1st July 2023: UPDATE to original article below: The Milford on Sea Music Festival organisers have had confirmation from the Highways Department at Hampshire County Council that the 8ft post that would be obstructing the main stage will be removed by 19th July.
Thanks go to everyone who helped out by contacting HCC, and to the council themselves for taking action to resolve the issue. Now, everyone can have a great music festival in just a few weeks' time.
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The Milford on Sea Music Festival has run into a tricky, and potentially significant problem, - and as yet, Hampshire County Council are not helping them to resolve it. Hopefully, they will when they understand the full issue.
When Paul White, one of the organisers of the Milford Music Festival realised the issue, he contacted Hampshire County Council to ask if it could be replaced with a removable post.
He also pointed out that the bollards in front of the parking spaces in the same area, are removable once the padlocks are unsecured. It is assumed that when the bollards were installed someone considered that the music festival takes place annually, and that this is the location where the main stage has been positioned for many years!
Sadly, as you will see from the councils first response below, the answer he got was not helpful and somewhat brief.
To: Paul White,I am writing in relation to your enquiry requesting a parking sign be moved from High Street, Milford-on-Sea.Our Assistant Highways Engineer has advised regretfully that we cannot remove permanently installed signs.Thank you for your enquiry.
Hopefully, whoever responded from Hampshire County Council has misunderstood the request, as it is not intended for the sign to be removed permanently.
It is also likely that the respondent is unaware of the significance and size of our Music Festival, and its importance in the village and surrounding areas. Surely, once the issue is clearly understood a resolution can be found?
As soon as she was aware of the issue, Cllr Fran Carpenter, our Hampshire County Councillor, was on the case, and she is looking in to what she can do to help.
I expect that our Parish Council are also doing the same.
We all know that the Milford on Sea Music Festival is the largest event our village holds, and many people are excited for the fun to come. That might be thwarted somewhat if there is an 8ft pole in the way!
Hampshire County Council have a webpage where messages can be sent to the Transport and Roads Team (Who I assume would look after the road furniture). It might be helpful if polite messages were sent explaining why a solution is so important for the Milford Music Festival. To visit the council comments page, please click here.
I am sure the people at Hampshire County Council love music as much as we do, and I remain hopeful that our next update on this problem will be to say that the council have helped and resolved the issue.
The music festival takes place on the village green from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd July 2023, and all is being done to try to get Hampshire County Council to help resolve the issue by then.
Watch this space.
The Festival Team
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