Zimfest bosses speak out months after 'horrendous' festival left Northampton neighbourhood 'very upset'

The festival, which attracted thousands of people to Delapré Abbey in July, caused major disruption in surrounding residential streets, with residents complaining about traffic, parking and anti-social behaviour.

Now organisers have responded to the backlash after conducting a review into what went wrong.

The comments come after a furious backlash following the July 25 event, which attracted an estimated 11,000 to 11,500 people.

Residents in Far Cotton and surrounding streets reported being left dealing with traffic and parking problems, while complaints were also made about anti-social behaviour – and even a reported human poo left in a front garden.

In the aftermath, Zimfest promised a full debrief and review with its partners and said it would consider feedback to establish what improvements were needed.

The Chronicle & Echo went back to organisers this month to ask what came out of that review.

A spokesperson for Zimfest said: “We’ve listened carefully to the feedback following Zimfest and taken those views on board.

"While the event itself was enjoyed by thousands of people, we recognise that the experience for some residents was very different, particularly in relation to vehicle movements and the disruption this caused in the surrounding area. Since the event, our focus has been on the feedback received directly from residents and stakeholders, distinguishing that from publicly circulating reports that we could not verify, and on the practical lessons we can take forward.

“Holding a large event close to a residential community brings responsibilities that we take seriously. Zimfest has always been about bringing people together in a positive and respectful way, and as the festival continues to develop, it is important that the locations we choose have the space, infrastructure and transport arrangements needed to deliver that experience while respecting the surrounding community.

“Zimfest also brought thousands of visitors to Northampton and we were pleased to work with local businesses and service providers in delivering the event, supporting the local economy alongside the wider benefit of visitors using hotels, hospitality and other services in the area.

“For future events, we will engage specialist traffic and transport expertise earlier in the planning process, with particular emphasis on vehicle movements, parking, access and egress, and managing the dispersal of traffic at the end of the event. We will also continue to reinforce that the standards of behaviour we expect from our audience apply beyond the festival gates.

“We’re grateful to Delapré Abbey and its team for the way they worked with and accommodated us, and to the residents who took the time to share their experiences with us.”

It was confirmed earlier this month that Zimfest will not be returning to the town.

Independent councillor Davenport recently said: "The Zimfest at Delapré Abbey turned into a horrendous weekend for many local residents, who were understandably very upset by what happened.

“Fortunately, the Abbey’s CEO and deputy CEO genuinely care about the community and are committed to making improvements. They were very willing to meet with residents, listen to their concerns and work towards finding solutions.

“Those meetings couldn’t have been easy, with residents understandably expressing their frustration, but they proved to be very productive for both the Abbey and the community.

“Residents are pleased that Zimfest will not be returning to Delapré Abbey, and I believe an event of this size would be much better suited to a non-residential location.

“I hope we can now all work together to ensure that next year’s traffic management is better planned, better managed meaning events are much more enjoyable for everyone – especially the local community."

Immediately after the event, Amanda Nichols, of Delapré Abbey, said staff had been going door-to-door listening to residents.