GALA 2024

[first mate]

Malumbu, please do not derail this thread. The environmental impact of large scale events on Peckham Rye is a serious issue. 
 

Dulwich Dweller, that is another really useful bit of information, from an informed perspective. I agree with Angelina on reporting every single instance of antisocial behaviour.
 

Fishboy, in regard to the tree lopping, has anyone managed to establish how this was allowed and whether it was a council arborist? Have Friends of Peckham Rye got involved?

Edited May 26 by first mate

[beck]

14 hours ago, first mate said:

Thanks Dulwich Dweller for that article which sums up concerns a number of us have. 
 

I found the reference to tree felling in Brockwell Park really worrying. That park has been changed into a an events venue for hire throughout the summer. Southwark want to do the same with Peckham Rye. We must not let them.

The tree felling in Brockwell park has been investigated by one of the local councillors.There are over 1,600 trees in Brockwell park and every year, after assessment ( i.e. danger, disease, age etc.) a number are felled, this is accompanied by a tree planting programme to replace all felled trees. It is a rolling programme and not done because of festivals.

 

https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2024/05/campaigners-question-lambeth-councils-plans-to-immediately-remove-44-trees-in-brockwell-park/

 

[ed26]

Malumbu would never derail a thread. If he didn't see anyone p***ing in the bushes, then it didn't happen. OK?

It does seem that GALA has outgrown Peckham Rye Park in terms of its appeal. I've been going to festivals, big and small, for many years. I've seen many niche festivals grow from boutique chill-outs to being featured for the whole weekend on Radio 1. They don't always grow physically, but the appeal gets more mainstream, and the crowd morphs from local 25+s who are there for the music to the 18-25s who travel across the country and are there to get mashed and to show everyone they were there on Instagram. I don't know if this is representative of GALA, but the reports of anti-social behaviour in the park and the streets would seem that it's going the same way.

Edited May 26 by ed26

[HeadNun]

Thanks for posting the hotline number. It meant I could report the three security guards I clocked sitting on a bench smoking a big fat one. Wouldn't want them in charge of my safety, if I was at a festival. 

[malumbu]

It would be interesting to know how many of you have been to a festival. I'm well past 50 over the years free ones, short ones and big ones.  I'm not interested in the Gala and most of them at Brockwell Park, but enjoy and have worked at the Lambeth Country show.  I seemed to have been asleep in the late 80s so can't comment on raves, but at this time Glastonbury turned nasty due to criminality so have experienced the less savoury elements.

I am not questioning the issues you have, rather the general feeling that some come across as being against people enjoying themselves.   

[taper]

Grass?

[Nigello]

4 minutes ago, taper said:

Grass?

No - they were sitting on a bench. 

[Angelina]

On a bench, smoking grass 

[first mate]

One of the big supporting points Cllr Catherine Rose made was that the borough desperately needed events for its young people to attend and enjoy.

This is a load of baloney. I sat and watched hordes of 20-30 somethings arriving, all white, seemingly young professionals, mostly heading in from PR overground. I get that the event is enjoyable for London's young white professional demographic but it is a want and privilege, not a 'need'. There must be literally thousands of fantastic indoor music venues, there for the taking. Leaving the park free for those wishing to enjoy nature and/or the outdoors.

Edited May 26 by first mate

[Penguin68]

The 'festival' itself is clearly an annoyance to some (and noise, litter and alfresco urination would certainly qualify as such) but it is only for 3 days in 365. So long as (a) it remained this length and (b) the impresarios running it were properly managed by Southwark - full  and complete tidy-up and restoration, no tree cutting or other damage and no longer than 5 days (total) for set-up and recover - revenues not eaten up by consequential costs to the borough - then I think we could, and should, cope with it. But we have bids for an extended, or repeating event and we know that our asset is despoiled at our cost - and we are excluded from use of our asset for too long a time. This is not a field in the middle of the countryside which has a year to recover (and which is otherwise unused by the general public - vide Glastonbury) - this is a much used and loved (and needed) inner-city green space. And the 'fun' isn't in the middle of the countryside, it's on many of our actual doorsteps - in the case of litter and urine quite literally!

[Nigello]

47 minutes ago, first mate said:

One of the big supporting points Cllr Catherine Rose made was that the borough desperately needed events for its young people to attend and enjoy.

This is a load of baloney. I sat and watched hordes of 20-30 somethings arriving, all white, seemingly young professionals, mostly heading in from PR overground. I get that the event is enjoyable for London's young white professional demographic but it is a want and privilege, not a 'need'. There must be literally thousands of fantastic indoor music venues, there for the taking. Leaving the park free for those wishing to enjoy nature and/or the outdoors.

