London event nixed by locals

London won’t be getting a new outdoor comedy festival after locals complained it would blight their lives.

Residents even said they were worried the planned Laughterama event in Highbury Fields would be too close to a children’s playground.

They were also concerned about anti-social behaviour, a loss of amenities and damage to the park that the planned festival could bring.

57 Festivals – which also stages the Greenwich Comedy Festival – had applied for a licence to accommodate 1,800 people a night for six nights.

It has now withdrawn the bid in the face of protests, but organiser Cass Briggs said the idea may not be completely dead, telling the London Evening Standard: ‘It’s not never, it’s just not now.’

Former Liberal Democrat councillor Terry Stacy had told the local Islington Gazette: ‘This particular event will be a nightmare for residents who live around the park as well as for other park users. We will see open-air bars and food stalls, a large section of the park fenced off adjoining the children’s play area, and nearly 2,000 people a night going in and out of the site at all hours.’

The event had been planned for later this month, with hopes of it becoming an annual fixture.

Published: 15 Sep 2016