Music legend Craig David will be coming to Reading next year as festival plans have been given the go ahead.
The singer-songwriter, known for such hits as ‘Fill Me In’ and ‘What’s Your Flavour?’ will be coming to Prospect Park next summer.
The news has been revealed as plans for three separate events on one weekend were discussed at a Reading Borough Council meeting.
The plans were submitted by festival company Raver Tots Events Ltd, which has hosted the family-friendly Raver Tots and Cafe Mambo Ibiza Classics events for a number of years.
The company recently applied to add Friday to its existing permission to hold events on one Saturday and Sunday.
Those plans did not make everyone happy, as the licence for the event to operate faced objections from neighbour Michael Atkinson and others.
Mr Atkinson argued the noise on the Sunday of the event this year was ‘unbearable’.
He said: “My objection was raised around public nuisance. Earlier this year I had a very bad experience with one of the events. You could not escape the noise.
“It was unbearable. The sound bounces off the houses. Measuring noise at set points doesn’t always work.”
To address his concerns, the organisers said music will be limited to 62 decibels, and that speakers could be directed to face away from surrounding properties to minimise disturbance.
Michael Pickets, director of Raver Tots, offered to give Mr Atkinson a sound monitor for his home.
The organisers added they can be contacted if residents have complaints.
Mr Atkinson also argued the events are disruptive to neighbours who use the park regularly, and to those residing in Prospect Park Hospital and Prospect Hospice.
He suggested that the event be moved.
Mr Atkinson said: “There’ll be more disturbance. I don’t think Prospect Park is suited to these events. It’s a residential area, it’s a quiet area. We’ve had concerts and charity events which are only a couple of hours.
“I don’t think it’s suited to large events. It’s heavily used by residents.
“My preference would be to find a suitable site.”
Mr Pickets replied that other venues have been considered, but moving the event to an alternative, such as Palmer Park, would be difficult due to scheduling.
The licensing application was approved at a council meeting today (Tuesday, December 12).
Saoirse Holland, events director at Tots Events said: “We’re pleased with the outcome, and we’re glad to be working with the residents to ensure that everybody is happy, and put on events that help the local community, and raise money for charities.
“This year we’re raising money for Shona’s Stones, which is an excellent charity with a memorial tree in the park.
“We’re really pleased. We want to do more fun family and community events.”
In the meeting, Mr Pickets said they hope to raise £100,000 for the Shona’s Stones charity, with the events employing between 150 and 200 people locally.
Tots Events Ltd has been given permission to provide regulated entertainment and sell alcohol between 3pm and 10pm for the Craig David event on the Friday, 12pm to 10pm for the Ibiza Classics on Saturday, and 11.30am to 7pm for Raver Tots Sunday.
The events will be held from July 19 until July 21, 2024.
