Good Times Yate: Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Jools Holland to play at event

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, McFly and Jools Holland are just some of the acts coming together for a series of outdoor concerts in Yate.

James Murden, 38, and Tom Campbell, 35, are the organisers behind Good Times, a string of accessible music and comedy shows for the community.

Mr Murden said: "People couldn't believe we had these acts performing in little old Yate but we say why not?"

The event is being hosted at Yate Town Football Club from 22 - 27 May.

There are seven shows in total across five days, featuring about 28 acts.

Mr Murden said: "As a local person to Yate and Chipping Sodbury, myself and some friends felt the area deserved some premium quality entertainment without having to venture into neighbouring cities."

They approached Yate Town FC, who agreed to partner with them to host Good Times.

Mr Murden said: "The biggest feedback we've had is 'is this real, is it actual Sophie Ellis-Bexter? real life McFly? Is it a tribute act?' That was the biggest hurdle we had to overcome.

"People genuinely couldn't believe we had these acts committed to perform."

He added that they wanted to make the performances affordable for the community.

"We're super conscious right now of the way things are... [and] we're not in this to make a lot of money, we're in this to put on great events for the community."

The event will also be supporting Bristol Children's Hospital charity, the Grand Appeal.

"My daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago and she had some quite bad seizures that wouldn't stop and we were blue lit into Bristol Children's Hospital," said Mr Murden.

"She ended up being intubated on the intensive care ward. But she's doing really well now and receiving great care, so [the Grand Appeal] is a cause close to my heart."

He said Millie-Rose, who has just turned six, will be coming to see some of the shows. "This is like her party and she is so excited."

Co-organiser Mr Campbell, said he wanted people to feel like it was the best festival of 2024.

"I've lived in the area all my life, my granddad owned the bookshop in Chipping Sodbury High Street," he said.

"My day job is working with acts all over the world, creating shows for them… and to bring it to the local area is something me and James have been talking about for a long long time.

"We want people to feel like this is their event and that this is something they can be a part of."

The pair hope it will be the start of a regular event.

"For us, we'd love this to become an annual staple in the late May Bank Holiday weekend and for people to say don't book a holiday for then because its going to be Good Times," Mr Murden said.

Other acts include Toploader, Scouting for Girls, Aston Merrygold and Charlie Simpson.

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