Major festival given go ahead at new site

Organisers of a major summer music festival say they are "thrilled" to have been granted a licence by the local council, allowing it to return for the first time since 2024.

Womad had been running for more than four decades, having been based at Charlton Park near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, since 2007, but chose to leave its former site "to ensure" the festival's long term survival.

The festival, co-founded by musician Peter Gabriel, is moving to Neston Park near Corsham.

Organisers said they wanted to "express a profound thank you to Wiltshire Council and local residents for being extremely supportive through this process".

"We are thrilled to announce that we have been granted our licence for Womad Neston Park," organisers said on social media.

They further praised those who had taken part in the public consultation, which closed earlier this month, for "believing in our vision and helping sustain our beloved independent festival in our new home".

"We're getting closer and closer to being back in the fields," they added.

Womad (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is expected to host up to 29,999 people at this year's event, with live music and performances taking place across four days from 23 July.

Speaking ahead of the approval, Neston Park co-owner Lady Venetia Fuller, said she and her husband Sir James had "jumped at the chance" to host the festival.

"Straightaway we could see that this would be the ideal site for them. We're so excited, it's going to be so much fun."

Festival Director Chris Smith called the venue "magical" and said the "energy" of Neston Park made it "very suitable for what we do".

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