Hillsborough Park: Fresh drone photo shows extent of Sheffield park restorations six weeks after Tramlines

The results of ongoing attempts to restore Hillsborough Park six weeks following a 'mudbath' caused during Tramlines 2023 have been revealed by fresh drone footage.

Over the weekend of July 22 and 23, the Sheffield park was churned up by two days of near-constant rain and tens of thousands of partygoers. Grassed areas have been fenced off for nearly all of the summer for reseeding by the council.

Since then, opinion has been torn over whether muddy aftermaths are just what comes with festivals - or if Tramlines should be moved from Hillsborough altogether.

Now, fresh drone footage shared with The Star by Phoenix Drone Media can be compared with stills taken my David Hector immediately after the festival to show how far efforts have come.

With the two pictures side by side, it's apparent that the grass on Hillsborough Park has barely even begun to recover after six weeks.

Even if tracks from vehicles have receded and conditions are much less churned up than they were, the overwhelming picture is still of brown, bare earth.

The largest patches of grass can even bee seen in the spots where Tramlines' infrastructure like stages, bars and staff areas were during the festival.

Phoenix Browes of Phoenix Drone Media, who took the latest footage, said about the images: "The park is taking far too long to be put back right. It's had a charity run event cancelled because of this and no one has been able to use the park the whole six week holidays."

Meanwhile, support is mounting for suggestions to move the festival to Don Valley Bowl, with businessman David Slater saying: “I'm confident that with the right planning, an east end [Attercliffe] festival would be bigger and better than anything that we have had before.

"With everything else that's going on between Junction 34 and Castlegate it's an option that shouldn't be ignored. It's a shame Hillsborough Park just got trashed.”

Contractors began ground repairwork at Hillsborough Park on Monday, July 31, and Tramlines organisers say areas that require repair will remain fenced off for safety while the work is carried out and to allow recovery once completed. These areas will be opened in stages as they are ready.

The work includes removal of the top layer, applying new top soil and sand, as well as re-seeding, along with heavy rolling and metal fences to keep the public off while it regrows.