BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Liverpool: I want to know who turned Sefton Park into a poor man's Alcatraz

Over two days, Sefton Park in the south of the city is expected to welcome around 100,000 music lovers as it hosts BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend for the first time.

This has prompted much consternation among those living near the 235 acre park regarding the hoardings put up around a section of the site for the two-day event next weekend. Former leader of Liverpool Council Warren Bradley also expressed his concern about the impact of road closures in the wider area.

Now, just a day after stepping down as Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp has added his voice to the chorus of dissenters, likening the boards put up around the park to a historic former US prison. In a letter to Cllr Harry Doyle, cabinet member for culture and wellbeing, the outgoing Lord Mayor said Sefton Park should be “celebrating the joys of spring” and said its “character and ethos” faced being destroyed.

Radio 1’s Big Weekend will feature headline acts such as Unwritten singer Natasha Bedingfield performing on Friday, May 23 and legendary pop group the Sugababes taking to the stage on Saturday, May 24. Cllr Kemp handed over his chains of office as Liverpool’s first citizen at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening.

He has wasted no time making a return to the political frontline. In his letter to Cllr Doyle, seen by the LDRS, he said: “Whose idea was it to turn one of the most beautiful parks not only in Liverpool but across the whole country into a poor man’s version of Alcatraz?”

The former Liberal Democrat group leader said the boards covering the park were “unsightly” and described the blocking off of the park as “totally unacceptable.” He said: “At what should be the most beautiful time for a park in the spring, grey hoardings have been put in place around the perimeter which are totally destroying the character and ethos of our park at this crucial time.

“Already there have been major disruptions to traffic in the area particularly affecting two schools but generally affecting up to 20% of our city. Obviously, these problems will be exacerbated when the concert is actually underway. Residents of Penny Lane ward are rightly concerned about the problems of parking which will spread out way beyond the park perimeter road.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside on Tuesday (March 13), Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, accepted there would be some disruption to residents but said the national broadcaster had been the driver for choosing the park. He added how use of another location could have jeopardised the hosting altogether.

In his letter to Cllr Doyle, Cllr Kemp asks for a full report to go to the relevant scrutiny committee of the council detailing all the traffic air and sound pollution, parking and other nuisances caused to residents within three quarters of a mile of the concert stage so that a full debate can be held within the council as to whether a concert of similar size can ever be held there again. He added: “It seems to me that the council in its dash for cash has chosen to ignore the severe problems which will be inflicted on the local community by a concert of this size.

“We need to have a full report on the effects of this concert on the community to ensure that any similar proposals in future are better thought through then the way this project is being implemented.”