Wireless Festival to be held at Finsbury Park for next five years

Wireless Festival will be allowed to take place in Finsbury Park every summer until 2027, despite opposition.

Haringey Council has signed a five-year deal with the festival's promoter, claiming it will raise "significant income" for the north London park and boost the local economy.

The annual event was previously arranged year by year.

The Friends of Finsbury Park local group opposed the move and said there would be no benefit to local people.

It also said there would be less oversight of the event.

The group has previously complained about noise levels, drug taking and anti-social behaviour at the festival and attempted to stop the events.

The rap and urban music festival, which draws crowds of up to 50,000 people per day, has been held annually in the park since 2014, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when Covid-19 restrictions were in place.

Haringey Council said the five-year deal will guarantee money to fund the park's upkeep - despite admitting in a report that the arrangement will "reduce the income level received".

Friends of Finsbury Park said the deal was "about money, not culture", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Evidently, council budgets are tight. But elsewhere in the borough, Haringey Council is making great investments in parks. And perversely, this deal appears to deliver less money for Finsbury Park", the group said.

Highbury Community Association also objected to the deal, raising similar concerns and warning standards could slip over the five-year period.

Alexandra Worrell, a Labour councillor for Stroud Green ward, said she believed events of the scale of Wireless were "unsuitable" for the park.

The council said the events raise around £1.2million per year for Finsbury Park, funding the maintenance team and paying for improvements such as a new play space, air-quality monitoring stations and an expanded skate park.

As part of the deal, promoter Festival Republic will also be allowed to hold a second weekend of major events in the park each year.

In addition, two days of free community events will take place.

Council leader Peray Ahmet said: "As well as bringing in significant funds to help us manage and improve the park, events are an important opportunity for residents, especially our young people, to access world-class music and culture in an affordable and sustainable way."

Festival Republic has been approached for comment.

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