'I think they'll do it' Electric Picnic CEO backs Stradbally community centre plan

Electric Picnic owner Melvin Benn has agreed to help pay for a community centre for Stradbally.

The Laois town which will host the festival for the 20th year this week, has no community hall but a local committee plans to buy land and raise enough money and grants to build it,estimating the cost at over €3 million.

The Festival Republic MD told the Leinster Express / Laois Live why he agreed to help.

He will match fund the money raised locally, every year for 10 years, after they source a site.

“They asked me. I’d like to think that Electric Picnic is a good neighbour and obviously we’re a major activity in the town. They wanted me to fund it, I said I’m not going to fund it, because I want other people to make the effort. I don’t want to be the sole person to make the effort. But we will match fund, and if they can raise some money we’ll raise the money as well.

"I think what they’re doing is amazing, it’s going to be fantastic for the local community, but the local community needs to work for it as well, and not just sort of expect me to pay and expect the festival to pay. I think they’ll do it and I’ll be looking forward to it when it opens,” Melvin Benn said.

The Stradbally committee recently held a public meeting where they got backing of the community to again ask one unnamed local landowner to sell them what they agree is the ideal site. 

The hope is to build a hall to accommodate a fullsize basketball court, a stage, a kitchen, changing and meeting rooms, with a carpark and an outdoor pitch, to be fit for everything in the growing town from basketball and bingo to fundraisers and funeral wakes.

Chairperson David Kinsella had confirmed their deal with Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn.

"Three years ago we had made a public agreement with the Electric Picnic Residents Committee to put aside the nett proceeds from Pink Zone ticket sales for ten years. We have €94,000 accumulated so far. It was a very historic agreement.

"Now with the 20th anniversary of Electric Picnic, seeing it grow to be the largest in the country, we felt it timely to have a conversation with Melvin. 

"We met him before Christmas. His first answer was 'no, I won't be writing a cheque'. We pointed out the level of disruption and that the festival wouldn't be the same without community support. 

"He agreed to support us but he will match any locally fundraised money, not grant aid. He will do so for 10 years, to kick in once a site is identified. Part of the agreement is they can use it during the festival for things like power and parking," Mr Kinsella explained.