Return of Blackweir summer season concert events met with blended response

The announcement that Blackweir Live concert events are set to return subsequent summer season has been met with blended response.

On Monday, it was announced that the concerts will take place in Blackweir Fields again next summer with Lewis Capaldi set to headline one of many gigs.

Artists like Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan and Slayer carried out on the park in June and July this yr.

The announcement was met with blended response with native teams elevating considerations round visitors and noise air pollution.

Friends of Bute Park have been essential of the council’s dealing with of the occasions.

In response to a council survey on the occasions, the group talked about the removing of bushes to create entrances for the occasion website; the influence on visitors, with gigs seeing dozens of drivers caught in gridlocks for greater than an hour; noise air pollution, which resulted in 100 complaints to the council; and the influence on sports activities pitches.

Syed Abbas, the chairman of Bay Dragons Cricket Club, mentioned that the “pitch degradation that was feared did happen”.

He added that the membership had no downside with the occasion though mentioned if they’re to coexist they want some help from the council and organisers.

In July, the council mentioned in an announcement the protecting measures put in place through the occasions labored effectively and the grass, together with cricket pitches, have been “generally in very good condition”.

Chairman of the Cardiff Midweek Cricket League (CMCL), Khawaja Ali Ajmal, mentioned he was not made conscious of the choice by the council concert events in 2026.

The council maintained all through that it had been in dialogue with sports activities groups about the usage of Blackweir Fields for stay music occasions.

Earlier this yr, a council report stated there was no application for planning permission in the run up to the shows, and {that a} certificates of lawfulness, which exhibits whether or not planning permission is required or not, had not been issued.

The council mentioned it had determined to not take formal planning enforcement motion towards the organisers.

The website was introduced down by 18 July however the council has mentioned it’ll search planning permission for the 2026 sequence.

The council’s most important argument in favour is the cash it brings in for town’s economic system and the earnings that the native authority can put again into grassroots music and parks.

In a current assertion Cardiff Council mentioned 49% of Blackweir Live attendees travelled from outdoors of Wales and a pair of.6% got here from outdoors the UK.

They additionally mentioned the occasions employed 3,118 individuals and 95% of those jobs have been in Welsh-based companies.

Cllr Huw Thomas, chief of the council mentioned in an interview that earnings from Blackweir Live will assist the council keep away from tough finances selections sooner or later.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) requested the council how a lot cash it produced from Blackweir Live however the native authority refused to say.

Nick Newman, basic supervisor of the Blue Bell pub in St Mary Street, mentioned the concert events have been “terrific” from a enterprise perspective.

“For pubs, bars, and clubs the more events we have in the city centre the better,” he added.

Matt Cutrupi, who runs the Moon in Womanby Street, mentioned he was in help of Blackweir Live and was happy that it was returning for 2026, nevertheless he mentioned the venue didn’t discover any noticeable improve in gross sales because of the gig sequence.

“People don’t have the additional revenue. Between transport and the ticket price and then drinks inside the event they’re not going to go spending more money before and after,” he mentioned.