Clifton Park concert plans leave Reytons fans guessing
An application for an outdoor music event to take place over three days next July has been submitted to the council
A bonfire night deadline has been set for public feedback on a proposed three-day music event at Clifton Park, amid speculation that The Reytons could return to their home town.
Rotherham Council has received a licensing application for outdoor music events at the park between July 9 and 11, 2027, but has not confirmed whether the local indie rock favourites are involved.
The application has been submitted by Communion ONE Ltd, the company formed following the merger of FKP Scorpio and Communion Presents in 2024.
FKP Scorpio promoted The Reytons’ hugely successful homecoming concert at Clifton Park in the summer of 2024, while Communion ONE is reported to promote events for the band.
The connection has fuelled speculation that the group could be preparing to return to the venue where more than 20,000 people attended what was described as the largest outdoor music event ever held at the park.
However, the band’s involvement remains unconfirmed.
Polly Hamilton, the Council’s Service Director for Culture, Tourism and Sport, would only say: “The Council has received a licensing application for an event to take place in Clifton Park. We will remain in contact with the applicant to inform them of the outcome.”
The application seeks permission for three outdoor music concerts, with live and recorded music permitted between 2pm and 10.30pm on Friday, July 9, and Saturday, July 10, and until 10pm on Sunday, July 11.
It also seeks permission for alcohol sales from noon until 11pm on the Friday and Saturday, and until 10.30pm on the Sunday.
The proposed layout reportedly mirrors that used for the 2024 concert, with the stage positioned on the extended car park area off Doncaster Road and facilities including bars, food areas, toilets and medical tents within a secured event perimeter.
The Council says that if no objections are received by Thursday, November 5, the licence will be granted as applied for.
If objections are made, the application will be referred to the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee, which could grant the licence as requested, amend its conditions or reject it.
The 2024 arrangements also allowed for a possible second Reytons concert, with July 7 held as a provisional date dependent on ticket sales for the July 6 show. Only one concert ultimately took place.
The prospect of a return would come as the band’s links with Rotherham continue to grow. Their fourth album, A Love Letter to a Broken Town, was described by the band as being “for the community, the roots and the towns that made us”.
Celebrations were held in the town centre after the album reached number one in the Official Albums Chart.
A study commissioned after the 2024 concert and carried out by Sheffield Hallam University estimated that the event contributed £1 million to Rotherham’s economy and £1.36 million across South Yorkshire.
The Rotherham Advertiser has approached Communion ONE Ltd for comment.