FINAL preparations are under way for the biggest festival in the Winchester area.

Co-ordinators for the Boomtown Fair are in the throes of finalising noise levels, contact details and directions for the event, ready for its 38,000 revellers.

This year sees Shaggy, NoFX, The Cat Empire and Jimmy Cliff headlining the stages as well as Lady Saw, Raggasonic, Playing for Change, Boddika and Chas ’n’ Dave.

Organisers of the event, which runs from Thursday, August 7 to Sunday, August 10 at Matterley Bowl, have released new contact details aimed to help residents over the four days.

The hotline – 0208 185 3963 – goes live from Friday and will give locals the chance to raise any issues directly with festival staff.

There will also be an email address, eventcontrol@boom-townfair.co.uk, for the event control room, which opens on Monday.

Any feedback about the festival can be sent to local_community@boomtownfair.co.uk.

Details of an additional entry and exit route – specifically for campervans and coaches – have also been confirmed.

They will be directed via Twyford, Morestead Road, and Longwood Road when travelling inbound on Thursday, between 10am-6pm and outbound on Monday from 8am-4pm.

The Twyford traffic lights will be managed from 8am-8pm on these days.

The normal entry route along the A31 from the M3 junction 9 (Spitfire Link) to Alresford will affect traffic on Thursday from 10am-6pm and Monday from 9am-5pm.

The A272 from the A31 to Rodfield Lane will also be affected on Thursday from 10am-6pm and Monday from 9am-5pm.

The A31 central reservation gaps will be closed to traffic on Thursday from 5am to Monday at 5pm. Temporary 40mph speed restrictions will also be enforced along the A31 and the A272.

Organisers have also introduced additional sound monitoring devices. On Wednesday, between 7pm-9pm, the fair will test the sound systems as agreed by Winchester City Council.

There will be nine off-site monitoring positions as well as two permanent locations to the north and south of the site.

Satellite phones have bolstered communications between staff to ensure any complaints are responded to as soon as possible and the noise team will continuously monitor site readings.

For the first year the fair has a dedicated community response team, working from Wednesday evening at 6pm, until Monday afternoon. They will be on hand to discuss parking, pedestrians, litter or any other issues affected by the fair’s presence.

There is also a community liaison officer on site who will be free to do home visits.

The gates open for vehicle and pedestrian access from 12pm-10pm on Thursday and from 10am-10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.