Green light for the Stormin' the Castle

TEESDALE will become a motorcyclist's Mecca for a weekend in September when the area plays host to one of the biggest biker festivals in the country.

Despite protests from neighbours, members of Teesdale District Council's licensing sub-committee gave the green light for the Stormin' the Castle festival to become an annual event at Streatlam Park.

The event, which is organised by the Motorcycle Action Group, was previously held at Witton Castle but since the sale of the land last year, organisers pinned their hopes on using the fields owned by John Toulson.

Concerned residents turned up to the licence application meeting on Monday to air their concerns about the effects the festival, which holds up to 7,000 people, could have on the community.

Captain Nigel Pease, from Streatlam Castle Estate, who owns land and properties adjoining the site, said he was objecting to the festival for several reasons including noise, sanitation, road safety and the sale of alcohol.

He said: "This part of Teesdale is a nice peaceful rural area and it is changing all the time. It is like a theme park now with cars, trucks, and steam shows and now 7,000 bikers want to come here. I'm afraid I just can't accept it and neither can a lot of other people."

Organiser, Jim Coxon, tried to reassure residents saying that the event was mainly attended by older people and that there were measures in place to ensure as little disturbance as possible to those living nearby.

He told the objectors and the committee that the event is in its 18th year and during the nine years he has been in charge, he has always complied with licence agreements laid out by TDC.

When asked if there was any trouble at the festival's previous site Garry Keay, TDC licence and enforcement team leader, said that in the past ten years the council had received no complaints.

Despite the complaints, the sub-committee granted the licence and Jim Coxon said: "I am pleased that the committee has found in favour of us. We will try to minimize the disruption to the neighbours and hopefully, after the event, people will change their view of us."

John Toulson, who owns the land where the festival will take place said: "I'm very pleased with the result - it's good to get a few events going in Teesdale and it puts the area on the map."

The event will take place between September 5 -7.



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