Council Prepares for Busy Reading Festival Weekend

Council staff are gearing up for a busy weekend at Reading Festival as the countdown to the town's biggest event begins. The festival on Richfield Avenue is held over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with the main event from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August.

The event runs under a licence from Reading Borough Council, whose officers from various departments monitor compliance on-site.

A council video from 2024 gave residents 'a glimpse' of what officers do. That year teams carried out 71 alcohol and cigarette test purchases and 68 taxi test purchases, as private hire drivers are not allowed to take customers on the spot.

Officers also inspect fire extinguishers and towers for safety and ensure weights and measures rules for drunks are complied with. Environmental health carried out 41 food safety inspections in 2024 and is responsible for noise monitoring.

Noise complaints can be made via the council's 24-hour hotline on 020 8080 1518 or by emailing ReadingFestivalHotline@reading.gov.uk.

Councillors attend the festival both for enjoyment and monitoring. Councillor Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood) reported seeing dealers openly advertise cocaine and Class A drugs in 2024. Each year organisers report back to the council's housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee for a debrief.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter