Plans for Covid isolation campsite described as "bleak and harsh" at Leeds Festival 2021 revealed by Melvin Benn

As is customary, the council met to analyse final preparations for the event, which takes place over the bank holiday weekend, with organiser Festival Republic.

The event - with a capacity of 89,999 people - will be the first Leeds Festival to take place since the outbreak of Covid 19, following its cancellation in 2020.

In the meeting, Melvin Benn - Managing Director of Festival Republic which organises the festival - presented a range of new safety features set to be implemented this year following the findings of an inquest into a teenager's death at the 2019 event.

New measures revealed include a welfare tent situated within the arena - in addition to the usual 'village' tent.

Brook - the only national charity to offer both clinical sexual health services and education and wellbeing services for young people - will also be on site this year, Mr Benn said.

A standalone drugs advisory board will also be set up within the arena.

Mr Benn said Festival Republic had invested in Covid testing machines for the site with a "15 minute result".

He said they are "as close to PCR as can be got".

Mr Benn said: "Anybody who tests positive on a lateral flow, if we are in advance we may be separating them, but if anyone presents to medical we are able to give a pretty accurate clarity on whether they are Covid positive or not on site.

"That benefits the continuity of production and the attendees."

During questions at the conclusion to his presentation, Councillor Paul Alderson, Guiseley and Rawdon, asked what the procedure would be at Leeds Festival 2021 if an attendee tested positive for Covid.

He also asked if any transport provisions had been made for anyone who tested positive to be taken away from the site.

Cllr Alderson added: "I am just thinking about safeguarding taxi drivers and bus drivers, that is all."

In response, Melvin Benn said Festival Republic had worked 'very closely' with the Public Health director on policies.

Mr Benn said organisers followed Public Health guidelines on people returning home.

However, if someone tested positive for Covid on site and were "vulnerable and/or can't return home", Mr Benn said organisers had made plans to create an "isolated campsite" for them to stay overnight.

Mr Benn also revealed discussions between organisers and a 'local hotel' in the hope they may take Covid positive attendees on a 'single night basis'.

He added: "If someone comes in late at night and the trains have stopped, they can't get home to their family, in order to do that we are talking with one local hotel to see if they would accept Covid positive festival goers on a single night basis.

"We are very much on that.

"Unfortunately the Covid isolation campsite is a bleak place, obviously because nobody else is in it.

"So we are looking at ways to make that less bleak or less harsh in a way.

"We have full policies on that sort of stuff."