Solihull Moors in Race to Secure Pitch Alcohol Licence for Bank Holiday Music Festival
Solihull Moors Football Club is urgently seeking a new premises licence to allow alcohol sales on its pitch during a planned tribute music festival this Bank Holiday weekend. The club announced earlier this year that its Armco Arena ground will host the inaugural Moors Tribute Festival on Sunday, May 3, featuring tribute acts for artists like Queen, Taylor Swift, and Sam Fender.
Tickets for the event went on sale in January, with reports indicating over 1,000 were sold within the first 24 hours. If successful, the club intends to make the festival an annual occurrence. However, with the Bank Holiday fast approaching, the Damson Parkway-based venue must quickly obtain the necessary licence, and the outcome is uncertain due to opposition.
Licensing Panel to Decide on Application
Solihull Council has scheduled a special meeting of its licensing act panel for April 20 at the Civic Suite to make a decision. According to a council report, the club already holds a premises licence that does not cover the pitch area, and this existing licence will remain in force regardless of the new application's outcome.
The application specifically requests permission for licensable activities, including alcohol sales, live music, recorded music, and dance, to take place on the pitch between 11am and 10.30pm, with the festival open to the public until 11pm. The capacity for the 2026 event is restricted to 5,000 attendees, and no football stands will be used for these activities.
Organiser's Plans and Safety Measures
Prominent festival director Ian Rogers, known for establishing events like Solihull Summer Fest, is behind the new festival. In the application, he outlined that an event-specific safety management plan will be developed and shared with the licensing authority and Safety Advisory Group. This plan will cover:
- Entry conditions and crowd management
- Drugs and weapons policies
- Alcohol management strategies
- Traffic and parking management
Rogers also mentioned that a letter drop to local residents will include a hotline for them to contact event organisers with concerns.
Councillor Objects Over Parking Issues
Despite the potential benefits, Laura McCarthy, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Elmdon ward where the Armco Arena is located, has submitted a formal objection. She expressed support for events in Elmdon and the club's growth but highlighted significant parking and dispersal problems.
"Residents are regularly blocked on or off their driveways, buses have struggled, and emergency services have also faced difficulties," McCarthy wrote. She noted that the council has spent considerable public money on initiatives to prevent problem parking caused by the club and warned that additional events could exacerbate these issues.
McCarthy added that she has written to the club multiple times over the years to resolve parking concerns without receiving a response, leading her to reluctantly object due to the lack of a concrete parking plan.
The licensing panel's decision next week will be critical in determining whether the festival can proceed as planned, balancing the club's ambitions with community concerns.
