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Tramlines Festival - Hillsborough Park

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Why is Hillsborough a grotty dump?

 

Those travelling via public transport will get off at Leppings Lane presumably and walk down to the leafy park. From the park they will be able to see the duck pond, 40,000 seater stadium which has had a facelift on that side and a primary school. Oh and a beautiful library.

 

And many will take a walk into the shopping areas which are, if we are honest, shabby- charity shops, discount stores, estate agents and betting shops. ..and the local pubs which again are spit and sawdust places. Whenever I drive through Hillsborough I’m struck by how run down and depressed it appears. Holme Lane has to be almost the grimmest road in the city. It’s sad that it hasn’t changed in 20 years and it’s sad that this is what visitors to the city will experience rather than the city centre

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And many will take a walk into the shopping areas which are, if we are honest, shabby- charity shops, discount stores, estate agents and betting shops. ..and the local pubs which again are spit and sawdust places. Whenever I drive through Hillsborough I’m struck by how run down and depressed it appears. Holme Lane has to be almost the grimmest road in the city. It’s sad that it hasn’t changed in 20 years and it’s sad that this is what visitors to the city will experience rather than the city centre

 

I doubt they'll go for a wander around the Barracks. It's a ticket only event, isn't it? So they'll get off the tram and go in!

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Many will want to get tanked up on the cheap in the local area before they go into the venue (relieved of any refreshments on their person) and pay the captive audience prices within.

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Many will want to get tanked up on the cheap in the local area before they go into the venue (relieved of any refreshments on their person) and pay the captive audience prices within.

 

Tanked up in the shopping centre?

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If I understand it correctly (a big if), it seems that the mainstages will all be in Hillsborough park. So it's got to be the entirety or almost all of the park. Can anyone confirm that?

 

I've also a few other queries:

1. How long before and after the event will the park be closed?

2. Will the roads be closed and parking restrictions before the weekend (assuming there will be some over the weekend).

3. Will there still be a route through the park open to residents to get from sports centre to middlewood rd. (Essential for us gym goers).

4. Will they put on special tram route linking Hillsborough park to the station?

5. Are there any tenders for food/refreshment stalls that are open to locals to bid for?

6. Will the council give extended opening to all the local bars (save them all having to individually apply).

7. Will the council be putting portaloos on the streets nearby and not just in the venue? Don't want people piddling in the pansies, and there isn't much in the way of public toilets in Hillsborough, only loos in the bars and that thing on Holme lane which no-one wants to ever use.

8. Will the pond area be protected, I can just imagine some idiots peeing in it or chucking rubbish in it.

 

I'd need to see the line up before committing to buying a ticket. I think it more likely that I'll just go to the bars in town like I have every other year.

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I raised the parking problems at the meeting most of the residents in nearby streets have paid for parking permits so will they still be able to park ?

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Guest makapaka
I raised the parking problems at the meeting most of the residents in nearby streets have paid for parking permits so will they still be able to park ?

 

I would imagine so.

 

If not they’ll just have to park somewhere else for a few days.

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Surely the parking situation will be the same as when Sheffield Wednesday is at home?

 

Also given the proportion of Tramlines festival goers either being from out of town and visiting Sheffield for the weekend and/or enjoying a few drinks as well as watching the bands they are likely to arrive by public transport or taxi?

 

The good think with Hillsborough Park is that as well as being served by local bus routes it has a tram stop. Yellow trams stop there every 12 minutes Mon-Sat daytime and early evening, every 20 minutes rest of evening and on Sundays. Additionally the Blue route serves Hillsborough corner also on the same frequency. Trams have 80 seats and with standing can carry up to 250 passengers. As well as linking Hillsborough to the City Centre and Meadowhall Interchange, there are several Park & Ride sites.

 

It is quite likely that perhaps other than the Friday evening rush hour, Supertram will put on extra trams and extra staff. There will probably also be a queuing system implemented at Hillsborough Park tram stop.

 

The local bars shouldn't expect any special treatment. Why should they? They don't contribute financially to the organising of the festival yet will be cashing in big time. It is up to them to apply for any temporary event notices or other licence variations that will benefit them and provide any necessary extra infrastructure to support their trading.

 

Portaloos in the venue aren't the council's responsibility, it isn't their event - they are just the 'landlord' hiring out the site. Toilets and other infrastructure on site is the responsibility of the festival organisers, they have a few years experience doing this, I'm sure they won't overlook such basics!

 

Portaloos in the street? Who is paying - maybe the local businesses benefiting from the increased footfall in the area? And where - outside someone's shop, cafe or home? What about security?

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2017 at 11:33 ----------

 

Personally I don't think this development is a bad thing, it is simply the way the festival has to manage growth.

 

The Hillsborough Park site reportedly has a capacity of 40,000 people, which puts it on a similar scale to the big name concerts of old held at Don Valley Stadium, however Tramlines is likely to have decent bars, food traders, toilets etc in place. The site also has a track record for hosting large events.

 

In an interview with one of the Tramlines Directors it was suggested that although the main stage is moved from Ponderosa to Hillsborough Park, there would still also be some sort of ticketed event on Devonshire Green.

 

The festival fringe is put on completely independently by local pub, bar and club owners and will be doing the same again in 2018. So the usual buzz will be created in the City Centre, I imagine this could be replicated in the Hillsborough area too. In fact it will probably stretch out along the tram line - Shalesmoor tram stop is the gateway to Kelham Island, Langsett tram stop is near the Hillsborough Hotel and Bamforth Street is near the New Barrack Tavern.

