Organisers keen to get rid of ‘drinking festival’ image

Deputy Scott Wickenden, who is a member of the Havre des Pas Improvement Group, which runs the festival, said that he wanted to reduce the number of alcohol-only vendors at the event and make it more family-friendly.

And he warned that the group came close to being denied a licence for the event because of its reputation.

He said: ‘Since we took over the Seaside Festival we have been changing it to a family event by putting games on the beach and trying to reduce the number of vendors that only serve alcohol – there has since been a reduction in drunk and disorderly behaviour.

‘It is for this reason we have increased the pitch fees – the most for alcohol-only vendors.

‘If a vendor would like to sell alcohol with a reduced pitch fee they will need to include food in their service, or even partner with a food vendor and share the pitch fee half and half.’

Last year two lifeguards from the nearby bathing pool were forced to spring into action after an intoxicated woman went for a swim at the festival and got into difficulty.

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