Following the withdrawal of a crowdfunded bid to buy the Sheffield festival, Tramlines has a new home for its 10th year

UK festival Tramlines is to move out of Sheffield city centre for its 10th anniversary event, after being granted an event licence for Hillsborough Park, a large green space on the outskirts of the city.

Tramlines was launched in 2009 as a free, city-centre festival by Tramlines Events and Sheffield Council, with Tramline Events assuming full control in 2010. Count of Ten (Y Not, Truck Festival) acquired a 38% stake in 2013, introducing several ‘premium’ venues but still keeping a free tier.

The festival moved away from its multi-venue roots in 2017, instead taking place across three green spaces – the Ponderosa (pictured), Devonshire Green and Endcliffe Park – with ticket prices rising to £60 for the Libertines-, Primal Scream- and All Saints-headlined event.

“I’m delighted that our licence for Hillsborough Park has been approved. We can now put our plans into practice as we celebrate the 10th anniversary”

It was announced in April by Music City Foundation, a Sheffield-based nonprofit, that it had entered into an agreement to buy the festival for £1.2 million, but the takeover bid failed to secure shareholder approval and has since fallen through.

“I’m delighted that our licence for Hillsborough Park has been approved,” says festival director Sarah Nulty. “We can now put our plans into practice as we celebrate the 10th anniversary with the biggest and best Tramlines to date. The first line-up announcement will be early next year so please keep an eye on our website and social media channels.”

Nulty adds that Tramlines 2018 will retain an urban element, saying the festival is “working closely with Sheffield City Council on the city-centre proposition to ensure that it remains a core part of the weekend, and more information on those plans will be released in the new year.”

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