th March.

 

3.18     The festival village will include a live outdoor music stage, family fun activities and a food village in Cathedral Gardens, an open-air acoustic music and dance stage in Saint Anne’s Square and an ongoing afternoon Céilí in The Mac.

 

3.19     The key dates for the request are:

 

·        Set Up – Saturday 16 March 2024 – 9am

·        Main Event – Sunday 17 March 2024 – 2pm to 5pm

·        De-Rig – Sunday 17 March 2024 – 9pm

 

Lear – Victoria Park

 

3.20     Green Room Productions NI have requested the use of Victoria Park for both rehearsals and performances of their King Lear production. Green Room Productions NI are an Outdoor Theatre Company who create Theatre, responsive to spaces, accessible to all. The event space being requested is the covered structure in Victoria Park.

 

3.21     The key dates for the request are:

 

·          Rehearsals – Thursday 18, Friday 19, Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 April 2024 – 9am - 7pm

·          Performances – Wednesday 24, Thursday 25 and Friday 26 April 2024 – 9am - 7pm

·          Exit Site – Friday 26 April 2024 at 7pm

 

3.22     The group plan on having 4 days of rehearsals starting on Thursday 18 April and finishing on Tuesday 23 April. They then wish to have three days of performances starting with two performances on Wednesday 24 followed by 4 performances on both Thursday 25 and Friday 26 April 2024. The event will be a free ticketed event with it being based on a modern adaptation of the King Lear and is aimed at the local schools surrounding Victoria Park along with the neighbouring residential areas.

 

 

Afro-Fest Belfast – Crescent Park

 

3.23     Belfast City Council have received a request from Urbanmag for the use of Crescent Park for their Afro-Fest cultural event. The purpose of this event is to showcase the musical talent of people with Afro Caribbean descent in Northern Ireland and to bring together different cultures to help educate and explore the beauty of the arts and culture through Music.

 

3.24     The key dates for the request are:

 

·        Event Set Up – Saturday 25 May – 8am

·        Main Event – Saturday 25 May 12pm to 7pm

·        De-Rig – Saturday 25 May 9pm

 

Annual 12th July Demonstration – Barnetts Demesne

 

3.25     Belfast City Council have received a request from the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast for the use of Barnetts Demesne for their Annual 12th July Demonstration. The purpose of this event is to facilitate a greater understanding of orange cultural traditions and the promotion of Orangefest events as inclusive and family friendly.

 

3.26     The key dates for the request are:

 

·        Set up – Thursday 11 July 2024 – 6pm to 10pm

·        Main Event – Friday 12 July 2024 – 1pm to 5pm

·        De-Rig – Saturday 13 July 2024 – 8am to 12pm

 

3.27     The organiser wishes to use the event to promote Belfast in a positive light and encourage visitors to experience Orange culture throughout the year and to help improve community relations.

 

Financial and Resource Implications

 

3.28     Where appropriate the Director of Neighbourhood Services will negotiate an appropriate fee for each event, which recognises the costs to Council, minimises negative impact on the immediate area and takes account of the potential wider benefit to the City economy, in conjunction with the Councils Commercial Manager. If required the Director of Neighbourhood Services will also authorise the relevant level of the necessary bond of intent and reinstatement bond.

 

 

Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

 

3.29     There are no known implications.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations at paragraph 2.0 of the report and agreed that an update would be sought from the Council’s Commercial Team as to the status of the ongoing review into the framework and policy for Events.