Police outline requirements if large event is to be held

Jean Irving, Sussex Police’s licensing and public safety manager, said: “We are not objecting to the planned event per se but are asking for the terms of the licence to be framed in such a way as to prevent any risk to public safety.”

The police have asked for a suitable event management plan to detail how people can be evacuated in an emergency, be dispersed after the event and how they will get to and from the site.

They have also requested that the planned policing costs will be funded by the licence holder in advance.

She added: “Other actions we have asked for include the provision of free drinking water at the site, a ban on glass bottles and drinking vessels, a strict no entry policy for anyone deemed to be drunk or on drugs and a limit in capacity to a maximum of 25,000 people at any one time for the first event, with the potential for increases in numbers for future events if suitable.”

SJM Ltd. has asked for a capacity of up to 70,000, but it is yet to be confirmed how many they intend to cater for at the first event, which has been proposed for two days in June, 2015.

Jean Irving added: “Our responsibility is to ensure the licensing objectives are promoted and that the event does not affect the right of local residents not to be disturbed by antisocial behaviour, noise or disorder.”

The police have also asked to work closely with the organisers to make sure that the application will be acceptable.

“But in the end it will not be up to us but to the committee to decide whether the application should be approved or not.”

Contacted directly by the festival organisers, chief inspector Will Rolls said that he has now met with the company in person and the police have submitted representations to Adur and Worthing’s licensing committee.

He said: “We hope it will be considered when the committee makes its decision on January 7.”