UK music promoter and promoter of live events since 1982
Ministers are pushing a safety drive at major festivals and backing a nationwide effort to cut violence against women and girls. Leaders say halving VAWG is a government priority, while new policing and court measures aim to shield victims. The coverage contrasts with criticism of a home‑office booklet on migrants, which critics say distracts from urgent gender protections.
Festival organisers have replaced the BBC Introducing stage with the Canopy stage at Reading and Leeds 2026, prompting backlash over access for unsigned artists and concerns about nepotism. Critics warn the change could reshape opportunities for grassroots acts, while organisers defend the move as widening the talent pool.
A licensing change at Reading Festival could allow main-stage music on Thursdays and extend alcohol hours from 2027, amid ongoing festival format tweaks and high-profile headliners for Reading and Leeds.