Tramlines granted approval to remain at Hillsborough Park

Tramlines Festival

Tramlines Festival has been given Council approval to continue taking place at Hillsborough Park.

Tramlines is one of the UK’s longest running, city-based music festivals and a highlight in Sheffield’s year-round calendar of events and festivals.

It has taken place in Hillsborough Park since 2018, when the initial licence was granted.

The festival has been hugely successful in those years and in a report to the Charity Trustee Sub-Committee it was outlined the contribution the festival makes to building Sheffield’s brand and reputation.

Festival organisers have also been working to ensure Tramlines benefits both Hillsborough residents and the wider community since it moved to the park. This has been done through a number of initiatives, including fundraising for local charities and donating tickets to residents in the area.

However, following heavy rain last year, Sheffield City Council have carried out a comprehensive review of the licence agreement for the event.

This included ensuring there is clear agreement on how the park will be protected from any damage and how decisions around cancelling the event will be taken.

Approval to enter into a revised licence agreement was given at a committee meeting on 4^th March 2024, which includes a fee schedule for the next five events in Hillsborough Park.

Councillor Ian Auckland, Chair of the Charity Trustee Sub-Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:

“Tramlines Festival bring enormous benefits to the city and is enjoyed and celebrated by many.

“However, it is crucial that we protect our parks and it’s great to see that we have revised our licence agreement to reflect this. We want Hillsborough Park to be enjoyed by everyone for many years to come. Whether that is by festival-goers, or the local people who use the park every other day of the year.

“Importantly the committee made the decision that holding Tramlines supported the park’s charitable objectives.”

As part of the agreement, £10,000 of the annual fee for Tramlines will be used to improve, replace, or install equipment or facilities to advance the park. At the committee meeting, it was stressed that this money should be used to make improvements and not for routine maintenance, so park users are able to see the benefits of holding the festival in Hillsborough.

Hillsborough Park has been cited as the only city park with the capacity to host an event of this size and nature, with the main field being able to host an audience of around 35,000. Transport links also make the park a good option.

If the festival was not to take place at Hillsborough, it would move out of the city all together.

Read the full report to committee here.