* The panel at the public meeting.
Officials from the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and
their partners Cuffe & Taylor have dealt with concerns from local residents
about how this year’s big-name concerts the Pavilion would be run.
Last year was first time the Eisteddfod had teamed up with
the promoters to stage a series hugely successful musical gigs at the iconic venue.
And this year – from June 26 to July 5 – they will come
together again to host stars such as Texas, Rag’n’Bone Man, UB40, James, The
Human League and Olly Murs in the Live at Llangollen events.
A public meeting was held at the Pavilion last night
(Thursday) to give residents and local businesses the chance to air any worries
about how these would be run. It was attended by about 40 people.
On the panel along with Eisteddfod chair John Gambles and
Keith Potts, who is now in charge of the volunteer team handling day-to-day
management of the Pavilion, were Cuffe & Taylor’s event manager Rebecca
Woodhead and traffic manager Ben Perkins.
* Rebecca Woodhead answers a point from the floor. On her right is Sarah Rhodes of Rhodes Media appearing on behalf of Cuffe & Taylor.
John Games said: “Last year we had about 50,000 people
coming here for the evening concerts and we’re holding this meeting to find out
whether people have any issues or concerns about last year or this year.”
Rebecca Woodhead explained there would again be a one-way
system put in place Abbey Road, Tower Road and Dinbren to ensure smooth traffic
flow on the evenings of the concerts.
The official car park will be open daily for the concerts at
1pm – earlier on Eisteddfod week – and be closed at 11.30pm.
Organisers would also be opening a special phone line – and
make an email address available – for residents to report any problems they
were experiencing with traffic.
* The audience at the Pavilion listen to an answer.
However, she said there had been “good feedback” on how the
same system operated last year.
One resident close by complained that, last year, she had faced
the problem of having people trying to gain access to the field for the concerts
through her property.
Rebecca Woodhead replied that they would investigate to see
if any extra security measures could be put in place to prevent this.
Another resident said she had had problems with the one-way
barriers staying in place longer than had been stated and, despite complaining
at the time, nothing was done.
Rebecca Woodhead responded that there would be a different
traffic management company handing things this year and that they “would do
their best to get it right” this time.
A further complaint was made about contractors fixing fittings
connected to the one-way system to their property without permission and this
would also be looked into, she added.
Also brought up was the problem of street hawkers selling goods
connected to the concerts obstructing pavements in the area. Local county councillor
Karen Edwards, who was in the audience, said she would see if council officers
could address this.
One of the final issues to be raised was whether this year,
like 2024, there would be any “flash” sales of reduced-priced tickets for the
concerts. But Sarah Rhodes, on behalf of Cuffe & Taylor said this would not
be case. However, she urged people to buy their tickets quickly as there were now
“very few left”.
John Gambles ended by saying that on a visit last year the
North Wales Chief Constable had assured him security of the site had been
impressive and that Cuffe & Taylor were “pretty much the best in the
business at looking after people’s safety.”
Leaflets containing all relevant information about how the
concerts will be run are to be distributed around the affected areas soon.
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