BATTLE lines are being drawn up in the latest Severn Revels row.
Having been booted out of Blaisdon, organisers want to take the weekend festival across the Forest to fields at Woodlands Farm, Hewelsfield. But the plan has already run into huge local opposition.
Forest of Dean district council's planning and leisure committee members are to be lobbied by Hewelsfield and Brockweir parish council and local residents ahead of their next meeting.
Parish council clerk Alan Clarke said Severn Revels organisers had done nothing to allay fears that trouble would surround the proposed festival.
At a public meeting last week he said Mr Paul Knowles of Dean Arts had explained that the festival was primarily aimed at families and children.
But in a statement the parish council say local people want to know why a family festival would want amplified music to midnight for three days and nights and a "cooling down" period when acoustic music would be allowed until 2am.
They also ask why it would be necessary to sell alcohol all day at a family orientated festival.
The parish council argues that the festival is planned for the height of the tourist season in the middle of July when many visitors come to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the area.
The statement says a range of security, access, safety and environmental problems had been brought to light.
"Villagers appreciated the contribution that Dean Arts have made to the extra-curriculum programme in schools, and to individual artistic and dramatic events, but remain deeply concerned about the less desirable aspects of the Severn Revels Festival. If it is to be held at all, it was felt that a site closer to a town centre with public transport connections would be more suitable than a quiet rural location. Dean Arts conceded that any attempt to hold a repeat festival at Blaisdon would be fiercely resisted by local residents," said the statement.
Coun Frank Williams, chairman of the district council's planning and leisure committee which has already agreed to back the Revels with a donation of £20,000 – £17,000 to the festival and £3,000 to outreach projects – said members were supportive on the clear understanding it was a well managed and well organised event.
The issue of an entertainment licence would be discussed by the housing and licensing sub-committee and the application for a licence to sell alcohol was a matter for local magistrates.
He felt the festival offered a broad arts strategy and was a cultural event deserving support.
"A lot of the comment at the public meeting was wide of the mark. I found some of the comments quite offensive and there was a lot of prejudice. There was no complaint about music levels for an operatic event at Laurel Cottage and so far as I can see this is little different," he said.