TAUNTON Deane Borough Council licensing sub-committee granted the Welliestock Music Festival in Wellington a premises licence

just 48 hours before the event took place on Saturday.

Organiser Huw Weston applied for a premises licence for the event at Wellesley Park Primary School on Thursday of last week.

The licensing sub-committee met that day to discuss the application. The panel approved Mr Weston’s application under conditions such as no dismantling of the stage should take place between 11pm and 8am, and the sale of alcohol would stop at 10.15pm.

Residents of nearby streets attended the meeting in opposition to the festival, claiming the noise level was too high and that anti-social behaviour blighted the streets at kick-out time last year.

Mr Weston said the security team ‘let him down’ last year, and assured them that changes had been made this year to make the event safe and enjoyable.

Speaking on behalf of concerned residents, Mark Steer said: “The first problem is that it feels like the noise levels increase every year. I work nights and sleep with earplugs in a room with double-glazing and I can still hear it. There’s too many people on the site. It is a primary school and not a suitable location.”

Mr Steer claimed that last year the children’s maze, based at the school, was used as an open urinal during the event, which smelt afterwards. Mr Weston disputed that claim, saying the maze was fenced off.

Mr Weston said the number of security staff had been increased from ten to 15 but Mr Steer said a more suitable number would be at least double that.

Another concern of the residents was the anti-social behaviour fuelled by alcohol at last year’s event. Marion Jones, 72, described last year’s Welliestock as a ‘violent drunken brawl’ after she was verbally threatened.