Feile given permission for entertainment until 1am despite complaints from residents and unionists

At a Belfast City Council committee meeting, a discussion over extended entertainment hours for the Féile covered local objections as well as a claim from a DUP councillor that revellers from the festival had “rampaged through Donegall Road” at a previous event.

At the most recent meeting of the City Hall Licensing Committee, elected representatives approved a request from the organisers of Féile an Phobail to permit the planned entertainment to run beyond 11.00pm on up to seven nights during the festival from Thursday August 1 to Sunday August 11.

The festival organisers say the extension is essentially for one night – a so-called “diversionary” night of dance music for young people on Thursday August 8. The PSNI have yet to respond to the council about the request.

Tracy Kelly, DUP.

The council received around 120 noise complaints regarding the festival in 2023. This was an increase from the festival in 2022 when 58 noise complaints were received.

The report adds: “Many complaints related to the entertainment being permitted after 11.00pm during the working week.

“Whilst the service sought to arrange a post-event meeting with the applicant to discuss the event this did not take place. In their letter to committee Féile has committed, alongside local political and community representatives, to conduct a number of community consultations around this year’s events.

DUP Councillor Tracy Kelly said at the Licensing Committee meeting: “We have been getting complaints about this from residents in Highfield, and Springmartin and other residents in West Belfast. Is the consultation going to be with them as well as residents immediate to Falls Park?

“The complaints I have an issue with, as they have doubled from the year before. One of the nights is a weeknight, with people having to get up the next morning. Having a concert on until 1am is a concern.

“Also, last year at about 2am, residents in the Village, in the Donegall Road, (saw) a bit of a rampage through their community, and were called quite a lot of names. Police were involved with that, and it was well documented on our side of the community. I will be interested to see what their (the PSNI) call is on it.

A representative for Féile told the committee the PSNI had been in regular contact with them and had “raised no concerns” about the plan for this year.

He added: “The 1am extended licence was initially for the diversionary night, and members will be aware of the reasoning behind that night, where we have tried to work within local communities, particularly in the lead up to August 8th and 9th when traditionally bonfires would be built in Nationalist and Republican areas.

“What those bonfires brought to those areas was chaos and antisocial behaviour. We engaged widely with local political and community reps, statutory agencies, and importantly with the young people involved, and we asked them what type of initiatives or interventions could we help support, that would help keep young people away from the build up to and lighting of those fires.

“This would literally keep those young people away from causing home in their local areas, but would also provide that carrot approach. We’ll put on a dance night till 1am, keep them in the park, safe, at an event, which is positive for the local community.” He said there was not a bonfire lit on those August nights anywhere in Belfast and said it was because young people “were engaging in Féile activity.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Caoimhín McCann proposed successfully the committee agree to the request by Féile.