By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Wychwood Festival, which will be headlined by Craig David, Kaiser Chiefs and Levellers this year, will be allowed to run for four days and increase its capacity.
Tribe Festivals Ltd’s bid for a new premises licence for the festival at Cheltenham Racecourse was considered by Borough Councillors on Thursday (March 5).
The premises licence application includes live and recorded music, film and other entertainment and the sale and supply of alcohol from noon until 5am the following morning from Thursday to Sunday.
This year the festival is scheduled for May 29 to 31 and the new application sought to increase capacity from 9,999 to 14,999 people and include Thursday as an additional day.
Some 15 people objected to the proposals amid concerns over public nuisance along with Southam Parish Council.
Winchcombe and Woodmancote County Councillor Councillor Cheryl Agg (LD) was among those who raised concerns over the proposals at the licensing sub-committee meeting.
She highlighted significant and measurable disturbance data from 2024 and objected to the increase in decibels and called for the event to finish on Sunday night.
“The proposed variations for 2026 including an additional day, later opening hours, increased capacity and higher permissible sound levels raises serious concerns that these issues will worsen,” she said.
Residents reported “excessive and intrusive” noise in 2024, she said.
“Older residents are particularly sensitive to nocturnal noise, low frequency vibration, sleep disturbance and associated health effects
“The demographic structure of Southam makes extended hours and the higher noise levels especially problematic.”
She claimed extending the festival by a day combined with a 5am finish would “likely cause substantial unacceptable distress”.
Chairman David Willingham (LD, St Peters) said new conditions introduced in 2025 diminished the effect of low frequency noise.
Bill Motion, a resident, also raised concerns at the meeting about wild camping and noise
He said: “The increase in numbers will lead to more camping and more wild camping.
“There are issues in rural areas around people just pitching up and camping.
“I would anticipate that the increase in numbers is definitely going to lead to something along those lines.”
And Steve Lennon, chairman of Southam Parish Council, thanked the event organisers and council teams for the coordinated efforts last year to reduce the impact on the local community.
However, he said the parish council do not object to the festival being held but are concerned about the proposed changes.
He said they object to the plans and allowing music to be played until 5am “so close to residential areas”.
There are also concerns over the potential impact of the festival also taking place on Thursday and the increase in capacity.
A representative who spoke on behalf of the applicant said many of the concerns raised were not fair.
“One might have a completely different impression of this festival having heard the last hour and a quarter or so of material,” he said.
“We are astonished that anyone might suggest we are not a family festival, particularly having won best family festival of the year at the National Festival Awards in 2025.”
He also took issue with the suggestion from objectors that it was not a family festival.
“The suggestion that in some way we are irresponsible because parents take their children to a festival and get them to wear ear defenders appears to me extraordinary.
“That is not a fair observation about the operation or the premises.”
He referenced the environmental officers reports which suggested the increase in capacity would not increase public nuisance.
And also explained that the capacity would be limited to 12,999 for the first year.
The committee ultimately voted unanimously to grant the premises licence.
An extra condition was added that the applicant should liaise with Southam Parish Council to keep records to show they tried to engage.