Oasis promoter granted Knebworth licence

North Hertfordshire Council has granted SJM Concerts a premises licence for Knebworth House, giving the promoter the ability to stage large events at the Hertfordshire site. The licence took effect on Saturday and remains in place indefinitely, according to a report published Wednesday by AOL. The approval covers events of up to 125,000 people and permits live music and dance performances until 03:00. The timing has drawn attention because Monday marks 30 years since Oasis played Knebworth on August 10 and 11, 1996. SJM Concerts promoted Oasis’s 2025 reunion tour, and the venue’s link to those shows has fueled fresh speculation about whether the band could return, though no such concerts have been announced. ### What exactly did the council approve? (aol.com) North Hertfordshire Council approved a premises licence, not a specific Oasis concert announcement. The licence applies to Knebworth House and allows SJM Concerts to host events there on an ongoing basis, rather than for a single named show. The 125,000-capacity figure is the clearest indication of scale. AOL reported that the licence permits live music and dance performances until 03:00, putting in place the regulatory framework needed for major outdoor concerts at the estate. (aol.com) ### Why is Oasis part of this story? Oasis is central because SJM Concerts handled the band’s 2025 reunion tour and because Knebworth is one of the group’s best-known venues. (aol.com) AOL said the licence was granted just days before the 30th anniversary of Oasis’s August 1996 Knebworth concerts. More than 4% of the UK population applied for tickets to those 1996 shows, AOL reported, underscoring why any new Knebworth licensing move tied to an Oasis promoter attracts immediate attention. (aol.com) The same report noted that Knebworth House owner Henry Lytton Cobbold said in 2024 that he wanted the band to return for a 30th anniversary show. ### Does the licence mean Oasis are playing Knebworth? (aol.com) No public announcement has said Oasis will play Knebworth in 2026 or 2027. AOL reported that both SJM Concerts and Knebworth House were asked what events are planned for the site, but no lineup, dates or ticketing plans were disclosed. Earlier local reporting showed why the licence application drew notice. (aol.com) The Comet reported on July 10 that SJM Concerts had applied for permission to stage live music at Knebworth Park, and that the application contemplated multiple events, including traffic-management planning for large crowds. ### What do the licence terms say about the scale of any future event? (aol.com) The application described operational planning consistent with a major outdoor show. The Comet reported that the filing said a traffic and transport management plan would be produced and included in the event management plan, with travel details to be provided to ticket holders in advance. (thecomet.net) SJM Concerts is an established UK promoter with a roster beyond Oasis. AOL said the company has also worked on shows involving Take That, The Prodigy and comedian Peter Kay, which places the Knebworth approval within its broader live-events business rather than as a single-artist permit. ### What happens next for Knebworth? Any next step now depends on a public event announcement from SJM Concerts, Knebworth House or both. (thecomet.net) As of Wednesday, no 2026 dates, performers or ticket-sale details had been published, and North Hertfordshire Council’s approval only establishes that the venue is licensed to host qualifying events. (aol.com)