Soultown Festival apologises and announces over 25s policy

Soultown Festival was held in Croydon Recreation Ground on Saturday, hosting live Motown and soul acts, including Shalamar, Jazzie B and Sybil.

Attendees complained that the event was oversold, leading to overcrowding and queues at the bar, while some ticketholders were refused entry.

A spokesperson for the Soultown Festival said: “Firstly we want thank everyone who has supported us over the last two very tough years.

On the whole we had a good time at the festival. Just a couple of things…the sound quality should have been a lot better than it was and the bars were completely under stocked. We waited in several queues only to get near the front and nothing left. Poor. #soultownfestival

— anne hill (@gorgeousuk) September 5, 2021

“Unfortunately, we ran into several issues with regards to the bar staff, stock and VIP area.

“These issues were beyond our control but nevertheless we can only apologise and promise to put contingencies in place to combat any future problems.

“Deliveries were cancelled, staff in isolation and fraudulent VIP tickets being sold.

“With regards to moving forward and planning 2022, Soultown Festival will be over 25s, the site will be extended with the same capacity, and we will increase the amount of main bars and have staff and stock contingencies in place.

“Soultown VIP tickets for 2022 will be sold via one platform to stop any fraudulent QR codes.”

Soultown Festival also holds club events at venues such as north Greenwich’s Studio 338.

One attendee of last weekend's event commented: "I very much enjoyed the day from 2pm and left during Shalamar as it became too dangerous to stay.

"A fight erupted next to us, so overcrowded, disappointed to see so many young groups smoking weed and using canisters inhaling from balloons to get high - disgraceful!

"And with no security to be seen think they felt too intimidated with the overcrowding and went into hiding."

Another said: "The amount of girls I witnessed being sick, falling over and crying was ridiculous and mostly under 25.

"Not to mention the queues, non flushing toilets, no toilet roll or hand sanitisers, no food or drink, drugs in the open. Very poorly organised."

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