A RESIDENT has said she is "so relieved" that a Christmas festival has closed and called on the council to "not have this kind of so-called entertainment here ever again".

Inga Hillyar, who lives opposite Victoria Gardens in Old Steine, said that she was forced to put up with "screeching kids and teenagers, loud music and blindingly gaudy flashing lights" for five weeks while the Brighton Christmas Festival was open.

Since the festival has been dismantled, she said the "normally nice lawns" have been left with "massive dents and muddy puddles" due to the range of lorries, machinery, camper vans, cars and portable toilets from the festival.

Ms Hillyar said: "The grass and buried electrics repairs were completed at our expense from our council tax only days before they arrived.

"The damage to the lawns is clearly visible, caused by all the tyres of hugely heavy trucks and lorries carrying huge generators and other equipment."

Ms Hillyar was forced to keep her curtains closed due to the lights from the festival and said: "I think that anyone living close to Victoria Gardens, and many others, would be very happy if this never reappeared."

She also called on residents to "take a stand" against the festival, as it had "too much negative impact".

During the festival, other residents raised concerns about noise and music coming from the festival late at night, particularly from the range of funfair rides at Old Steine Gardens.

One resident, Jospehina Archibald, described the festival as "ludicrous and unnecessary" at the time and even considered hiring a cottage through Airbnb to escape the noise, which she said could cost her around £4,000.

Councillors approved organisers E3 Events to run the Christmas market for three years back in March last year.

David Hill, CEO of E3 Events, said: "We will make changes in 2022, including the layout of the market, and we have also listened to local residents, particularly about noise levels.

"I want to reassure everyone that this was a big learning curve in 2021, and we look forward to 2022 with great excitement."

A staggering 131,224 people visited the Brighton Christmas Festival market alone over the five weeks it was open.

A council spokesman said: "The Valley Gardens area has been a popular location for the city's night-time economy for many years.

"We have recently improved St Peter's Square as an events space. It is used at key times of the year, such as the Brighton Festival and the festive season.

"After a challenging year for everyone in the city, we've been pleased to see a new winter event attract footfall and interest.

"The council aims to manage a balance between a successful events programme in the city centre and the views of residents.

"Plans for reinstating the physical areas affected by events are always included in our permissions for events to go ahead, and the Christmas festival is no exception.

"Grassy areas that become muddy or dry out are given time to grow back. Obviously this is a gradual process, particularly at this time of year.

"The organisers of the Christmas Festival event had a noise management plan agreed with our environmental health team. The organisers took noise meter readings throughout the event, each night on agreed points around the site.

"We found no evidence that they exceeded agreed volume levels.

"Councillors granted permission for this event last year on a three-year basis. We will be reviewing the success of this first event in due course, taking into account feedback from the event organisers and residents."

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