Ramroot Festival denied premises licence by Lincolnshire Council weeks before debut

A new dance music festival in Lincolnshire has been denied a premises licence by the local council just weeks before it's due to make its debut.

Ramroot Festival, set to go ahead at Arena UK in Allington, Lincolnshire, from July 4 - 7, is projected to welcome some 1,500 people on site for its first ever edition in just under a month.

More than 75 artists feature on the bill, including the likes of Fabio & Grooverider, gyrofield, Riz La Teef, SP:MC, Donna Leake, Joe Armon-Jones, DJ Flight, Manga Saint Hilare, 1-800 GIRLS, and more across four days.

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According to the BBC, councillors raised concerns over the event during a committee meeting on Tuesday, June 10, specifically citing traffic and security fears in the local area.

The festival is due to take place across two 30-acre fields, with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reporting that 400 tickets have been sold so far, with another 1,100 expected to attend.

Following yesterday’s committee meeting, South Kesteven District Council denied the organiser's licence application due to concerns over alcohol use and lack of fencing around the site, per the BBC.

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Festival organiser Niall Walker said in the meeting that he was expecting most festivalgoers to arrive on public transport, using shuttle buses to reach the site, meaning there shouldn’t be significant traffic issues nearby.

“There are a lot of festivals struggling at the moment, it's a very difficult industry,” he told the BBC. “I know a lot of people whose favourite festivals have just been cancelled, and we'd love to help create a new home for those people.“

Walker has not yet confirmed whether the festival will go ahead. Ramroot Festival has also yet to share any further details on social media. They have just 21 days to appeal the council’s decision.

[Via BBC]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter