Hundreds of fake bucket hats seized and locals caught flogging parking permits at Oasis Heaton Park gigs

Licensing officers have given details of the seizure of hundreds of items and the multiple issues issues they encountered during the recent Oasis shows at Heaton Park.

Licensing officers have given details of the seizure of hundreds of items and the multiple issues issues they encountered during the recent Oasis shows at Heaton Park.

The band made a triumphant return to Manchester playing to around 370,000 people at the park over five nights in July.

On the whole the concerts were seen as hugely beneficial to the region and one could barely turn a corner in Manchester over the period without a
sign of the extraordinary rock ‘n’ roll takeover that Oasis staged in the city.

However, the hundreds of thousands of gig-goers heading to the Prestwich area led to multiple issues for council officers from Bury.

At a meeting this week, members of the council’s licensing panel will be presented with a report outlining issues and the enforcement action taken by their officers surrounding the concerts.

In tackling unlicensed street traders and pedlars, public protection officers seized 507 bucket hats, 209 t-shirts, 15 hoodies, 10 bags, 500 bottles of water and 10 vapes.

Other items collected included fans, trollies and a cowboy hat. The estimated street value of the goods taken was £12,000.

More than 100 street pedlars and street traders were checked over the five days and more than 50 without licences moved on.

Trademark enforcement focused on ‘Live 25 registered design with traders warned and seizures escalated after advisory period.

The council handled multiple noise complaints from residents and responded to excessive noise from licensed premises and a vape shop, primarily during the daytime.

They also attended after a complaint about loud music and loud-hailer use at an address on Sheepfoot Lane.

Officers conducted daily visits to pubs and shops selling booze where issues included overcrowding, late openings, an assault incident and off licences
open past permitted hours.

Issues on the roads included repeated breaches of road closures by vehicles on Bury Old Road after the shows ended which were passed on to the police.

There were also issues of some residents selling parking permits and allowing driveway parking for concert goers during closures.

The report stated: “This report follows a request by the members of the licensing and safety committee for a debrief of the work that was undertaken by officers from the public protection service in respect of Oasis.

“Officers worked the five dates of the concerts and the key enforcement actions are summarised.”

The actions of the council officers were in tandem with GMP, who separately made several dozen arrests surrounding the shows for various suspected criminal offences.