Students pledge festival petition
A GROUP of students are starting a petition to save a three-day music festival at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood, which last week had an application to increase its capacity refused.
The plans to increase capacity from 30,000 to 53,000, with 20,000 campers, from July 2 to July 6 next year were thrown out by members of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's licensing and appeals panel.
Duncan Silvey, 20, from Paddock Wood, studies music at West Kent College and said he and his classmates will start a petition to support the festival, which received opposition from many East Peckham residents.
He said: "I saw the news and couldn't understand the reaction from those living nearby. It took me by surprise."
Hop Farm owner Peter Bull said he was "60 per cent sure" they would appeal the decision and the option remains open for a smaller scale festival.
See readers' comments on Page 21
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by dj, East Peckham
Friday, February 13 2009, 4:37PM
“Once again big money rules over local community. Whats the betting that none of the Magistrates who granted the licence live nearby???”
by Nomad, TUn Wells
Wednesday, January 28 2009, 10:10AM
“Just heard The hop farm has been granted permission to have a festival for 53,000 people with 20,000 camping, bring it on!”
by tp, East Peckham
Friday, December 26 2008, 2:56PM
“Jack said-"The residents in East Peckham opposing this should accept the fact that they live right next to a major exhibition ground This fact has not suddenly happened, its been like this for a long time now."-Well thats the whole point my friend, when we moved here the Hop Farm wasnt a "major" exhibition ground nor was it a music festival site this has only happened in recent years much to local residents growing annoyance! If its got to happen why not do it at Brands Hatch race circuit? They are used to the continuous noise over there.”
by Jack Hackitt, Paddock Wood
Monday, December 22 2008, 12:04PM
“I'd sign the petition in favour of a decent music festival. On the condition that the acts performing were not the usual x-craptor sugababes aloud generic teenybop poo thats poisoned our music industry. If the music festival was a genuine attempt at putting on a good show and not just another Radio1 party in the park money earner. Then I'd be very interested in going.
I live in Paddock Wood and suffer inconvenience whenver War & Peace is on, or any big event at the hopfarm. Many times I cant get back home due to traffic congestion. Or find my local Waitrose packed with army jeeps driven by weird uniformed gun nuts. Their tanks/cars/jeeps clog up the roads, cause congestion and delays on seven mile lane.
Yes at the time its a pain. Do I think War & Peace should stop ? No. Because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
The residents in East Peckham opposing this should accept the fact that they live right next to a major exhibition ground. This fact has not suddenly happened, its been like this for a long time now. If they cant accept this, then move elsewhere to live out your insular self centred lives.”
by DJ, East Peckham
Monday, December 08 2008, 12:03PM
“I agree with Harry. Jennifer,its a 5 day 11am to 2am the following morning event, plus with build time, soundchecks and then breakdown in reality it will probably run into 7 days. If this event got the go ahead then it would be much harder for the council to refuse events of this scale happening more often as well. The hop farm still make a valid contribution to the area with what they do now thank you..if they really wanted to invest in the area they could celebrate the history of farming,brewing, etc in Kent and our fastly disappearing countryside as a whole. As for its location in Beltring, Google Earth the hop farm and look at how many of our houses and gardens in East Peckham back onto the Farm. Perhaps they could relocate the "one off" event to the truck park they proposed to build for operation stack on the M20 on a week when its not being used? ..think of the income it would bring to the locals in Ashford! I'm sure the locals wouldnt complain about that would they? what's a couple of thousand trucks parked in your back garden or maybe 53000 people for a week whats the problem? hmm? I shall watch out on Meridian News for that one (again!)”