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Belfast summer concerts in doubt over 'safety arrangements' dispute

Brendan Hughes
BBC News NI political reporter
BBC Sam Fender performing on June 24 2022 on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2022, He is wearing a checked shirt over a black t-shirt and is playing the guitar.BBC
Sam Fender is due to perform this summer at Boucher Road Playing Fields in August

Major gigs by the likes of Sam Fender and Fontaines DC in Belfast this summer could be in doubt due to a disagreement over "health and safety arrangements".

Music events at the council-owned Boucher Road Playing Fields previously used a neighbouring site, held by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), as an emergency exit point.

But this time the fire service has not given Belfast City Council (BCC) consent to use the site, BBC News NI understands.

The NIFRS and council said they were "engaging" in a bid to resolve the issue and ensure "the necessary health and safety arrangements can be put in place".

The playing fields regularly hosts major gigs with audiences of about 40,000 people.

Several big concerts are planned for this summer including Sam Fender, Fontaines DC ed by Kneecap and the two-day Farmer's Bash festival.

A site beside the playing fields - a former NIFRS training centre - has been used in previous years as an access and exit route.

The land is owned by the council and leased to the fire service.

It vacated the site last year after opening a new training facility outside Cookstown, County Tyrone.

The disagreement over access to the Belfast site centres on safety and security matters.

It is also understood the fire service has questioned whether using the site would impact on a rates discount for unoccupied properties.

'Process of divestment'

Kneecap performing at Reading Festival in August 2024. Two of kneecap are holding microphones. One is wearing a black jacket, black baseball hat and sunglasses. The man on the righ is wearing a navy top and tros and a pair of sunglasses.
Belfast rap group Kneecap are among the acts due to perform this summer

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the NIFRS said the site was "currently going through a process of divestment".

"NIFRS has vacated the site and would be ive of an agreement that would see the lease revert to Belfast City Council control, enabling the necessary health and safety arrangements to be put in place for the summer shows," she added.

"NIFRS continues to engage with Belfast City Council and other stakeholders, around the divestment process and the events scheduled at Boucher Playing Fields."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council has been engaging with NIFRS with a view to ensuring that the necessary health and safety arrangements can be put in place for these concerts.

"This includes access through the NIFRS site for emergency exit purposes."

As part of efforts to resolve matters, it is understood the council also approached Stormont's Department of Health, which oversees the NIFRS.

A health department spokeswoman said: "This is an issue for NIFRS and its board."

MCD Productions, which is planning some of the concerts at the playing fields this summer, was also approached for comment.