Doubts remain over Brockwell Park’s weekend extravaganza because of mud heaps

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A final decision on whether the Mighty Hoopla will go ahead this weekend is still yet to be made, officials have revealed.

Heavy rainfall, combined with footfall from three consecutive days of festivals over the Bank Holiday weekend, has turned Brockwell Park into a mud pit.

On Wednesday, Lambeth council said a ‘final decision’ on whether the festival will still happen this weekend was ‘still to be made’.

Efforts to make the park safe and prevent further damage were ‘subject to ongoing reviews and risk assessment’, the council said.

The tone of the council’s statement is at odds with one released by the festival’s organisers on the same day which said it had a ‘solid plan’ to protect the park, performers and revellers of the Mighty Hoopla 2024.

The statement said organisers were laying 20,000 sq metres of additional ground cover near stages, toilets, bars, entrances and busy walkways, and  encouraged festivalgoers to be ‘sensible’ about their choice of footwear.

The Mighty Hoopla in Brockwell Park is popular with the LGBTQ+ community. This year, performers include Nelly Furtado, Jessie Ware, Rita Ora. In previous years, the likes of Kelly Rowland, Years and Years and the Sugababes have graced the festival’s stages.

Lambeth council said measures being taken to make the festival site safe included laying specialist matting with a thin layer of wood chip – a technique previously used at other large events including Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Luton last weekend.

A council spokesman said: “Lambeth council is working to ensure its event partner manages the impacts of the weekend’s heavy rain on Brockwell Park following the cancellation of one event on Wednesday this week.

“There is an agreement that any repairs needed to the park will be paid for by the event’s organiser, not Lambeth council. They are already working with the council to prepare for any required work which will start straight after Lambeth Country Show.

“To replace the cancelled Brockwell Bounce, event organisers are working on a new event in the school summer holidays, away from Brockwell Park, instead for the community. Locations for the event are currently being explored.”

Pictured top: Brockwell Park festival site last year (Picture: Robert Firth)