Brockwell Live confirm Wide Awake, Field Day, The Mighty Hoopla and more will go ahead despite losing court case
Brockwell Live have confirmed that Wide Awake, Field Day, the Mighty Hoopla and other festivals will go ahead as planned this summer.
Last month, local resident Rebekah Shaman, a member of the Protect Brockwell Park group, took legal action against Lambeth Council, arguing that organisers Brockwell Live did not have the correct planning permission for the events. Last week (May 16), a judge ruled in her favour.
The ruling caused concern for the plight of the many festivals that were due to be held on the site this summer, with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) warning of the possibility of a “devastating blow” to London culture as a result.
On Monday, however, the organisers gave an official update on the festivals’ status. Writing on Instagram, they said: “Brockwell Live can confirm that all events in the series will go ahead as planned.”
“Friday’s High Court ruling dealt with a particular point of law and whether an administrative process had been carried out correctly. We wish to make it clear that no event will be cancelled as a result of the High Court’s decision.”
“We take our stewardship of Brockwell Park seriously. As we prepare to deliver these much-loved, culturally significant events, we remain fully committed to its care, upkeep, and long-term wellbeing. With setup nearly complete, we look forward to opening the gates and welcoming festival goers later this week.”
The legal case stemmed from a dispute over how long the park is closed off to the general public. Under permitted development rules, a temporary change of use is allowed for 28 days per calendar year without additional planning permission, but the judge found that parts of the park would be used for festivals for up to 37 days.
After the ruling, Shaman said: “This has been going on for years, it isn’t a one-off situation and it has been a consistent deterioration of the park, to the point where the community had to speak up to protect the park for future generations.”
“We are hoping to come to an agreement where events can still continue, but on a much lower level and also much more connected to the community.”
It now appears that the festivals will go ahead as planned, which the NTIA argues protects “the supply chain, from staging and lightning companies to local food and drink vendors” from suffering heavy financial losses.
“The local economy – including independent shops, pubs, restaurants, and hotels – which sees a surge in business during these festivals, would be hit hard,” the organisation said.
A spokesperson for Lambeth Council said after the judge’s ruling last week that they were “currently assessing the impact of this judgment and determining next steps.”
As of now, among the performers still scheduled for Wide Awake 2025 are hip-hop trio Kneecap, whose headline set was retained despite a wave of cancellations by other festivals following their Coachella 2025 performance.
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Max Pilley
NME
