Gem Festival 2026 - licence application.

Gem Festival have applied to Wilts Council for a licence for a festival in Charlton Park 11-14 June 2026.

Charlton PC will discuss this application and decide on any response on Tue 2 Dec at 7pm in the Village Hall.

Key Points of the licence application:

• A multi-year, open-ended application. (Last year they applied for a one-year licence.)
• Same area as last year (southern part of the Park).
• Music and alcohol licences to midnight on Thu and Sun nights, to 2am on Fri and Sat nights.
  • Outdoors music must end at midnight while music to 2am must be inside enclosed structures such as a 'Big Top' tent with enclosing tented walls.
  • Actually GemFest music will close at 1am each night not 2am in 2026.
• Late-night refreshment (hot food and drink) to 5am.

If anyone wants to comment on this application, please note the points below:

• The PC needs to know what residents feel about this application – but Wilts Council are the decision-makers and if you have any objection you should send it to Wilts Council (publicprotectionnorth@wiltshire.gov.uk), copied to Charlton PC (clerk@charltonnorthwilts-pc.gov.uk).
• To see the complete licence application, and full detail on how to object (you must follow these guidelines for your objections (known as ‘representations’) to be accepted), see this webpage: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/licences-permits-new-premises-applications
• This page offers a proforma for representations – you can use this if you prefer, but you don’t have to, you can just write an email (or a letter).
• Anything you may send – please copy to Charlton PC.

A few other points:

• This year there was a problem with bad language over the loudspeakers. GemFest will ensure this doesn’t happen again.
• This year there was late-night noise, after the music had finished for the night, from the campsite area. Again, GemFest have undertaken to control this in future.
• Attendance - the licence asks for a maximum of 15,000, but GemFest's intention is to work up towards that figure slowly - from now, Year 1 at 8,000, Year 2 at 12,500, with all increases subject to agreement with the SAG (Safety Advisory Group).
  • In any case, the expectation for 2026 is for a maximum of 6,500.

Anyone can attend the PC meeting. Gem Festival will also attend.