Bath Carnival expansion plans would create a 'public nuisance' according to objectors

People living in Bath have objected to plans to expand the city's annual carnival.

The carnival is hoping to increase its size when it returns on 8 July after it applied to Bath and North East Somerset Council to up the number of people allowed in their Sydney Gardens "Party in the Park" from 3,000 to 4,750.

However, residents of Great Pulteney Street who are unhappy with the proposal have called Bath Carnival up before the council in a bid to prevent the event from expanding.

The matter will now be decided in a licensing hearing on Thursday 18 May.

Submitting an objection on behalf of the Pulteney Estate Residents’ Association, Vice Chair Ceris Humphreys, said: “We object that any increase in the capacity will be contrary to public safety, contrary to the objectives of preventing harm to children and preventing crime, and will cause public nuisance.”

The association represents people living on Great Pulteney Street itself, as well as on Darlington Street and roads around Sydney Gardens where the Party in the Park is held.

Bath Carnival says that, to manage the extra numbers, they will bring in additional security staff and stewards, make sure there are sufficient toilet facilities, and inform their medical supplier.

However, Ms Humphreys claims that at the carnival last summer, there were not enough stewards around and the amount of people on site was not being counted.

While looking for someone to report Great Pulteney Street residents’ issues to, she said she could not find any stewards on the Sydney Gardens site.

She said: “After looking around much of the site for quite some time without finding any steward, I noticed someone in a high-vis jacket collecting rubbish near the food area.

"I asked him to direct me to someone from the carnival. He advised me that nobody from Bath Carnival was on site as they were all out on the carnival parade.”

Ms Humphreys added she was "very concerned by the absence of any responsible Carnival presence on site at a time when there were many people including many children present, which clearly raised serious concerns with regard to public safety".

She added that there had been cases of the carnival exceeding its noise limits, and that litter had been left “strewn around” the morning after the carnival. She said this led to a historical walk event having to be cancelled.

She said: “We are supportive of the Carnival as a community event. However, the 2022 event failed in various respects to comply with B&NES policies, with the approved Event Management Plan, and with Licensing Conditions of the Licence.[…]

"The appropriate time to consider a capacity increase, and especially the large increase currently requested, would be following at least one event in which the above criteria are met by a well-run event.”

She added: “The evidence from the 2022 Bath Carnival is contrary to this, and the increased capacity, if permitted, would therefore represent a risk to safety and security of the general public, children and local residents.”

In response to Ms Humphrys' comments, a Bath Carnival spokesperson said: "Bath Carnival recognises the importance of delivering a safe professionally run event.

"The carefully curated event ran successfully in 2022 within its current capacity limits as signed off by BANES Council SAGE. 

"The event was delivered in accordance with  procedures and policies outlined within our management plan."Should the increase in capacity be granted the organisers will ensure the appropriate safety measures and enhanced infrastructure is in place as the safety and well being of our visitors and participants is of utmost importance to us.

"Our aim is to ensure everybody from across Bath and North East Somerset continues to have the opportunity, once a year, to come together and showcase their talents and celebrate their achievements in the heart of the city."The carnival’s outreach programme is ongoing with groups in Twerton, Odd Down and Oldfield Park taking part this week in music, costume and dance workshops."

The hearing before Bath and North East Somerset Council’s licensing subcommittee will be held at Bath’s Guildhall at 10am on Thursday 18 May.

Credit: John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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