 

I imagine those interested in the bigger names playing Hillsborough Park will buy festival tickets, those just coming along to see some more grass roots acts for free and enjoy the atmosphere will wander around the pubs and bars.

 

In fact you could buy an all day tram pass and hop on and off at different fringe venues! Maybe even on the way to Hillsborough Park?

 

That sort of idea seems to work well for 3 Valleys Beer Festival in Dronfield every June - a list of pubs, clubs and breweries putting on events on the same day with a frequent bus service linking them all together from the local station (with said bus funded by the venues).

Edited by Andy C

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In response to Andy C’s comments:

 

Wow, I had no idea the trams could only hold 250 max. For some reason I thought it was much more?

 

I actually think the parking situation will not be as bad as when the football is on.

 

I think that it difficult to compare this event to the football for a number of reasons such as arranging to meet mates in the pubs before hand, and usually a lot of people walk from home or park up on the hill and there is designated driver for the group. Many go to the pub before and after. There is more of a set routine and although there is some inebriation it is not all day at a summer festival level of inebriation..

 

With an all day festival mostly young people drinking I think public transport and taxis will be the mainstay. My concern is the kicking out time there will not be enough transport to get them all out in a timely fashion.

 

For example the arena holds 13500 and a lot of people are picked up etc, but if you go for a tram you are put into a queuing system that was especially built for the purpose, even then it took a long time to get away from the arena I’d say I was waiting best part of an hour for a tram, and there is no way the arena was at full capacity that night.

 

We’re looking at bigger numbers - 40,000 kicking out at 1030 or whenever it is they finish. - we can assume it will be close to the capacity because it is the big acts that everyone wants to see, that will be on last.

 

Let's assume half want to use the tram - because the other half have walked or been picked up or got on a bus (though think of the traffic chaos that causes around the arena - again with much smaller numbers).

 

Twenty thousand people divided by 250 is 80 trams full.

As I understand it there are around 30 trams in total on the network. So even if all are committed to Leppings Lane (which think will be more manageable than Hillsborough Park stop for exiting). Then it is going to take at least an hour, assuming the rest of the network is abandoned - which it won't be.

 

I think there will have to be a very large contingent of busses to help get people onwards and out of Hillsborough at that time of night, because the trams will simply not be able to cover it.

 

Regarding the pub licensing, I suggest it because it has been touted that it is great business opportunity for the area. Why then would anyone want to have businesses wasting money on unnecessary legal expenses to obtain a licensing extension. When It is within the council's gift to issue a blanket extension. These businesses will be paying for extra security that weekend. If our council really is business friendly then this is something they should consider.

 

Regarding the toileting situation, I’m sure you follow the point that you don't want people being caught short and using businesses front doors as loos. It's the council's decision to allow the event to go ahead so maybe they should provide portaloos outside the festival.

 

This will obviously be in addition to the loos that the festival organisers will have inside.

However as you will have to queue and be searched (quite extensively nowadays given the horrible things that happened elsewhere), you can’t simply pop back into the festival site if you need to relieve yourself.

 

As to where, outside the park or in an area of the park open to the general public to avoid the situation as outlined above. If additional toilets aren't going to be funded by the council then it should be a term of the festivals licence.

 

I too think the development could be a great thing, however from a residents viewpoint (and for the festival goers themselves), we have make sure there is some clarity and expectation about what level of public service is going to be offered in around Hillsborough.

 

I’d too like to see there being bands on in some of the pubs along the tram route. I recall seeing the Hillsborough Tap advertising that they had bands on during the last tramlines, maybe others will follow.

 

Just one more thought for now, it might be an idea - however unpopular - that the tramgate is extended for the evenings of the festival, so that there are fewer cars to get in the way of the trams and pedestrians leaving the festival.

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With a programme of bands on throughout the afternoon and evening and things also going on elsewhere people will be coming and going throughout the day the travel situation shouldn't be too bad, however as you say there is a possibility of large numbers leaving after the final headline act - I guess it depends on the profile of the band/artist performing in that slot.

 

I guess not all will want to get a tram into town straight away, some may walk into Hillsborough centre to the pubs and fast food shops.

 

I'm still not convinced the council should give a blanket licence extension. Professional publicans running a successful pub/bar business know what they are doing and should understand what they need to apply for and whether it will be financially worthwhile, this can be done well in advance. The council really does need to make decisions on individual venues based on various factors including how much they could disturb local residents in their location, what track record they have, capacity, security arrangements etc.

 

The problem of course with the local pubs and bars is their activity is all arranged individually and independently. They don't engage with the festival organisers or contribute financially to all the organisation, consultation, festival infrastructure, stewarding, marketing etc that the festival organisers have to do. Therefore they aren't part of the Tramlines event plan that is submitted to the authorities.

 

Portaloos in the street... Well The council are involved in two ways. One as the landlord of the festival site and one as the local authority issuing appropriate licences and approvals. It is not the council's responsibility to provide the extra infrastructure unless they are being paid to, they could however make it a condition of the event approval and licence that the festival organisers do so. Or they could make it a condition of local pubs/bars temporary events notice / licence extension that they provide them.

 

However where should they go and would the local residents/business owners want them outside their premises? Left out in the street it is likely they would get vandalised so who provides and pays for security?

 

Traffic restrictions through Hillsborough corner onto Langsett Road to ease trams passage through the area - good idea if properly implemented. Really road traffic other than trams and buses need to be encouraged to go via Penistone Road.

Edited by Andy C

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