Gloucestershire music festival Goa Cream has been forced to move sites for its 2025 iteration due to complaints from local residents in the area.
The festival, which specialises in psychedelic trance, was supposed to take place at Yewtree Farm near Thornbury from September 12th to September 14th. However, following a decision by the local council, they were informed on April 8th it would not be allowed to go ahead.
In total, the council received 11 complaints regarding the noise during last year’s event, including one letter describing Goa Cream as “non-stop heavy bass music; it was almost inhumane and a form of torture.”
Meanwhile, another concerned local resident alleged that the festival had a “profound effect” on their family’s well-being. Additionally, another claimed the noise gave them a headache for the entirety of the festival.
According to the BBC, the festival’s organiser, Piers Ciappara, was preparing to bring in a “professional sound acoustic engineer” for this year’s event to combat the issues faced in 2024.
Ciappara said at the meeting with the council: “Last year we only had handwritten notes and photographs because the week after the event my colleague who had the sound system had a bad accident. He nearly chopped his hand off cutting the grass so he couldn’t put a spreadsheet together – but this year we have a professional team with us.”
The festival raises money for important local causes, Bristol Suicide Prevention and Sharpness Lifeboat Station. According to Ciappara, its audience is also older than most other festivals, with the average attendee in their 40s.
In a Facebook post, Ciappara has since confirmed he plans for Goa Cream to still go ahead albeit on a new site. He wrote: “Hi friends, Goa Cream is NOT cancelled !! For all of you freaks looking forward to being tortured at Yewtree farm in September. I’m afraid South Gloucester Council have objected to our licence application, the long and short of it, “Yewtree farm is an unsuitable venue for music/dance festivals?”
Ciappara added: “All this means is, we are now looking for another venue for this September’s party. I am going to see other possible sites later this week, so fingers crossed. Just putting it out there, if you know of a suitable venue with like-minded land owners, please let us know. One World, One Love, One Dancefloor.”
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