Black marks left on the beach after a weekend festival prompted a resident to ask why a public space was left in such a state.
James McCuthbert was so shocked by the dirt left behind after the “On the Beach” festival last month that he submitted a freedom of information request to Brighton and Hove City Council to find out how much the clean up cost taxpayers.
After learning that the organiser rather than the council was responsible for clearing any mess, he wrote to councillors, including council leader Bella Sankey, asking them to tell the event organiser to clean the site properly.
Mr McCuthbert said: “The filth left on the beach is still very visible and they have not fulfilled their obligations to restore the site to its original condition.
“In previous years it has taken months for rain to wash away the filth left behind and this is unacceptable.
“Not only is this disgusting for beach users but it also creates a horrible impression on visitors which will impact locally owned businesses.
“Like many, I love that we have so many fantastic events in our city but this must not be to the detriment to those using the public space outside of these events.”
Council officials told Mr McCuthbert that the dark markings had been left by “heavy infrastructure” such as the stage – and much of the site had a covering of protective panels.
This is in part because the licensing agreements for public spaces require event organisers to clean up and make good the sites themselves.
Labour councillor Tim Rowkins, the council’s cabinet member for the environment and net zero, said that the council was working with On the Beach to clean up the site.
He said: “The residue left on pebbles following the event is a mixture of mud and dust from the panels used to cover the beach surface.
“We do appreciate this does not look brillian but it poses no risk to residents or visitors using our beaches. It will wash away fairly quickly with rain and leave no permanent marking.
“We are continually working with organisers to reduce the environmental impact of events and are making significant improvements.
“For example, following our feedback from previous events, On the Beach pioneered sea-safe cups that decompose in the marine environment and utilised battery-supported diesel power, cutting fuel usage by hundreds of litres. The beach clean-up will be at no cost to the council.”
On the Beach was contacted for comment.
This story is pretty classic, as a moan.
The council had rented out a massive section of an under-used beach – as before, with annual bookings dating back to the Fat Boy Slim/Big Beach Boutique gig, and the football world cup screen enclosure, etc, – and then some NIMBY bloke complains he thinks the beach hasn’t been cleaned up enough. A bit of beach no-one actually sits on.
This is like when the local parks get tents and temporary marquees or other selling stalls for a few days, and then some local residents claim the grass is ruined by it being a lighter colour for a week or so. The truth is that the grass then soon returns to normal, and without any councillor (‘cabinet member for the environment and net zero’) needing to comment on it.
This beach is shingle and, for sure, they could have raked it up a bit. In truth, any grime will soon sink into this non-moving shingle and the residue from spilled beer, dirty feet, and other human interaction will in time produce soil where plants will naturally grow.
This Kemp Town section of beach actually gets ever-wider since the Marina wall was built, and the long shore drift which used to cause shingle erosion here stopped in the 1970s.
In this case, the council response is correct and no long term damage has occurred, plus a bit of rain will soon refresh the shingle as was.
Of all the things that local whingers might complain about, this seems pretty minor. Brighton needs more events like this recent music festival. This year’s summer event came and went with little trouble, and was enjoyed by thousands.
I bet they pay you.
Public spaces are for the public. Not for private profit.
So you want no private events on counci controlled public spaces?
Think carefully about that.
Because an awful lot ot events that make Brighton what it is (and bring in huge revenue to businesses in the city) take place on council controlled land.
This event makes over £1m for the promotors and only £65k for the council. Local business make no money as the event is ‘lock in’ and punters come for a day and spend no money in bars, restaurants or BnBs. But this is good right? We are the new Blackpool.
So visitors to thiese events arrive at the train station, go directly to the event and straight back to the station aferwards? I suspect you made that up…
So everyone from out of town simply arrived by train, coach or car, went to the concert and turned around again?
I find that very unlikely
Not one person stopped to buy a coffee before going to the convcett or a sandwich on the way back to eat on the train?
Absolutly no one decided to make a weekend of it and stay overnight and then ate in a restaurent or had a drink in the bar or went shopping in The Lanes or the North Laines?
Its simply not true that local businesses don’t make any money because of these events – I went to one of the events, and as well as buying supplies from supermarkets beforehand, I met several friends for drinks in a local bar before we went in. We met others in the bar also going to the event. I met others inside the event who went on to other clubs and more nightlife afterwards, so it safe to say that money was spent in a variety of businesses that wouldn’t have had the custom if the events hadn’t taken place.
That’s complete rubbish that local businesses make no money from it. I went with a load of friends, we had lunch in town first, had a late meal in town and many drinks after the event. Around half the group were from out of town so stayed in local hotels, others used taxis to get home. Most of us met up again the following morning for brunch.
Plenty of income for local businesses that they wouldn’t have otherwise had.
Events are nice, but they need to be managed
So who do you suppose was at the event?
Old people from Croydon from what I saw?
Are old people specifically from Croydon that unique that you can tell them apart from old people from other places?
My facetiousness aside, having looked at a single image of the crowd at the event tells me you’re quite incorrect, and further images very much confirms that view.
