Live music plans for Quarry
Tuesday 10th March 2009, 3:47PM GMT.
Shrewsbury Quarry could host up to 10 one-day live music events each year after an outdoor music events policy was agreed by borough councillors.
The new policy is aimed at controlling the number of large-scale events held at the open air venue, while maintaining the quality of concerts such as last year’s Travis and 1980s shows. Councillor Judith Williams helped draw up the policy.
The policy was for Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council’s cabinet meeting yesterday.
She said: “When we got our Millennium Grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for improvements to the Quarry they wanted us to show that all sections of society were going to benefit.
“It should really be all parts of society and not just a ‘green and pleasant’ park where you walk your dogs or your children. We’ve had to change our attitudes somewhat to the use of the Quarry.”
Some residents had opposed the plans, fearing it would limit the park’s use and create a nuisance.
Chris Pennington, of St John’s Hill, opposite the park, said: “Considering the primary purpose of the Quarry is as an area for public leisure and relaxation, I suggest that changes in its use to largely commercial entertainment purposes is excessive and unjustified.”
But Mrs Williams said the policy would have the opposite effect and protect the park from being over-used for large events.
“The reason we sat down and looked at the outdoor music events was because we felt that in the past a three day event was too much. We decided we would do 10 events in a year and no more than two events in one four week period.
“Everyone who took that decision was of the opinion that one event meant one concert, whether that’s Jools Holland, the London Philharmonic Orchestra or the Sugababes.”
Councillors agreed to recommend the policy. It will now be passed to Shrewsbury Town Council, which will take over from SABC when the unitary authority comes into force.
By Pam Griffin
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With regard to ‘pop’ music. Any chance of anything current? Ie: A band from this century? Under the age of 30 and never been in the same building as S*m*n Co*ell?
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Yet again the council restricting live music in the town.
The Indieco festival on the sunday after the friday & saturday shows last year was brilliant and aimed at a different cross-section than the other events.
That same cross section of society is currently offered very little in Shrewsbury and its very very frustrating.
Other than the Buttermarket, where else is there for the 18-30 crowd to watch decent live bands?
definitely not the new theatre…..!!!
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Further to my previous comment I should add that the only way a small independent promoter could put an event on in the Quarry is by ‘pigging backing’ onto the Friday/Saturday shows. This restricution pretty much rules that out.
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I don’t mind as long as they don’t have loud fireworks at the end of these concerts scaring my dog to incontinence.
There is no need for fire works to make a noise.
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shame on them there will be too much noise and mess and young people everywhere
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Well done Judith. Its about time this town started to realize that it has an under used asset in the Quarry. Get it right and just imagine how many more visitors will come to the town. I can almost hear the cash registers ringing from here.
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This should be a local free facility for local people not a cash cow for the music industry and the council, I know of several local people who couldn’t afford or obtain tickets to these events and the littler was a terrible problem for several days later.
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judith williams just wants profit for her beloved council….. shame we dont tink she’s beloved, god i cant wait for the elections!
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Dan Hughes are you a character from the league of gentlemen?
I’m so sick of traveling out of town to see bands, please can we have something from this century, supported by local bands (now i’ve gone all League of gentlemen)
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Well done to the council for once again proving they haven’t a clue what people in this town want…….
Mrs Williams, by saying that “The reason we sat down and looked at the outdoor music events was because we felt that in the past a three day event was too much”….
I bet this wouldn’t be the case if the Flower Show stretched over 3 days…
Do us all a favour and appoint someone in the authority that not only thinks they know what this town wants / needs, but someone who would actually ask us…
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I wonder how the Council would respond is the Football Club requested to put on a similar music event at their stadium
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Mr b – the stadium is not equiped to host a live music event, where would people park for a start? Although saying that it might be interesting to see how the stadium copes with a capacity crowd bearing in mind it struggles to fill half its seats on match days!
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i dont mind the gigs so long as they clear up after but the fair, now that is awful, really rough and loud, it ruins the tranquility of this lovely site, remember people live on the Quarry too, or overlooking it, it should be a peaceful park, i dont mind the odd gig and they should maybe look to improve the sports/recreational aspect ie some goal posts on the green, but this will ruin it
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The flower show is typical of what Those in charge, thinks Shrewsbury wants. There is hardly anything for young people to do in the town and now they want to stop what little we do have.
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ideal suggestion, status quo at the prostate stadium, might even induce an away win!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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do any of you think of young people?
for god sake if you are under 18 in this town, there is not alot on offer, lets face it, i mean i hope the kids will appreciate rambling the shropshire hills and our local food markets and shakespear plays at our new theatre and such, but in the real world, they want to go to gigs with young hip bands playing loud music
i think its great to put more big name acts on in shrewsbury, keep them entertained and off the streets
if we fail to cater for young people they will all leave and shropshire will have no future
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The Indieco festival showed how great a venue the quarry could be for a live-band music festival. The organisers picked a good selection of local talent and fairly well-known acts. Be a shame if this wasn’t feasible with a restriction to two “events”.
Well at least we have the new theatre to give us “youngsters” an opportunity to go to some relavent events…
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im going to use my contacts from ibiza and mallorca and see if we can do a ministry of sound or gategrasher event………….. yep pigs fly and it would never happen. shame our council does’nt listen to the public on what they want.
just imagine the quarry…. glow sticks, whistles, gurNing, and BIG FISH LITTLE FISH CARDBOARD BOX!!!
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I want to go to perksy event.
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travis was great, they rock, lets have more of that please, music for all ages, less of the OAP classical music and opera type events
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