Chelmsford Racecourse Capacity Capped at 10,000 After Timberlake Gig Chaos

Chelmsford City Racecourse has had its music event capacity reduced from nearly 30,000 to 10,000 following a chaotic Justin Timberlake concert in July 2025 where nearly 23,000 fans attended. The event was plagued by severe traffic congestion, with attendees trapped for hours and some forced to walk along a dangerous dual carriageway, raising police concerns about potential fatalities. The Chelmsford City Council's licensing committee described the situation as a "catastrophic failure in operational management," citing serious public safety hazards and widespread disruption to local residents and motorists. The council imposed the new capacity limit specifically for music concerts, leaving other events like horse racing unaffected, and mandated that any future events exceeding 5,000 attendees require submission of an event management plan. Despite apologies from the racecourse for the traffic issues, the police and council emphasized the risks posed by the previous event's mismanagement. The decision aims to prevent similar incidents and ensure safer, more manageable events at the venue.