By Julie Waters
SUMMER fun is set to return to North Down’s premier maritime city with the Sea Bangor festival due to be included in the council’s 2025 event schedule.
Councillors have unanimously given the green light to spending £95,000 on hosting the two day event at Bangor’s Eisenhower Pier car park on May 24 and 25.
However the decision by the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee must be rubber stamped by a full council meeting at the end of the month before it is officially back in the council’s 2025 event schedule.
The seafront festival’s reversal of fortunes comes after councillors agreed to a surprise request from officials last November to cancel Sea Bangor for 2025.
Council officers proposed the festival be ‘paused for one year’ because the eagerly anticipated Marine Gardens phase of the Queen’s Parade redevelopment was expected to be underway.
However politicians quickly backtracked following a major backlash from businesses in the city led by Chamber of Commerce president Frank Shivers who strongly criticised the move.
Councillors tasked officials to prepare a report outlining options for a major event to be held in the city over the summer.
As well as the return of the two day Sea Bangor festival, two further options considered by councillors included expanding the number of family and music days at Ward Park costing £20,000 and a 3-4 day Halloween Festival were suggested.
Bangor Central councillor Chris McCracken proposed the return of Sea Bangor but highlighted the ‘significant pressure’ on council funding, staff and available space because of the Queen’s Parade redevelopment.
The Alliance councillor asked for reassurance that the council team would be able to deliver the Sea Bangor festival given they were already hosting the May Day and VE Day 80th anniversary events earlier in May, followed by the Armed Forces Day event in June.
Mr McCracken said there were ‘legitimate concerns’ about the reduced footprint available for the festival and if a road closure had been considered at Quay Street to provide additional space.
Sharon Mahaffy, the council’s tourism head, explained the Sea Bangor festival was a ‘well rehearsed’ event and this year’s event would be similar to previous years.
Regarding the available space, she was unable to give ‘definitive answers’ as further consultation would be needed regarding the seafront redevelopment. She also said it would not be normal council practice to request a road closure for the festival.
Bangor Central councillor Craig Blaney praised the efforts of the council’s events team. “When it looked like we might lose Sea Bangor and Bangor Chamber of Commerce got in touch, we didn’t know if the council could deliver an event of any scale in that area.
“The events team have shown inspiring work and I will get behind it. They have come back with a great plan and I look forward to getting behind the Sea Bangor event.”
Holywood and Clandboye councillor Lindzi McLaren voiced concerns about the lack of car parking that would be available for the festival. She stated this could ‘diminish the quality’ of visitors’ experience and asked had a park and ride facility been considered.
Ann McCullough, the Director of Prosperity, stated the temporary car park at the former Project 24 site would offer 88 car parking spaces