Council refuses licence for Electric Picnic due to 'most up-to-date public health advice'
Promoters Festival Republic and MCD wanted to run the festival at full capacity in late September – with plans for 70,000 revellers. File photo: Niall Carson/PA
Laois County Council have refused to grant Electric Picnic organisers a licence to hold this year’s festival.
In a statement the Council said that they have made the controversial decision due to “the most up-to-date public health advice made available to the Council by the HSE.
The statement added: “Furthermore it is noted that under current Government measures for the management of Covid-19, events of this nature are restricted to 500 people only.”
The Council has dealt a massive blow to the promoters Festival Republic and MCD as only on Monday they gave the local authority a list of 12 reasons why they believe the festival should go ahead late next month.
Promoters Festival Republic and MCD wanted to run the festival at full capacity in late September – with plans for 70,000 revellers. Last year Covid-19 put paid to the festival.
The promoters wanted the festival in Stradbally, Co. Laois, to be held at a later date from September 24 to 26 with enhanced Covid-19 safety measures.
Organisers had outlined some of the measures they intend to implement this year.
12 reasons why Electric Picnic 2021 should go ahead ✅ https://t.co/eQAw60QUYc pic.twitter.com/Ogc72ag5io
— Electric Picnic (@EPfestival) August 3, 2021
They included the pledge that only those who are vaccinated can attend and they will team up with the Department of Health for contact tracing.
They say their proposed measures are even more restrictive than the current guidelines surrounding indoor hospitality and large sporting events.
They also highlight Ireland’s high vaccination rate, the positive outcomes of test events and how a live music event will take place in Belfast next week – which is of course on the same island as us.
Organisers concluded by citing the destruction that has been done to the live entertainment sector.
This comes after promoter Melvin Benn spoke on RTÉ Radio One where he said he believed the festival would “100% go ahead.”
