This weekend’s Love Parade (July 8) in LEEDS has been given the go ahead by local authorities after days of uncertainty had placed the inaugural event in doubt.
The BBC Radio 1-sponsored free 24-hour dance festival, due to run in tandem with the famous Berlin event of the same name, had looked unlikely to happen when authorities called crisis meetings this week in a bid to make sure public safety could be guaranteed.
However a spokesperson for Radio 1 told nme.com this morning (July 6) that the meetings were not a response to the Roskilde Festival tragedy, where nine fans were crushed to death during Pearl Jam‘s set, but had been in the pipeline for some time.
The spokesperson added: “There were a few issues regarding general health and safety that had to be ironed out and now they have been. These meetings have been planned some months ago.”
While insisting she couldn’t comment on whether or not West Yorkshire police and Leeds councillors had thought seriously of cancelling Love Parade, fearful of another Roskilde she added, “It’s just because nothing of this scale has happened before in this country so more attention was necessary. Radio 1 are delighted that it’s going ahead with the full permission of the police and local council.”
Over 100,000 people are expected to descend on Roundhay Park in Leeds from 2pm to watch DJs such as Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Judge Jules play during the 24 hours.
Love Parade had already been moved from a planned carnival route around the city streets because of weight of numbers expected to attend.