Huge steel fences have been erected at Manchester’s Heaton Park to stop ticketless fans catching a glimpse of the Oasis reunion tour — their first run of shows since 2009.
Liam and Noel Gallagher are set to resume their sold-out run with a performance tonight (Tuesday, July 16), followed by two more shows this weekend on Saturday and Sunday (July 19 & 20). Last weekend, while tens of thousands had tickets to see the band’s historic return, hundreds more gathered on a grassy slope now dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by fans on social media, hoping to watch from afar.
Videos shared online showed crowds having picnics and singing along, while large screens above the stage were just visible in the distance. However, not all went smoothly: some ticketless fans attempted to breach the concert area, with footage showing them trying to storm metal fences as the band took to the stage.
In response, Manchester City Council confirmed this morning that additional steel fencing has now been put in place around parts of the park — specifically covering the popular hill within the park’s cattle field, where around 300 young trees have been planted as part of a new woodland area.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” a council spokesperson said. “The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose — both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there. The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
The event space itself remains double-walled with solid, high-security fencing all around, and more than 2,000 security staff and police officers will be on duty to ensure that only ticket-holders can access the site. The council also stressed that there will be no facilities or support for those without tickets.
The move has divided fans online: some see it as an understandable step to keep people safe and protect the park, while others slammed it as “gatekeeping at its finest.” Whether determined fans will find new vantage points for the final three shows remains to be seen — but one thing’s clear: the hunger to be part of Oasis’s long-awaited comeback is still as strong as ever.