Why mention skin tone? There are plenty of examples of middle- and working-class people of all heritages and the festival will attract all kinds of people and all kinds of people are capable of being good or bad citizens. 

[first mate]

Point taken, all I am saying is that the demographic need cited by the council as a reason to mount the event seems different from the demographic actually attending. This is not a criticism of either demographic but of the council rationale for the event.
 

Like Penguin I can accept a very well run three day event but the aim is to extend this event and that is the problem, plus damage to the park environment to facilitate the event.

[John OShea]

24 minutes ago, Penguin68 said:

The 'festival' itself is clearly an annoyance to some (and noise, litter and alfresco urination would certainly qualify as such) but it is only for 3 days in 365. So long as (a) it remained this length and (b) the impresarios running it were properly managed by Southwark - full  and complete tidy-up and restoration, no tree cutting or other damage and no longer than 5 days (total) for set-up and recover - revenues not eaten up by consequential costs to the borough - then I think we could, and should, cope with it. But we have bids for an extended, or repeating event and we know that our asset is despoiled at our cost - and we are excluded from use of our asset for too long a time. This is not a field in the middle of the countryside which has a year to recover (and which is otherwise unused by the general public - vide Glastonbury) - this is a much used and loved (and needed) inner-city green space. And the 'fun' isn't in the middle of the countryside, it's on many of our actual doorsteps - in the case of litter and urine quite literally!

Yeah, just a money making event for Southwark Council and it’s ruining the park and common. The only 3 days a year argument doesn’t hold water. Like an abused wife saying her husband only beats her up three times a year but overall he’s a good husband.

[Angelina]

It’s the management of it that is the problem, and the damage

[John OShea]

Yeah so the event should be scrapped.

[alice]

1 hour ago, first mate said:

One of the big supporting points Cllr Catherine Rose made was that the borough desperately needed events for its young people to attend and enjoy.

This is a load of baloney. I sat and watched hordes of 20-30 somethings arriving, all white, seemingly young professionals, mostly heading in from PR overground. I get that the event is enjoyable for London's young white professional demographic but it is a want and privilege, not a 'need'. There must be literally thousands of fantastic indoor music venues, there for the taking. Leaving the park free for those wishing to enjoy nature and/or the outdoors.

And if it was another demographic you would still be moaning

Has anyone actually seen the so-called damage to that tree? You’re absolutely ridiculous

[first mate]

Go back to the very first post on this thread.

[alice]

Large branches do not have a diameter of 4 cm

[first mate]

Take a closer look, those branches are larger than one & a half inches diameter.

There is a wider point here that I think a number of us are concerned about. Once we start saying it's fine to lop tree branches to accommodate metal barriers for a private event, what might be next? You may think it is ridiculous but I think this behaviour indicates we are dealing with the thin edge of the wedge and the council and event management have to be held accountable and be clear about protecting the park.

Edited May 26 by first mate

[TheRoses]

https://novaramedia.com/2023/09/01/private-companies-are-stealing-public-parks/

Edited May 26 by TheRoses
Wrong link

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

56 minutes ago, first mate said:

the demographic need cited by the council as a reason to mount the event 

Can we have a reliable source for this claim beyond "some guy online said a Councillor said something"? There is all sorts of absolute toss made up about councillors and the council on this forum.

[first mate]

Okay, rather than say Council I should have said Cllr Catherine Rose - Cabinet member in charge of parks- at a Southwark Council Scrutiny session- these can be viewed online. I do not keep notes so cannot give date and timecode, but that is my source.

But even if you do not accept that, I hope you agree the wider principle stands, that if we support council use of the parks as a venue for hire to raise funds, what level of accountability should be in place, what degrees of damage to the park environment are acceptable and for how long should significant parts of the park be removed from general community access,  to achieve that aim?

Edited May 26 by first mate

[Rockets]

Just walked back from Herne Hill and if you want a future vision of how Gala might end-up just look at what is happening in Brockwell Park. The noise from the first weekend of three weekends of activities is unbelievable, not sure how the residents are supposed to deal with that. Just a cacophony of noise from competing stage sound systems.

 

Festivals and inner city environments will never mix well and residents are suffering from the revenue catnip that council's salivate at when they think they can make a quick buck from selling our public spaces to the highest bidder. It's getting ridiculous.

[alice]

Obviously, there’s lots of people who do like that music and to describe it as you have done R. I think it’s irrelevant.  

[Angelina]

There used to be events in brockwell park, for years, including Pride and they were never ticketed and there was never the damage there is now.

the music isn’t the issue ( although at least Brixton had live bands this year and Peckham didn’t get that right).

it’s the insult of a private company working with our council to host a private ticketed event and then show such disrespect for the area.