The Licensing Sub-Committee of Wandsworth Council was scheduled to consider an application for a new time-limited premises licence for a two-day country music festival on Tooting Common. The meeting's agenda also included the appointment of a chair, apologies, and declarations of interest.

Country on the Common Festival Application

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a new time-limited, two-day premises licence for the Country on the Common festival, to be held at the Lido Field on Tooting Common. The applicant, Enable Leisure & Culture, sought permission for the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment, including plays, films, live and recorded music, and performances of dance. The proposed hours for these activities were from 12:00 to 22:00 for alcohol sales on Saturday and 12:00 to 21:00 on Sunday, with regulated entertainment running until 22:30 on Saturday and 21:30 on Sunday.

The report pack indicated that this was not a new event, as a similar licence was granted for the festival in 2025. The application proposed an increase in capacity from 6,000 to 7,500 attendees per day for the 2026 event.

Representations were received from other persons raising concerns related to public nuisance, crime and disorder, and public safety. These included objections due to noise carrying into residential homes, insufficient police resources to control antisocial and criminal activity, and concerns about the safety of attendees. One representation, while not objecting to the event, emphasised the need for continuous noise monitoring and robust plans for stewarding and public safety involving the Parks Police and the Metropolitan Police.

The report detailed numerous conditions proposed by the applicant to promote the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. These included measures such as a maximum capacity of 7,500 per day, CCTV coverage, an incident log, comprehensive Event Safety Management Plans (ESMPs), a minimum security and stewarding ratio, staff training on welfare and vulnerability engagement, and a noise management plan with independent monitoring. Specific conditions for the protection of children included an admission policy requiring under-18s to be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over, and the implementation of a Challenge 25 scheme for alcohol sales. A condition prohibiting the use of glassware was also agreed upon following discussions with the Police licensing officer.

The report also outlined the council's Statement of Licensing Policy and relevant Statutory Guidance from the Government that the Sub-Committee must consider when making its decision. The Sub-Committee was asked to consider whether to grant the application as requested, modify the conditions of the licence, or reject the application, with the caveat that any modifications or rejections must be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.

A supplementary agenda item confirmed that the report by the Executive Director of Resident Services, detailing the application, was attached.