Cardiff Blackweir Fields summer concert return divides opinion

The announcement that Blackweir Live concerts are set to return to the Welsh capital next summer has divided opinion.

On Monday, it was announced that the concerts will take place in Blackweir Fields again in 2026 with Lewis Capaldi set to headline one of the gigs.

Artists such as Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan and Slayer performed at the Cardiff park in June and July this year.

The announcement was met with mixed reaction with local groups raising concerns around traffic and noise pollution.

Friends of Bute Park have been critical of the council’s handling of the events.

In response to a council survey on the events, the group mentioned the removal of trees to create entrances for the event site; the impact on traffic, with gigs seeing dozens of drivers stuck in gridlocks for more than an hour; noise pollution, which resulted in 100 complaints to the council; and the impact on sports pitches.

Syed Abbas, the chairman of Bay Dragons Cricket Club, said that the “pitch degradation that was feared did happen”.

He added that the club had no problem with the event although said if they are to coexist they would like some support from the council and organisers.

In July, the council said in a statement the protective measures put in place during the events worked well and the grass, including cricket pitches, were “generally in very good condition”.

Chairman of the Cardiff Midweek Cricket League (CMCL), Khawaja Ali Ajmal, said he was not made aware of the decision by the council concerts in 2026.

The council maintained throughout that it had been in discussion with sports teams about the use of Blackweir Fields for live music events.

Earlier this year, a council report stated there was no application for planning permission in the run up to the shows, and that a certificate of lawfulness, which shows whether planning permission is required or not, had not been issued.

The council said it had decided not to take formal planning enforcement action against the organisers.

The site was brought down by 18 July but the council has said it will seek planning permission for the 2026 series.

The council’s main argument in favour is the money it brings in for the city’s economy and the income that the local authority can put back into grassroots music and parks.

In a recent statement Cardiff Council said 49% of Blackweir Live attendees travelled from outside of Wales and 2.6% came from outside the UK.

They also said the events employed 3,118 people and 95% of these jobs were in Welsh-based businesses.

Cllr Huw Thomas, leader of the council said in an interview that income from Blackweir Live will help the council avoid difficult budget decisions in the future.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the council how much money it made from Blackweir Live but the local authority refused to say.

Nick Newman, general manager of the Blue Bell pub in St Mary Street, said the concerts were “terrific” from a business perspective.

“For pubs, bars, and clubs the more events we have in the city centre the better,” he added.

Matt Cutrupi, who runs the Moon in Womanby Street, said he was in support of Blackweir Live and was pleased that it was returning for 2026, however he said the venue did not notice any noticeable increase in sales as a result of the gig series.

“People don’t have the additional revenue. Between transport and the ticket price and then drinks inside the event they’re not going to go spending more money before and after,” he said.