Strong winds from Storm Lilian wreaked havoc at Leeds Festival on Friday morning, causing damage to two stages that will remain closed throughout the weekend. The BBC Radio 1 stage, the Aux stage, and the Chevron stage were all affected by gusts of about 60mph, prompting organisers to keep them shut for safety reasons.
Despite the setback, the festival opened its arena at Bramham Park at 14:00 BST, with rap artist Bru-C kicking off the performances. However, the health and safety team determined that the BBC Radio 1 and Aux stages would not be able to open on Saturday or Sunday, while there was hope that the Chevron stage would be ready by noon on Saturday.
Disappointed festival-goers took to social media to express their sadness over the cancellations, with artists like Beabadoobee and Alfie Templeman sharing their disappointment. Campers were also warned to secure their tents due to the strong winds, with a yellow wind warning in place until 11:00 BST.
Roads around Bramham Park were closed for the duration of the festival, which is expected to draw around 90,000 people over the bank holiday weekend. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, acts like Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and 21 Savage were still scheduled to perform, with other artists like The Prodigy, Blink 182, and Lana Del Rey set to take the stage over the weekend.
For Ellie Rainey, who traveled from Blackpool to attend the festival, the changes brought by the storm were a disappointment. “We’ve dressed warm and the nice outfits have gone out of the window,” she said. Despite the setbacks, festival-goers are still looking forward to enjoying the music and atmosphere at Leeds Festival.
