Farm festival organisers hit back over sound complaints

Managers at a Herefordshire festival site, noise from which neighbours said was inflicting “torture” on them, have hit back.

“Our much loved events site is having its licence reviewed due to a small number of complaints from local neighbours,” according to a joint statement by site manager Ian Johnson and events manager Clare Kelly, who together run Out To Grass at Woodend Farm, Cradley near the Worcestershire border.

They said they “takes noise management very seriously”, and claimed that on investigation, a quarter of the complaints were on dates when the site was closed, while at least one other was caused by a nearby private party.

A Herefordshire Council environmental health officer has called for a review of the site’s events licence, which currently permits it to host live and recorded music till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

During consultation on the licence review, nine locals lodged complaints over the noise disturbance, which they claimed was prolonged and getting worse.

In response, “after a callout for support we received over 100 statements of support in only three days”, Mr Johnson and Ms Kelly said.

They added that Woodend is a third-generation, now organic farm with low environmental impact, whose efforts to diversify have led to it achieving a Green Tourism Gold Award.

And they pointed out: “As part of our ongoing commitment to protect ourselves and neighbours from any issues in future, we have implemented a 2026 action plan of further sound insulation, noise controls and monitoring.”

It also publishes a hotline number to call during events.

The Out To Grass website currently advertises Rising Festival 2026 on the weekend of June 26-28, “featuring great DJs and producers across various electronic genres, including house, techno, trance and drum and bass”, with tickets from £30 to £550 for a “glamping pod” over the weekend.

The venue’s licence will be reviewed by councillors on Monday March 23, which could lead to tighter conditions on the licence, its temporary suspension, or outright withdrawal.