Two food vendors shut down at Download Festival after 'hundreds' hit by food poisoning

Two food vendors at the Download Festival in Leicestershire were shut down after a significant outbreak of food poisoning affected "hundreds" of people.

Event organiser Live Nation closed the stalls following reports that many festival-goers had fallen ill, with some said to be using buckets as makeshift toilets.

The outbreak occurred last weekend, impacting up to 500 people, according to reports from those affected.

Symptoms included nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, high temperature, and general malaise.

The NHS states that food poisoning can be caused by consuming contaminated food, which may result from improper cooking, storage, handling by an ill person, or eating food past its expiration date.

Rob Kellas, from YouTube channel TPD TV, told his Instagram followers that his sister, Mary, had had to leave the festival and go home after being hit by the illness, which can cause severe stomach pains.

Sean Smith, lead singer of The Raiders, said on X, formerly Twitter, that he was left in hospital on an IV drip following his bout of food poisoning.

Festivalgoer Bronwyn Gwillym told the media she fell ill on the Saturday after eating at the festival. "I hand sanitised my hands and used cutlery provided,” she said.

“I felt fine that night but I woke up at around 3-4am with severe cramps." Bronwyn said she was "severely ill", with a fever, diarrhoea and sickness all weekend, and had "never known pain like it", and complained to festival organisers.

"I attend Download Festival yearly and it's my most looked-forward-to holiday but I unfortunately got to see very little," she added. "I have contacted the County Council's Environmental Health and a member of my camp went to collect a sample pot that I will be sending in the post."

Paul Sanders, head of community services at North West Leicestershire District Council said: "We carried out ongoing food hygiene safety checks on site throughout the five days of the festival to ensure that all vendors were up to the required standards.

“Where we find improvements are required, we provide advice and carry out a further visit to ensure the improvements have been made. We worked with the event organiser to investigate two food vendors, both of which were closed by the event organiser over the course of the weekend.

“We are aware of reports of people feeling unwell and will continue to investigate. Anyone continuing to feel unwell following the Download festival should contact their GP in the first instance."

A spokesperson for LiveNation told ITV News Central: "Customer safety is our primary concern at Download Festival. Environment Health Officers and Council Health Officers inspect all food traders before and during the event.

We launched investigations in real-time following complaints about vendors. Two vendors were closed and removed from the site as they failed to meet the standards of Environment Health and the local authority.

Download Festival operates a robust 24-hour welfare operation including staff and welfare tents to support unwell customers throughout the site."

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