Overview
- City Hall, which announced the extra £4.6m Friday, lifted total support for the 29–31 August event above £5.6m.
- Organisers said the festival could not run safely without the grant after a 2024 review flagged critical crowd risks.
- The package pays for at least 1,000 extra security staff, crowd-safety experts, new barriers and wifi for safety teams.
- Organisers will handle crowd control and major road closures, letting Metropolitan Police focus on core policing at the event.
- Conservative leaders called the spend a "blank cheque" that should keep local police counters open, a view pushed by right-leaning outlets as the Met declined comment.