Why 500 bucket hats were seized during Oasis gigs

Over 500 Oasis bucket hats were seized by council officers during the Gallagher brothers’ hometown gigs in July, a report has revealed.

Hundreds of thousands of fans headed to Heaton Park for the five sold-out shows, with many vendors set up nearby and in Manchester city centre selling merchandise and other goods.

Licencing officers for Bury Council also seized over 200 t-shirts, 15 hoodies, 10 bags, 500 bottles of water and 10 vapes while tackling unlicensed street traders, a report to be handed to the council’s licensing panel this week said.

Other items collected included fans, trollies and a cowboy hat. The estimated street value of the goods taken was £12,000.

More than 100 street pedlars and traders were checked over the five days, with more than 50 who didn’t have licences being moved on, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The report also outlined other issues dealt with by the council during that period, including multiple noise complaints from residents.

Officers also dealt with overcrowding, late openings and an assault incident at nearby pubs, as well as and off-licences being open past permitted hours.

Issues on the roads included repeated breaches of road closures by vehicles on Bury Old Road after the shows ended, which were passed on to the police.

There were also issues of some nearby residents selling parking permits and allowing concert goers to park on their driveways during road closures, the report stated.

The council worked alongside Greater Manchester Police who made dozens of arrests during the concerts.