Cannon Hill Park, Cultural Tensions and the Licence That Never Should Have Been
For some, it looked uncomfortably like cultural bias, perhaps even a trace of xenophobia. Moseley prides itself on being inclusive and culturally rich, yet the reaction seemed to suggest unease.
GRIT Commentary
An event took place in Cannon Hill Park on Sunday 26 October 2025, a lively celebration featuring the Romanian working-class cultural icon Nicolae Guță. In Romanian music terms, Guță is a genuine people’s star, perhaps best compared to a Romanian Tom Jones. The day was colourful, noisy and good-natured, though not without its share of practical hiccups.
The meeting held on 29 October 2025 was not to approve that one-off festival. It was convened to consider an application for a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003 for Cannon Hill Park, Russell Road, Moseley. The application sought permission for alcohol sales, live and recorded music, and public access every Sunday from 11:00 until 18:00.
A premises licence is the same legal instrument that a pub needs to sell alcohol. The term “premises” applies even when the venue is not a building, such as a section of a park. If alcohol is sold, even from a temporary bar, the law requires a licence. Granting one does not compel the owner to use it. Birmingham City Council owns Cannon Hill Park, so even if the licence were approved, the Council would still decide what events could actually happen.
It is a bit like planning permission. You could, in theory, apply to build a large tower with knobbly bits on the top in someone’s garden. You might even get the permission on paper, but the homeowner could still refuse to let you build it. Licensing and planning laws often run in parallel, but they are separate. This application illustrated that odd little quirk beautifully.
A Licence Without a Pilot
The application was submitted on 11 September 2025 by Enigma Event Ltd, a company incorporated only three months earlier. It sought permission for alcohol sales, live and recorded music, and open public access in the park on Sundays from 11:00 to 18:00.
At the Licensing Sub-Committee C meeting on 29 October, officers confirmed that Enigma’s representatives could not attend because they could not get the time off work. Hardly the most convincing start to a serious licensing application. Yet rightly )in my opinion) the hearing went ahead regardless, with objections from residents, councillors, and community groups.
A Catalogue of Complaints
Residents on Russell Road described what one might politely call chaos. Cars were dumped across verges and driveways, stewarding was minimal, the complaints line went unanswered, and the noise rolled across the park like a travelling fairground.
Local treasure Councillor Izzy Knowles, a familiar Moseley figure and grandee of local life, representing the ward, said there was little or no communication between organisers and community groups. When she rang the official complaints number, no one answered. The event had no bag checks, very little visible stewarding, and no clear crowd management plan. Izzy is a former police sergeant, so she knows what she is looking at when it comes to event control.
The Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), said they often end up dealing with the consequences of poorly managed park events. The MAC was clear that it did not support a permanent-style Sunday licence, describing the idea as both unworkable and unnecessary.
The Moseley Society’s Position
In a letter dated 26 September 2025, The Moseley Society set out its objection in firm but reasonable terms. It highlighted the “lack of information supplied” and said the park should not be fenced off for commercial use every Sunday. Doing so, they argued, would “cause both a public nuisance and harm to children who would be excluded from a large area of the park.”
The Society urged that the application be withdrawn, that the organisers meet with Parks officers, and that any future bid be resubmitted as a temporary event, not a standing licence.
The Council Report
The official Birmingham City Council report made clear that representations had been received from multiple parties. Police conditions had been agreed, though how that was reached is rather puzzling. The Sub-Committee’s duty was to decide the outcome based on the four statutory licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm. These are the pillars of licensing law, not one bit concerned with whether a car has been parked slightly askew on Russell Road.
A Company Without a Track Record
Enigma Event Ltd deserves a closer look. It was incorporated on 30 June 2024, with its registered address at 15 Collins Close, Braintree, Essex CM7 1JL. That is a modest residential property in a quiet cul-de-sac, not an office or events hub. The company’s directors, Elena Madalina Neagu and Liliana Maria Caldararu, may well have sincere intentions, but applying for a substantial park licence in Birmingham from a private house in Essex stretches credibility.
Was this enthusiasm overtaking experience, or a simple mistake in application format? Either way, it hardly inspires confidence.
Culture Clash or Due Diligence?
Adding to the intrigue was a poster for Festivalul Toamnei, the Romanian Autumn Festival (our Harvest Festival essentially), featuring Nicolae Guță. When this image appeared online with the caption “This application should be rejected immediately”, it caused a stir.
For some, it looked uncomfortably like cultural bias, perhaps even a trace of xenophobia. Moseley prides itself on being inclusive and culturally rich, yet the reaction seemed to suggest unease not only about logistics but also about the kind of audience expected, Eastern European, working class, and proud of it.
Even so, residents were justified in highlighting gaps in the plan. There was no clear event management document, no site map, no detail on crowd control, parking, or noise mitigation.
A Park Under Pressure
Cannon Hill Park is one of Birmingham’s best-loved open spaces. It handles festivals, fun runs, families, and picnics with ease, provided events are properly managed. A recurring Sunday event, complete with amplified music and alcohol sales, would stretch local tolerance and resources.
The Midlands Arts Centre, which sits within the park, already picks up many of the consequences of large-scale events. Allowing another commercial activity without a clear management plan risks offloading both responsibility and cost onto a charitable institution.
Procedural Fairness
Two points stand out clearly.
First, the hearing went ahead without the applicant being present. Licensing hearings are quasi-judicial in nature and are normally adjourned if a party cannot attend for good reason. Proceeding regardless looks hasty, but, in this case, I think the right thing to do.
Second, a newly formed, out-of-area company was able to submit a significant licensing application with minimal scrutiny. That gap in oversight should concern both residents and council officers. Officers should have sorted this before it got to committee, frankly. There is always a way.
The Decision Now Rests with the Committee
The Licensing Sub-Committee has now heard all representations from residents, councillors, and local organisations. It has promised to issue its formal decision within five days.
Whatever the outcome, this case has already laid bare some uncomfortable truths about how licensing is managed in Birmingham. It has shown a blend of enthusiasm, administrative haste, and community mistrust.
If the licence is granted, it will need robust, enforceable conditions on noise, crowd control, stewarding, and parking. If refused, the Council should make it plain that the decision rests on practical grounds, not prejudice.
My Take
Speaking personally, if I were still sitting on that committee, as I once did, I would have been deeply unhappy with this application. It looks to me like a simple mistake, an application that should never have reached the hearing stage in this shape. On that basis alone, I would be minded to reject it.
I am sure the council officials will draft a more refined explanation than my blunt one, but I would love to be a fly on the wall to see whether the councillors who make the decision agree with me.
GRIT Verdict
Moseley’s great strength has always been its openness to culture and community. Yet openness does not mean abandoning scrutiny. Birmingham deserves vibrant, diverse festivals, but not sloppy paperwork and unanswered phones.
Cannon Hill Park can host the world. The only condition is that everyone must know who is in charge when the music starts.