Reading Festival seeks licence changes ahead of planned return

Festival Republic has confirmed its intention to go ahead with the event this August and revealed its lineup, although no formal decision has yet been made on whether festivals can go ahead this year.

Trial events held in Liverpool to test Covid-19 transmission did not cause any detectable spread of the virus, the city’s health chief has said, evidence which could lead to festivals being given the green light.

READ MORE: How Reading Festival could go ahead as council hopes for return

More than 13,000 people attended two nightclub events, a music festival and a business conference in April and May.

Eleven people later tested positive for coronavirus, though less than half of all the attendees returned a PCR test.

(190861) A Day to Remember perform on the main stage on day three of Reading Festival. Picture by Emma Sheppard.

Festival Republic has applied for changes to its licence to allow for “conversion of Stage 2 to an open-air stage and to update terminology and existing licence conditions”.

This is part of plans to have two main stages this year, main stage east and west, featuring six headliners:

• Stormzy and Catfish and the Bottlemen on Friday
• Post Malone and Disclosure on Saturday
• Liam Gallagher and Queens of the Stone Age on Sunday

Earlier this year, the council played down suggestions the festival had been given the go-ahead.

READ MORE: Reading Festival confirmation downplayed by council

Councillor Graeme Hoskin, speaking at a Covid-19 Outbreak Engagement Board meeting in February, said “nothing has been agreed”.

He said: “What’s become apparent from comments on social media and people contacting the council is that some people are under the impression that the council has approved Reading Festival taking place this summer.

“That is not the case. Reading has not, and nor has anyone else, agreed anything. But, certainly, the announcement is the intention of Reading Festival to happen.

“That is going to be a major item for our licensing department and various other national bodies to consider but nothing has been agreed by the council.”

Reading Festival

A spokesman for the council added at the time: “Reading Festival is a major highlight of the cultural calendar in Reading and, like everyone, the council would love to see it return this summer.

“The council notes Festival Republic’s announcement that it would like to push ahead with this year’s festival, but the government has been clear its roadmap is dependent on many aspects.

“For large events like the festival, the Government plans to pilot testing approaches from April.

“The outcome of that work, alongside event information submitted by Festival Republic and national guidance, will help the council and public health colleagues make a decision on whether the festival can go ahead safely this summer.”