Efficiency and exuberance make North Coast concert successful

12.55.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 18th Jun 2006

Alliance Coleraine representative, Yvonne Boyle

Alliance Coleraine representative Yvonne Boyle has said that a North Coast dance concert was an overall success despite some arrests, and called for more vision in bringing events to Northern Ireland and involving local talent.

The Alliance Chairperson, herself a social worker dealing with people with addiction problems, stated: "Efficient policing and exuberant music fans made the _Fat Boy Slim_ concert in Portrush an overall success.

"Clearly the seizure of any amount of drugs and arrests for other offences such as on-street drinking are a matter of some concern. But the truth is that the concert passed with the majority of people having had a very good time.

"We need more community confidence with such events, and we should be sure to combine local creative talent with our geographical landscape. We should not always have to bring people from outside Northern Ireland to make these events function well.

"As one living nearby, I know the concert was generally well marshalled and we should be looking to create a vision for many more such events in future."

ENDS