A major change could be coming to Reading Festival after organisers applied to extend hours for some events. The annual festival draws more than 100,000 revellers.
Normally Wednesday and Thursday are warm‑up days for campers, ahead of the main Friday-Sunday line‑up. Festival Republic has applied to add amplified music on Thursday, on the Main Stage only, from 5pm until midnight.
That would require a variation to its events licence from Reading Borough Council. A council licensing officer has said the change, if granted, would apply from 2027 onwards.
The organisers have also applied to extend alcohol sales: Wednesday 11am-3am; Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday midnight-3am; and 2am-3am on Saturday and Sunday. The application also mentions alcohol sales from 2am-3am on the Monday, understood to be the Bank Holiday Monday.
Festival Republic has been emailed for further clarification and a statement.
The festival restarted after the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. From 2021 until 2023 the site had two main stages; the dual main‑stage format was replaced by the Chevron Stage in 2024.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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