Wilderness License

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 18:50

The application has now been uploaded onto the WODC wesbite.

https://publicaccess.westoxon.gov.uk/online-applications/licencingApplicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=S4FFEERK05600

Interestingly, it looks like they are applying (if i read it correctly) that they want to all 29,999 ticket holders / vendors / staff / performers on site.  Page 5 and 20 of the application.

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 17:58

Nothing so simple, Hannen, in terms of who is the ultimate owner of Wilderness. 

"In 2015, MAMA was acquired by LN-Gaiety, a joint venture of Live Nation UK and the parent company of MCD Productions." (Wikipedia) LN-Gaiety is a UK company, but Live Nation -- "We live for Decentralization" "We live for entrepreneurship" -- provides the underlying framework. 

It's a global brand and incredibly corporate, despite the hype, and primarily based in the USA. https://www.livenationentertainment.com/about/ Wilderness appears on Live Nations website. 

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 13:31

The governance of Wilderness is simple.  

It's run by MAMA.

"The CEO of festival supremos MAMA has seen festivals come and go, but has special affection for this bucolic gem. “We don't programme stages, we programme people,”

So if you want to pay a lot of money to be "programmed" then it's the festival for you.

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 12:28

Thank you, full support for the event , but they need to sort out the traffic management for sure. 

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 08:50

A Notice has gone up on the footpath gate, near the North Lodge entrance, asking for views by 18th December. 

Tue 21 Nov 2023, 20:41

Has this progressed further ? If known ?

Mon 30 Oct 2023, 21:38

What about the pollution with additional traffic? 

The locals in Charlbury may have kids with asthma? Or  people with long covid. 

Please enlighten me about the governance of Wilderness Festival?

Mon 30 Oct 2023, 21:01

Hannen, I used to own one of the cottages along Wellington Cottages, and during the first few years of Wilderness I can confirm that we received free tickets. If I remember correctly it was due to noise pollution levels. I remember Wellington Cottages being considered, by the festival, as the hardest hit in terms of noise, and therefore we were compensated. 

Mon 30 Oct 2023, 18:26

Not sure if this helps, but sharing some information.

Im not sure if Wilderness or whatever company that now runs it, follows the SAG - Safety Advisory Group suggestions or not.

 But might be another route of complaint?

https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/media/p3he1tqw/practical-guide-to-event-organisers-in-oxfordshire.pdf

Sun 29 Oct 2023, 09:20 (last edited on Sun 29 Oct 2023, 09:36)

Yes Alice, our concerns relate to differing locations -obviously more than one problem and traffic related issue and for the residents of Dyers Hill, Church Street and surrounding roads. The subject of any application is therefore connected 

Sun 29 Oct 2023, 08:10

The total gridlock I am referring to happened at key audience changing times during the weekend.  I was referring to traffic stuck, unable to move backwards of forwards, because of one large lorry at one restricted point and a long line of cars in both directions clogging the roads.  As a pedestrian I had a really clear view.  They were stuck! Is there data to prove that the train strike made no difference?  I am sure not and I’ve never seen such road chaos.  In previous years cars were not allowed to park on site access roads and that should be reinstated.  Some of the cars parked on Grammar School Hill, Hixet Wood and surrounding roads were there all weekend and some were daily visitors.  
The result was that at 11pm on Saturday night an ambulance would not have been able to get into Charlbury.  Mark you seem to be referring to a different problem.

Sat 28 Oct 2023, 18:38

Hannen, the subject of the issue of any licence needs to reflect the problems that are being created, the volume of vehicle movements before and after the event are an inconvenience, and this needs to be managed . The blocking of roads and the resulting issues of causing gridlock and the ability for emergency vehicles to be able to move and get to destinations to save lives , in my opinion , trumps the delivery and collection of equipment needed. In both cases , the correct management of traffic needs to be raised and considered as part of the appropriate process and application. 

This happens every year when the Forest Hill exit is used , the train strike made little difference to the overall result and in previous posts was highlighted, but not actioned upon ! 