A little used piece of the beach, generating 65k for the council is a fairly good deal. That money goes back into public services, residents have events to enjoy, and more tourists are brought into the city to spend their money at local businesses. Win, win, win.
Not when the promotors made over a Million Pounds it isn’t.
And they took on ALL of the risk as well if the event failed.
You’re the second person claiming the promoters made over 1 million. What evidence do you have to support this ascertion? And so what if they did make some nice money – they are the ones taking the risk, providing employment, benefitting the wider Brighton economy and paying tax on those profits. Why is that a problem?
Quite right Bill.
There were similar ridiculously exaggerated complaints after Fat Boy Slim’s concert in 2001.
And remember Fat Boy’s ‘big one’ in 2002?
One Green Party Councillor said it would take ‘a thousand years’ for the beach to be restored.
Well said. If I had a pound for every time the Hove Lawns grass was “destroyed”* by an event, or just by teenagers having the cheek to sit on it, I could have retired years ago.
*Please be assured the grass has always done what grass does – grown back in no time.
Absolutely, to play devil’s a bit, if there is likely to be a lot of footfall on a grass area, consider meshes to protect the ground. I think some compulsory preventative actions like that would be reasonable and easy to start with.
Not sure what one can do with beaches? Perhaps someone can educate me.
It’s great that we give away public spaces so private companies can make millions running generic club events for old people without bothering to restore them.This is Brighton. It is all about corporate greed. 👍
give away?
Up thread you said the council charged the organised £ 65k
That’s hardly a ‘give away’
Your arguments don’t seem to stay consistent between comments, and I question the accuracy of your assertions.
That what Save our Green Spaces e petition is all about Better management of outdoor events
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=933&RPID=90208769&HPID=90208769
Please Sign Save our Green Spaces e petition all about better management of outdoor events
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=933&RPID=90079269&HPID=90079269
hear hear!
Why do we need more events like this? It isn’t like the city makes any money from them…do you think we are just an ATM for private companies?
You just said BHCC just made £65,000 from this single event. I note your arguments seem emotional, not very consistent across your comments, as others have pointed out.
So you see the city as only being the council rather than all the businesses within it that clearly gain from events like this which bring in visitors who spend their money here creating jobs etc.
I’m very glad you are a former Labour voter because your tedious sanctimony and killjoy attitude are exactly the sort of hairshirt politics that normal people hate.
I’m very sorry that a few festivals and events that attracted middle aged people in a city of predominantly middle aged people had offended you.
The whole outdoor events policy needs updating so that clean ups are immediate and the local community benefit from hosting the event. At the moment they dont . Sign the Save our Green Spaces (which includes Kemptown and Kemptown beach) e petition on the council website . 1250 signatures needed https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=933&RPID=90037605&HPID=90037605
no Derek, massive events will always have an impact just put up with some bare soil
Why, when the grassed areas can be easily reinstated and the events organisers have already paid for the work as part of their license
I agree with Derek on this one, remedial work, and expanded preventative measures should be part of the event license.
Have you signed the Save our Green spaces e petition to get change?
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=933&RPID=90208769&HPID=90208769
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5147011.traders-fury-at-beach-party-clean-up/
@Martha – a useful link. It shows how well they cleaned up this time. No glass, no bottles, no rubbish. Well done the clean up crew and the use of degradable drink containers. Just a bit of mud that the rain will wash away… or did the letter writer want money and electricity wasted on a power washer to clean all the pebbles?
I wonder if the same letter writer complains when the sea leaves all that seaweed behind at high tide?
Does Tim Rowkins work for Southern Water as well? if not he should…
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=933&RPID=90079269&HPID=90079269
posting the same thing 3 times isn’t going to make any one any more likely to sign it Derek
Once is enough
Going to be hard pushed to get that completed, Derek. You’re already halfway through, and been stuck at 300 signatures for a while. Surprised you don’t just take that to an Area Panel for discussion with a relevant council officer? Got to be far easier, no?
It’s pebbles, one autumn/winter storm and it’s gone as the pebbles move and shift in the waves
Moan for no reason.
I think Derek wants all the pebbles painted green. Or replaced with grass.
Dont you think I havent done that ? This is the result of those meeting that result in no change or action !
And the Water companies
You have to question if this is yearly that big events are held here why there isn’t a grid connection for events. Using generators when having an event that isn’t remote but in a city isn’t really acceptable in my book.
Isn’t that ultimately what Black Rock will eventually cater for as an event space?
Only temporarily before its developed
That has been installed in Valley Gardens
Dirty stones. Oh, no! How about focus on actual issues, not something that the weather and a short time will quickly resolve.
Or is this click bait to get ad click throughs.
Personally, I find seeing the ghost of a recent event on the pebbles in this way a lovely slow transition from those summer days towards the calm of the closing of the year. It is a natural and beautiful fading, and seeing it occasionally brings a fleeting memory of that weekend, the summer, another year passed and lost.
I have no idea why anyone doesn’t see the beauty in these ghosts, as they fade away forever.