A cash contribution secured to compensate for disruption caused by the upcoming Oasis Heaton Park shows has been slammed as ‘pocket money’.
A cash contribution secured to compensate for disruption caused by the upcoming Oasis Heaton Park shows has been slammed as ‘pocket money’. A Prestwich councillor said that he understood that Manchester City Council had secured around £25,000 to be distributed among community groups in the town with a similar amount to be given to the Manchester areas of Higher Blackley and Crumpsall.
Coun Alan Quinn, a cabinet member on Bury council, said that money was the same as the contribution given to the community for last weekend’s Parklife festival but the Oasis concerts would cause ‘three times the disruption’.
Manchester City Council said community groups, including those based in Prestwich – will be able to apply for cash grants from a community fund after the shows. They added that a positive economic impact on Manchester and the wider city region is expected to be felt across the hospitality and retail sector.
The Parklife Community Fund was started in 2016 and since then around £165,000 has been given to local community groups. Heaton Park is within the Manchester City Council boundary but the vast majority of nearby homes and businesses are in the borough of Bury.
Oasis will play five shows at the park in July, with fans able to see them live for the first time in nearly 16 years. Coun Quinn, said: “We’ll have 340,000 people descending on our area, plus the people without tickets who will just turn up
with crate loads of beers and sit in the park.
“Regardless of the surge pricing, the ticket sales – £148 times 340,000, comes to something like £50M.
“£100,000 should be pocket money for them. “They should be spending that on the community groups of Prestwich to give a little thank-you for putting up with days of disruption.
“This includes roads being closed and public areas being fenced off. “For many people their lives are being disrupted and they can’t go out.”
He has urged the neighbouring authority to ask for more community funds.
He said: “I would expect my colleagues in Manchester to argue for more – not to keep saying ‘Prestwich is doing well’.
“They should stop gaslighting the people of Prestwich. “Manchester will do well because all the hotels will be full. “If Manchester could argue for a bigger figure then it goes down well with their own community so I don’t understand why they’re prepared to be fobbed off.
“For three times the disruption I’d expect three times more at least. It’s pocket money. “Manchester Council is doing well, the Gallagher brothers are doing well.
“The only people not doing well are the people of Prestwich, who have to put up with the disruption.”
Coun John Hacking, executive member for skills, employment and leisure at Manchester City Council, said: “We have a tried and tested process in place to
support the planning and delivery of large-scale live music events in Heaton Park which draws on experience and lessons learnt over the last ten years or more.
“This includes discussions with local communities surrounding the park via the Heaton Park Event Community Consultation Group – made up of
councillors from Bury and Rochdale councils as well as Manchester, along with residents living near the park and other partners.
“During the concerts we’ll be implementing detailed plans to help reduce the impact of them on people living or working nearby and will have a dedicated
community impact team monitoring and managing any concerns raised.
“The overall positive economic impact on Manchester and the wider city region is expected to be felt across the hospitality and retail sector – from taxi
firms to local pubs, bars and restaurants, many of whom are already making plans to take advantage of this temporary boost to their customer numbers.”
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