 Better to use traffic lights and build the known problems into any restrictions of the issue of any licence , and backed by our local representatives from WODC and CTC 

Sat 28 Oct 2023, 16:10

I haven't the time or inclination to count them Mark!   However, don't overlook the fact that the ones delivering loos and bits of stages etc. deliver and then turn round and come back.

No, we don't own a car but others along here do.  Also, I think I mentioned that we regularly borrow a car from a very kind neighbour.  

Our car owning neighbours are forced to park on Hixet Wood, which naturally gets congested.

Sat 28 Oct 2023, 11:57

Don’t forget that there was a rail strike the weekend of Wilderness.  Everyone got in their cars to visit.  In previous years the line has been closed for works.  All outside the control of the organisers and a useful reminder of the value of our railways.

Sat 28 Oct 2023, 10:59 (last edited on Sat 28 Oct 2023, 11:07)

Traffic Management , better than previous years is defiantly needed , especially preventing the TOTAL GRIDLOCK along Dyers Hill, Thames Street , and consequently Market Street and the Town. Traffic lights or exit via Burford with suitable roads for the high volume of traffic.  Hannen, compensation for parking ????? You don’t have a car ? As per previous posts ! The amount of lorries ,,,,,, hundreds ? Is that a bit of an exaggeration, or numbers available, 

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 13:08

Yes Christopher, I live in Wellington Cottages and the hundreds of  heavy lorries trundling past in the weeks (not just two before and two after) may not cause potholes, but I'm sure that they make them worse.

Things have improved since cars/campervans/ caravans now go into and out of the entrance off the Fawler Road, so credit for that, but I suppose the lorry route won't change.

Perhaps it's time for Wilderness to start compensating us for being unable to park outside our cottage for about 6 to 8 weeks.  I'm told that they used to give us residents free tickets by way of compensation, but I don't know if that is fake news.  A tiny slice of their profits would be good.

By the way, I have nothing against Wilderness, and the noise this year was very low.  So more credit for that!  

I used to live near the site of the Reading and Womad Festivals, and everything seemed to be much more "controlled".  

I went to Wilderness once, several years ago and am still repaying the resulting 2nd mortgage.  I found it very disappointing, but hey ho, each to their own and if it gives people pleasure so be it.

By way of contrast we have the S3 and X9 passing us every day (except on the Sabbath) and one doesn't notice noise or fumes.  It might be the way they are constructed, but I'm not an engineer!

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 12:23

Road users pay taxes both via the pump and the DVLA which is more than enough to pay for road repairs, it comes down to what are the councils priorities, seems 20mph is a bigger priority than fixing pot holes. 

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 10:05

Well Paul,  I guess all that heavy contractor traffic in the two weeks before and after festival and all other festival traffic will certainly add enormously to the wear and tear on Charlbury roads. Could it be that the enormous amount of the pot holes around the North Lodge exit and the appalling road surface between North Lodge and Wellington Cottages are there by accident and for the fun of it? 😂

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 09:08 (last edited on Fri 27 Oct 2023, 09:08)

It hasn't come up yet and most likely won't until early next year.

The license is about numbers attending the festival, when they can play music etc,  nothing to do with traffic management which is separately managed by WODC.

I am sure you will be concerned with the road from Fiveways to North Lodge, Rachel, and it is on the schedule for repair before the next festival.  Paid by OCC, not Wilderness. 

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 08:10

How on earth can Wilderness be responsible for the numerous pot holes around Charlbury? 

Thu 26 Oct 2023, 19:49

The residents of Charlbury, unless I have missed a post on the forum, haven't received info about carbon emissions from the increased traffic - lorries and Wilderness Festival guests, plus whether funds are assigned to fill in pot holes caused by the additional traffic. 

What is the up to date data on this for 2023? For a small town, it is a significant increase which has an impact on the residents in many ways. 

Thu 26 Oct 2023, 18:24

On the 18th August, Liz Leffman posted in the news section about the the Wilderness Festival license renewal and how there would be a 28 day consultation period.

https://www.charlbury.info/news/4341

Has anyone heard any thing more about this, i have been checking for any renewals or new applications in regard to the festival. However i am wondering if anyone has heard anything different.