New location as Filton Festival to return in 2023

Filton Festival will return in 2023 for the first time since preCovid - with a new location.

The popular event, to be held on a Saturday - July 22 - is being moved to the Millennium Green from the usual site at Elm Park.

Filton Town Council has outsourced the event to Re-Energize, a company which runs other events including Bradley Stoke Festival, which will source bands and other attractions.

The stage will be the focal point for a full line-up of bands and organisers are also seeking more dance groups to entertain the crowds.

This will be the 'delayed' 20th anniversary festival

There will not be a large funfair although there will be smaller attractions for children such as inflatables, go-karts and a helter-skelter.

Other attractions include a graffiti wall and there will be the usual range of food and drinks, including a beer bar.

Robert Goodwin of ReEnergize told Filton Town Council: "We are still looking for dance groups to perform while the bands change over on the large stage."

He said parking arrangements meant those with cars would be asked to park in Elm Park then take the short walk down the footpath to Millennium Green.

Re-Energize will also provide rubbish bins and skips.

Councillors heard a 'headlining' tribute band was still to be confirmed.

The council also wants community groups and charities to apply to host stalls, at no charge.

Small stalls for businesses will cost £15.

All profits will go to a charity, to be confirmed nearer the time.

by BBC LDRS staff and Filtonvoice

Drivers in Filton could soon be fined for wrongly stopping in yellow box junctions or passing a no-entry sign at three major junctions after South Gloucestershire Council applied for new enforcement powers.

The local authority wants to take over responsibility from the police to install traffic cameras and clamp down on motorists illegally queuing at Hambrook roundabout, under junction one of the M32, and Aztec West and Filton roundabouts, both on the A38 Gloucester Road.

It will also target a “high level of abuse” by drivers ignoring part-time no-entry signs where Kenmore Drive meets Kenmore Crescent in Filton, which is used as a rat-run to avoid the B4056 Southmead Road.

Bristol City Council cabinet last month agreed to use similar new powers to enforce “moving traffic” offences, such as banned turns or driving the wrong way down a one-way street, which are available to local authorities following a recent change in the law.

South Gloucestershire is following suit by asking the Department for Transport (DfT) for permission to issue fixed penalties, which would be £70 or £35 if paid within 21 days, and has launched a public consultation, which closes on January 30.

It said on its website: “South Gloucestershire Council is proposing to adopt powers to help improve road safety, tackle congestion and support both public transport and active travel by enforcement of moving traffic contraventions.”

The authority said each offence would be captured by automatic number plate recognition cameras but would be “subject to further human review to ensure that action taken is proportionate and not automatically generated”.

It said the crackdown could be extended to other sites in future, which would not require further permission from the DfT but would need additional public consultation.

The council said: “Profiting from enforcement is not an aim of enforcing moving traffic offences.

“We are applying for these powers to make a positive difference to the highway network, and not as a source of income.”

The money from fines will fund the scheme’s costs and any surplus can be spent on public transport or highway improvements but it cannot be used to pay for routine highway maintenance or other council services.

“It is envisaged that this enforcement will be rolled out to more sites from 2023 onwards, but only at locations where there is a need,” it added.

The current consultation is here: https://consultations. southglos.gov.uk/MTE/ consultationHome