Organisers of the All Points East festival have taken steps to prevent a repeat of last year's 'well-reported dust issues' at Victoria Park in east London, as the event prepares to begin amid a record-setting drought.
The festival, a highlight of London's summer calendar, kicks off on Friday, August 21, with headline sets from Tyler, the Creator, Lorde, and Jorja Smith across two weekends.
Last year, the event was marred by high levels of dust, with footage of extremely dusty conditions flooding social media. Fans shared clips of themselves covering their mouths, and many advised attendees with respiratory issues to wear masks.
Reseeding and ground protection
Jim King, CEO of events giant AEG, which runs the festival, told The Times that last year's issues had informed planning for this year. He said: "Immediately after the show, we worked with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to get back into the park [and begin] an extensive amount of reseeding." He added that the reseeding had made the park "as strong as it could be" ahead of the festival, and that his experienced site teams have been "working with music festivals for 30 years".
This year, teams have brought in extra ground protection, including plastic coverings in high-footfall areas, to prevent the same hazy atmosphere. London finally received its first "heavy rain" in weeks overnight on Tuesday, and BBC weather predicts further showers on Wednesday and Thursday.
LIDO Festival changes
AEG also runs British Summer Time in Hyde Park and LIDO Festival, which was due to take place in Victoria Park in June. Following the extremely wet winter, AEG were advised that the park would benefit from more time to recover before festival season, so the three-day event was changed to a one-day affair, now scheduled for August 31.
Mr King said: "Those decisions are extremely costly in one way or the other, financially or otherwise. But we are a long-term partner for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the community - we take those responsibilities seriously." He described the drought conditions as "challenging" and said: "We've now gone from planning into execution, with further resource and mitigation plans to ensure that the park is as protected as it can be and that the fan experience and the artist experiences are as high as they possibly can be as well."
Economic impact and opposition
Mr King told The Times that festivals were valuable to London's economy and creative scene, highlighting that LIDO and All Points East delivered about £70 million in total spending across London, including £6 million in Tower Hamlets. He added: "We have a long track record working in London's parks. I think we've got a very good reputation."
Nevertheless, a petition was started last year by a group calling itself Protect Victoria Park, which claimed that the "commercialisation [of the park] has gone too far". The group said: "Locals will not stand for this beloved green space being turned into a cash cow, then summers for years to come will be marred by massive fences, with locals being penned in to other areas that are increasingly busy." It followed an application from AEG to use around a third of the park for 75 days of festival activities a year over the next six summers.
Festivals across London's parks are meeting increasing opposition, with a legal battle over the future of gigs in Brockwell Park going to the High Court in May. Resident Juliet Chambers wanted to legally challenge Lambeth Council over its decision to use parts of the park for the events, saying it had misinterpreted the word "recreation". However, Mr Justice Jay dismissed the bid, saying recreation was a "pastime which is pursued for the pleasure or interest it provides... It is clear in my view that this musical festival is a cultural activity."
Mr King said: "Everybody wants to come to east London, to Victoria Park, which is a massive thing for us, a huge success. But then comes the responsibility to ensure that we deliver and we execute professionally, sustainably and with great care. And I think responsibility to the community. And I just want to make sure that there's that balance."
