Coroner concerned with festival's 'open' drug trade

A coroner has highlighted concerns over an "unchecked, open and free trade" of drugs at a festival after the death of a 22-year-old man.

Benjamin Buckfield died after he took MDMA he had bought at Boomtown festival near Winchester in August last year, an inquest found.

Coroner Nicholas Walker has called on Boomtown and Hampshire police to take action to prevent more deaths at the event, which starts on Wednesday.

Boomtown said it would now "work with the police to respond to the coroner's report".

The police also acknowledged the concerns in the report and said it would "continue to discuss these with the event organisers before providing a response".

The festival and the police must respond to the report by 26 September.

Mr Walker, area coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, said he had taken into account the changes made by the festival and the police for Boomtown 2025 before making his comments.

"I heard evidence that illegal drugs were freely available to purchase at the festival," he said.

"One of Ben's friends described how dealers would walk through the campsites shouting the names of the drugs they were offering to supply.

"I was told this took place as regularly as every 20 minutes and that they saw nothing done to try and disrupt this trade.

"I am concerned that an unchecked, open and free trade in unlawful drugs will create a risk of future deaths."

Mr Walker said he had heard evidence that people carrying drugs on the site were only ejected if they were quantities "consistent with being a drug dealer".

He said he was concerned about that police adding that there is "no disincentive" for festival-goers who attempt to bring drugs into the event and could "give rise to risk of future death".

More than 60,000 people are expected to attend the sold out event at Matterley Estate in the South Downs National Park, which runs until Sunday.

Assistant Chief Constable for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Tony Rowlinson said: "Public safety is our absolute priority.

"We work to national guidance around policing large festivals and events, and do so in close collaboration with key partners, including the event organiser.

"We acknowledge the concerns raised in the coroner's Prevention of Future Deaths report, and will continue to discuss these with the event organisers before providing a response to the coroner within the required timeframe.

"As part of our forward planning for this year's event, we had reviewed last year's plans and worked with the organisers to implement measures which strengthen the event partnership's ability to disrupt anyone suspected to be involved in supplying drugs."

A Boomtown statement said: "We thank the coroner for his thorough investigation, which highlights the ongoing and very real risks posed by drugs – even where strong harm reduction measures are in place.

"We will now work with the police to respond to the coroner's report."