Five major Ebrington events in 2024

The process currently under negotiation between Derry City and Strabane District Council  and  The Executive Office (TEO) will allow for up to five major events, requiring entertainment licences, to take place at Ebrington in 2024, Derry News understands

The possibility of Council assuming a programming role for future events in Derry’s Ebrington Square is to be discussed at a special meeting of its Business and Culture committee.

The meeting is scheduled for Friday (October 20) afternoon.

 It follows an informal briefing of councillors and MLAs on Monday regarding the Ebrington Square situation. It is expected the matter will also be discussed at Council’s October plenary meeting on Wednesday (October 25). 

The intense Council activity around the future of Ebrington Square follows a motion to council which “reaffirmed Council commitment to the transfer of Ebrington as soon as is practicably possible and tasked officers with urgently engaging with The Executive Office (TEO) so Council could provide the management and oversight function of sustainable and cost-effective events” at the square.

Council also “recognised the value events bring to the city and district and committed to working with all relevant partners to ensure every avenue is explored to bring events to Ebrington Square in 2024”.

In addition, there is an ongoing weekly protest in Ebrington Square organised by the ‘Your Ebrington’ group, which is campaigning for the reinstatement of events in the Square. 

The protest is in response to the cancellation  of a number of events in the Square during the summer and the revelation a number of organisations received settlements from TEO as a result. 

Cullen’s Funfair received £50k which was in part to compensate for their events in 2023 and 2024 taking place on a smaller space, in the rear car park reflecting their reduced income.

Robert Allen/Connected Festival, received a settlement of £80k to compensate for the loss of sales and reinstating services within a short timeframe, resulting in increased costs and in respect of his agreement to withdraw his application to hold events on Ebrington Square in 2024.

Ebrington Hotel, received an ex-gratia payment of £150k (inclusive of legal costs) in full and final settlement of any claim howsoever arising between themselves and TEO in respect of the events / events and licensing process for August 5 to 6 and August 24 to 27, 2023. 

Derry News understands that in the ‘Council Support for Events at Ebrington’ report being brought to Committee on Friday, TEO and Council “recognise the need for a comprehensive events and management strategy for the overall Ebrington site in the longer term”. It also recognises “there is a need for proper engagement with all stakeholders”.

It states: “In order to be able to support events for 2024, Council officers have agreed with TEO to support them with a process which will allow for up to five major events to take place at Ebrington in 2024. 

“This process will relate to large scale events which require an entertainment licence.”

Derry City and Strabane District councillor, Shaun Harkin (PBP) said Council was trying to quickly put in place a plan which would enable it to take on management of events.

He added: “This would facilitate a process for having events in summer 2024, which I think people want to see.

“Most people will want to see that shaped locally, rather than being done via TEO. People want to move away from the mess that developed this year.

“From my point of view, yes, I still have a concern TEO is making a commitment about resourcing it but we want to see that commitment in writing because taking this on has already become more work for Council,” said Cllr Harkin.

Speaking to Derry Now, a spokesperson for the ‘Your Ebrington’ group said the meetings between Council and TEO should not be “happening behind closed doors”. 

They said: “While it is great the issue continues to be discussed at a governmental level, we really believe these meetings between Council, TEO and others should not be happening behind closed doors. 

“Council meetings are recorded and fed live to YouTube. If more meetings about issues the public care about happened in that format, we would have more trust in our political representatives for a start and transparency would not just be a foreign concept.

"They are bringing the discussion to a special meeting on Friday, which we had hoped to attend in person to oversee proceedings. Unfortunately, it is being held in Derry Road Council Chamber in Strabane, so it is difficult for those within the city to physically attend.

"Electing politicians to act on our behalf only goes so far. We believe in participatory democracy where people are directly involved in decision making. Obviously we also believe in protest and campaigning as a way of pushing issues to the fore. Our next protest is scheduled for this Saturday, October 21, at 2pm in Ebrington.

"As we said at the rally last week, wouldn't it be great if, on Saturday, it became a celebration of achievement rather than the frustration and anger that we have all felt since this issue reared its head several months ago. This city badly needs a win and something to look forward to,” said the Your Ebrington spokesperson.