UK : East : Planning a Legal Event in Middle Essex

[sampfordman]

hi

i own a 10 acre field in the rural essex countryside which i am planning on holding a mega rave in the summer of this year. my field in situated just outside a small village called greatsampford. which is near saffron walden. we are just 15 mins from the M11, and 30 mins from cambridge and just 50 mins from london. IN ORDER FOR THIS RAVE TO TAKE PLACE WE NEED A PRIVATE TEAM OF PEOPLE TO ORGANSIE THE RAVE. i dont have any facilties which are needed for a rave to take place. i have the land we need the people with the equipment. i will not charge the event organsiers any money. this will be a free party. i would like to see this rave reach a minimum of 400 people. my field is situated well away from any other houses. THIS IS NOT AN ILLIGIEAL RAVE as you have my permission for the rave to take place.

if you have any questions please email me at sampfordman@yahoo.co.uk
or phone me on my mobile on 07767034318...

if you know any one with the equipment needed for a rave call me now. cheers michael smith

[Ruff Beat Provider]

It will still be illegal unless you get all the proper licensing.

[General Lighting]

given the location you are in and this is your first post, 98% of the people here are going to think you are either

1 - a cops intelligence gathering exercise
2 - a journo doing the same
3 - someone taking the piss, perhaps with another persons mobile number

if however you are none of these things, the very first place you want to look at before sorting out rigs etc is here.

http://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/communi...nt+notices.htm

Then come back when you have got your TENS, and half of East Anglia will probably be wanting to get involved.

it doesn't matter if you own the land. If you put a rave on it without your council and neighbours agreeing, you will get busted as well as the ravers. Essex is particularly on top in this respect and has been so for more than 10 years, due to the backlash from the "Essex Boys" and associated drugs culture of the 90s...

[sampfordman]

cause im not any of those, im just a landowner who loves a party wanting to hold a wicked rave. i am going to look into a tens notice. i will let you know when i have sent off my tens application form. fingers crossed i will get it. then we can get the suppourt needed.

[General Lighting]

this is a guide from someone who has successfully applied for one in SW England.

http://www.partyvibe.com/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=18482

Also as you have approached a well-known ravers' website which was recently featured on BBC news I would be prepared for the media and maybe the cops (probably the media first) to be trying to track you down, and the usual rumours etc being spread around the locals.

And you have picked a rather unfortunate title given that a similarly titled event happened in the same area, which was the scene of some of the worst violence in the East of England in 2006.

So it may not be an easy task, and you may encounter considerable opposition, but there actually have been low-key legal underground music events in Essex.

In the meantime, why not stick around here and chat a bit more about yourself? if you are a bit older and got into partying in the late 80s/early 90s, there are plenty of people here (young and old) who would like to hear your memories of the times, chat about the music etc..

also if you confirm your email address you can download loads of MP3s including the latest stuff and old-skool music from the acid house/early rave days....

[sampfordman]

what i want is a seperate team to organsie the whole thing, i want nothing to do with the organsiation of the rave, i am just going to be the land owner allowing a rave to take place. if possible i would like someone else to set up the tens form. we can have a rave we just need the suppourt from others.

[sampfordman]

yer i know about that rave which took place in essex, one of my mates was there. yer i think i might change the name. have you got any suggestions for other appoiate names.

[General Lighting]

I've changed the subject to something more appropriate (and less likely to attract unwelcome attention off the feds and media who are working together to monitor this site at the moment).

there are actually a fair few people from Essex/Suffolk who read this site and maybe could get something together, but its getting round the understandable cynicism and paranoia as your offer just sounds "too good to be true"

For the 2006 event it was claimed they had permission from the farmer. Whether the farmer went back on his word or cops persuaded him to do so is unclear (the cops may have pointed out he would be liable for licensing breaches if he didn't say it was unauthorised) but the fallout from this won't be forgotten. There were serious injuries on both sides, thousands of pounds of taxpayers money spent, and community relations possibly permanently destroyed across East Anglia and SE England.

Essex landowners don't normally just randomly offer the use of thousands of pounds worth of land for loud noisy parties that piss off their neighbours, or if they do they arrange it with people whom they know and trust.

Bear in mind the brand reputation of your farm/business/whatever else you do with this land and the reputation of your family would be affected by how well this event goes, whether or not your name is on the TENS application. if anything goes tits up, Archant, Anglia and Auntie will be waiting to broadcast it to the entire world.

Round here some crews are more clued up than others, and also the cops / locals aren't initially going to want to "give in to criminals" so sadly its not going to be easy convincing anyone to accept a rave even if its what could be a positive outcome.

So its in everyones interests - yours, the crews, the people attending, even the cops, other authorities and locals to proceed carefully and slowly and plan this well....

[binge]

Actually, there has been a few hints from new reports that the local police will actually be up for helping to get legal, well organised events sorted, kind of an olive branch, as it were.

If you hang around here and chat a bit, people might start to work out whether you are genuine or not, and then point you in the right direction. Personally, I'd say a low key event with a bands tent and a dance arena would be much more appealing than a MEGARAVE!

Tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do, are you a raver, farmer, son of a farmer?

[Tank Girl]

Originally posted by binge

If you hang around here and chat a bit, people might start to work out whether you are genuine or not, and then point you in the right direction. Personally, I'd say a low key event with a bands tent and a dance arena would be much more appealing than a MEGARAVE!

Tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do, are you a raver, farmer, son of a farmer?

welcome to the board, as the others say stick around, post and I'm sure you'll find what your after
but a nice low key event with seperate dance tents / bands etc seems much more appealing and more likely to pull a respectful crowd then a 'megarave'

as it is your land and you'll want it looking after, and peeps who will hopefully help clear up !

