This Years Brandon Buzz Cancelled Due To Policing Costs
Published: Monday 17th May 2010 22:00
The Brandon Buzz music festival, due to take place on Sunday 25th July 2010 on the Brandon Remembrance Playing Fields, has been cancelled due to extreme policing costs.
Several meetings between event organisers and Suffolk Police have taken place over the last 6 months, and it was noted that there may be some extra cost implications involved in the organisation of the Buzz this year.
Event organisers Eddie Stewart and Gill Mills met today with Sergeant Chisnall and Inspector Ireland from Suffolk Constabulary to, once again, discuss the policing and security of the 2010 Brandon Buzz.
The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) have published an Operation Planning Event Assessment Guide, and it was this guide that finally led to the decision to cancel this years music festival.
Every event organised across the country is subject to criteria set out by the NPIA, and all events are run through a matrix to rate the risk level of the event. According to the NPIA matrix, the Brandon Buzz event was deemed to be a security risk.
To meet the criteria set out by the NPIA, the playing fields would have to be secured to allow entry via only one access point, all those entering would need to be searched and any alcohol found would need to be seized. There would also need to be 32 stewards at the event, as well as police at a cost of £13,000. The police cost could be reduced to £6,500 if the rest of the NPIA criteria was to be met.
Unfortunately there is no secure venue in Brandon suitable for the Brandon Buzz to be held. The Remembrance Playing Fields, which normally play host to the Buzz, are not able to be secured in this way due to restrictions over their use. It is also very unlikely that the required funds could be raised.
It is with great regret that event organisers have decided to cancel this years Brandon Buzz, however due to the huge cost implications and the safety of the stewards (who would be required to confiscate alcohol on entry) they have been left with no other choice but to cancel this years Brandon Buzz.
