Monday D-Day for fans of Muse

Friday, 14 August 2009

Three councillors to decide fate of concerts as thousands hope they get go-ahead

by John Ware

THERE are good vibrations in Teignmouth as D-Day looms for a make or break decision on whether Muse, the local lads who shot to global pop fame, can rock the seafront.

Three councillors will decide on Monday the fate of two open air concerts by the supergroup on the Den next month, as exclusively revealed in this newspaper last week.

Thousands of fans will be hoping the answer is ‘yes’, paving the way for a historic weekend in the resort that could pump millions into the economy.

If the application is turned down, it will end the dream of the trio – who can fill stadia around the world – of performing in their home town for the first time since they became megastars more than ten years ago.

The go-ahead would be a historic occasion, boosting trade and attracting publicity for the area around the globe.

For businesses it would be a bonanza, injecting an estimated £3million plus into tills, with fans spending in shops, pubs, cafes, hotels, camp sites and transport.

Muse fever has been building all week, and it would be an event that will be talked about for years to come.

The uniqueness of the concerts has caught the imagination of the national media and broadcasters, with the BBC known to be interested in a Radio 1 recording.

Councillors and officials at county, district and town level are understood to be fully behind the bid, realising the huge benefits it would bring in providing Teignmouth with a much trendier image worldwide.

Most of the concerns of the police, fire service, environmental health and highways officers are now understood to have been resolved after behind the scenes meetings with the promoter, SJM, and other parties.

Teignbridge chairman Cllr Sylvia Russell, who lives on the seafront, is also giving it the thumbs up.

She said: ‘Soundings I have taken with businesses and residents are very positive. There are still some concerns over the disruption it might cause, but I am confident these can be overcome.

‘It will be a fantastic weekend for Teignmouth, and I just hope that some sort of ticket priority system for local fans can be worked out. Otherwise we will have people who could not get tickets for the Muse UK tour dates, flocking down here, which would disappoint locals.’

Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross, also a Teignmouth resident – who helped to overcome some of the difficulties behind the scenes – was equally enthusiastic.

‘It is brilliant. There is going to be some disruption, but it will bring a great deal of pleasure to many local people,’ he said.

‘The benefits to the town are absolutely immense.’

Teignmouth town councillors held a special meeting to ‘unanimously support and welcome the opportunity to host such a prestigious event’.

They have also told the Teignbridge Council licensing Sub-committee, which will decide at Forde House on Monday morning whether to grant a premises licence: ‘The town council will give every assistance to ensure a successful and memorable outcome.’

Muse – Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard – will perform the first live performance of tracks from their new album, The Resistance, at the two evening gigs on September 4 and 5. The shows will also launch their latest autumn world tour.

Fourteen of the 30 concerts across America, Finland, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany have already sold out, including all those in the UK and Ireland, with bids for tickets on eBay reaching £180.

Making the momentous decision on Monday will the three members of the sub-committee – chairman Cllr Ted Hockin, of Dawlish, and Cllrs Ken Lewis, of Newton Abbot, and Peter Bromell, of Teignbridge North.

Teignbridge, as the landowner, will then have to formally give consent – or not - for use of the Den.

It would not be the first time that a top band has visited the seafront. Forty years ago the Beatles stopped overnight at the now long-gone Royal Hotel while filming The Magical Mystery Tour, and caused frenzied fan scenes – without even playing a note.

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2 comments on this news item

Posted by : julie, teignmouth | Wednesday 19/Aug/2009 | Report this comment

All emergency services, highways, public toilets to include potaloo sights, and several caravan camping parks in the area, shaldon, dawlish warren, torquay hotels, and a fantastic new lifeguarded team managed by the RNLI are all in place and will have attended the meetings. The band have spent a substantial amount of money on the safety of the public which will have been paramount in the decisio

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Posted by : Andy, Teignmouth | Saturday 15/Aug/2009 | Report this comment

It doesn’t seem anyone involved in this venture has considered the dangers fully. The roads are useless, the parking, toilets, tansport, accommodation non existant, the space itself all completely inadequate, the beach is a death trap. It would have been far better to stage it at Powderham and bus Teingmouth folk in free. I hope we will be advised of all the contingency plans Look out Teignmouth!

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