Two-day Christmas street party with music and comedy could bring 2,000 revellers into Wolverhampton city centre
Organisers say their trial event could pave the way for an annual festive fixture on Carlisle Street in Wolverhampton city centre.
A two-day Christmas street party could bring 2,000 revellers into Wolverhampton.
However, the planned event suffered a setback after organiser Ben Anslow was denied a temporary events notice by the council to install an outdoor bar in Castle Street.
He was told to reapply for the licence once he had obtained a road closure notice and satisfied the requirements of Wolverhampton's safety advisory group, a committee made up of council and police representatives.
Mr Anslow, who runs the Space cafe bar at the former Express & Star building in Castle Street, had applied to Wolverhampton Council for a temporary events notice to hold the event in Castle Street on December 26 and 27.
The event, entitled Christmas on Castle Street, would see the road closed for two days to provide outdoor music and comedy on stage, with food stalls, and refreshments in a large marquee.
Up to 1,500 people will be expected to attend the opening day to hear live and recorded music.
The second day, which will feature live comedy stage acts, is expected to attract an audience of 500 in a seated auditorium.
Mr Anslow said: "The aim of the event is to bring people together for a safe, friendly, fun environment, with top quality entertainment with music, good beer, hearty food, and great company.
"The event will appeal to adults of all ages with an interest in musical entertainment, popular comedy acts, and headline, tribute and local bands."
He said the main bar would be within the Space building, which includes the former Express & Star canteen. But the application was for a secondary bar, within an outdoor marquee, to cater for 60 people.
'Pave the way for Christmas on Castle Street to become an annual fixture'
The event would be run by an experienced event management company, he added.
Mr Anslow said the trial event would pave the way for Christmas on Castle Street to become an annual fixture on the calendar, once the planned proposed pedestrianisation of Castle Street was complete.
West Midlands Police lodged a formal objection, saying it was premature to apply for the temporary events notice until a road-closure, with approval of the safety advisory group, had been approved.
Sgt Mark Swallow said he endorsed the event in principle, but said he could not support it until the formalities had been carried out.
He said a particular concern related to the possibility of a 'hostile vehicle attack', as had been seen in Liverpool, where a car could be driven into the crowd. He said it was important that all the appropriate procedures were approved first, before the events licence was granted.
"The last thing I want to see in headlines, in newspapers or on television, is that there has been some sort of disaster on on the day, and I think we all know what could happen," said Sgt Swallow.
Mr Anslow said a detailed management plan had been drawn up to address these concerns, with proposals for chicanes and concrete barriers to prevent unauthorised vehicles entering the area. He stressed that the event would not take place unless the road closure order was granted and approval given by the safety advisory group.
The sub-committee issued a 'counter notices' advising Mr Anslow to secure the road closure and the approval of the safety advisory group, before reapplying for the licence.
