Stadium to host tribute acts despite objections

3 hours ago

Nadia LincolnLocal Democracy reporter

News image — A host of tribute acts are set to perform at the home of Northampton Saints on 27 June

Getty Images A generic scene of revellers reacting to live music. One person is shown on the shoulders of another rising out of a crowd of people with the hands in the air while a band plays in the background. — A host of tribute acts are set to perform at the home of Northampton Saints on 27 June

A local authority has approved an all-day music event at an urban sports ground despite a local resident raising concerns about noise nuisance.

A line-up of tribute acts and a DJ will perform at Northampton Saints' Franklin's Gardens stadium between 12:45 and 22:00 BST on Saturday, 27 June.

The music will be followed by a live streaming of England's Fifa World Cup match against Panama, which is due to kick-off at 22:00.

A written objection submitted by someone living close to the stadium said the event "represents a substantial and unreasonable impact on local residents". Northampton Saints said a noise management company will be appointed to oversee the event.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, all venues playing live and recorded music and intending to sell alcohol on the premises must be granted a licence by their local authority to do so.

But at a meeting, West Northamptonshire Council granted the event a licence which is set to host up to 6,000 people.

The full-day event inside the stadium bowl will feature performances from tribute acts for Thunderstruck (AC/DC), Antic Monkeys (Arctic Monkeys), Total Texas (Texas), The Olivia Rodrigo Experience, Spam Fender (Sam Fender) and Fever (ABBA).

Northampton Saints told the meeting that the event "will be the only concert we are hosting this summer and this year and it is on a lot smaller scale than what we have usually done in previous years".

The club said: "We do anything that we possibly can to make sure that events and matchdays do not cause any of the local residents or businesses any cause for concern."

According to the application, live music will be played between 12:45 and 20:00, with recorded music running in between sets.

A DJ set will then be played between 21:00 and 22:00, prior to the screening of the England match on big screens inside the stadium.

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