[sampfordman]

hi only recently or like the last 3 years ve really goten into raving. my favorite kind of music is phytrance, hardcore, freeform, but occasionly like going to a few drum n bass events. just went to one last week called warning, was wicked. im not a farmer but bought a pice of land about 7 years ago and it has just been sitting there all that time. we have used it as a quad and dirtbike racing track ocassionly. i bought the field in the intention of one day setting up a vineyard of it but sadly has never really happened. just got back from an event this morning called mad hatters tea party. it was so good. upstairs had area 51 sound suite. so yer you could call me someone whos up for a good time.

[sampfordman]

hi after long chats with my family they all think it could be a good idea but i think if its going to happen we want to change event slighty. if we can get a tens application accepted, we would like to hold a small low key event, which we would have a few bands playing, it would by no means be a huge rave. if we can make it an ligitamte evnt with the media and police on our side it can happen. the only problem that stands in our way is the local parish council. they will be the biggest problem of all.

[Playground Politics]

if u want it small, dont advertise it on a partying website forum

[binge]

Personally, I would have a bands tent, and maybe one or two dance arenas. Depending on how much effort you want to put in, maybe just make it a one day event, running from sat morn till sun, or fri and sat night.

The actual organisation of the event should not be too much effort. (well, that's a lie- it will be a hell of a lot of effort, but can be done!!) There's plenty of people round that way with access to tents, systems and stuff.

The big bit will be talking to the local council, and the police and getting all the right safety things in place.

Would you want to charge for it? These things do cost a lot of money, even if you are heading for a more 'free party' style atmosphere. But getting people to pay a tenner or so on the door shouldn't be too bad.

If you are serious, look into getting a TENS, talk to the right people and see what the concensus is. There's lot of usefull info on this site, for instance- how to get a TENS sorted:

http://www.partyvibe.com/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=18482

If you are legit and willing to put a fair amount of work in I'd be up for having a chat at some point. Keep us informed about your progress.

Good luck dude!

[sampfordman]

hi if i do get a tens application form accepted i would love to have as much suppourt as possible. yer i agree with most of you the event has to be low but not too small, maybe one main band tent and a smaller dance tent. yer i think i would probly charge ten pounds on the door, this would be to cover my costs, but if we can a team together who are willing to either play and set up this event for free or are willing to accept a small amount of money. this event is not patiacurly about profit but obviosuly im not going to want to loose any money. have any of you got any idea about what size the event should be. maybe 200, 300, 400, but obvioulsy has to be under 500 people otherwise i cant get a tens application form accepted.

[General Lighting]

most raves only have 200-300 people despite how big people think they actually are. When you do get 1000+ people at an event its only because one has been closed down elsewhere.

A similar event in Norfolk held in 2006 had a £5 door charge although by the time me and my mates got there they weren't even collecting the money. most people round here won't pay £10 unless the event has big DJ names or is in London.

I'd go for the full 500 people as that includes crew, security, yourself, your family etc.

also be careful whom you get involved with and attract to the party. There are some really quality people round here, there are unfortunately also some who are complete bellends and would probably try to fuck up your event out of spite that you have "given in to babylon".

Try to attract people you know and their friends, thankfully in Essex/Suffolk there are a fair few clued up ravers who realise what they have lost through others stupidity and would support an event like this..

However, before raising your hopes too much, I'd suggest checking discreetly with the councils etc about what their view is.

There is already every chance they may be aware of your plans as people read this site merely to pass on info to councils and cops about planned raves.

if the authorities just refuse point blank then ask why they are objecting and tell us here - it will only be by frank and open public discussion that any progress can be made.

it won't be an easy ride. They will ask all sorts of questions compared to just "letting a rig in a field" but others have managed to get licenses.

There also has to be a point where the rest of society realise that ravers aren't just going to disappear, and an event like this could be a positive outlet for peoples energy and creativity to offset all the clampdowns and enforcement.

Without the chance of legal events such as this many youths will in fact just turn to binge-drinking and even worse class A drugs, creating a bigger social problem (this is in fact already the case in Essex and Suffolk where the authorities have been succesful in stopping illegal raves).

[sampfordman]

yer i dont think we can afford london well known djs but i know a few people who have contacts to some local djs. what i need is some backing from people to help me to talk to the council. this would be a mammouth of a task for me to deal with on my own. so if theres anyone out there willing to give me some advice, or willing to help me to talk to the authorities just let me know. some of you may know this but at a lot of these free illigieal raves do the djs get paid. if they dont thier is no reason why we should have to pay them as this event.

[binge]

I keep trying to post but it won't let me!!

[binge]

I've tried to write a reply to this three times, but keep loosing it!

In a nutshell (again)- If you're serious about it I'm up for helping you organise it and have the contacts for djs, soundsystems, bands, tents etc from Cambridge and all round East Anglia.

I'm been thinking about sorting something legal, and just need the right land to do it. There will be a lot of work involved, and there will need to be some funds put up beforehand for Toilets, tents, Public Liability licenses, etc (which won't be stupid amounts, and can be covered by the event if done well.)

Most people I'd get involved would do it for the love, as long as their costs are covered, then it'd be fine. Some bands/ djs would be worth paying, but I've got enough contacts to get them on the cheap. (it'd only be one or two anyway!).

I'd be up for getting the TENS sorted with you, as I have nothing to hide, but would not be able to take complete responsibility.

Michael- If you are serious and are up for the work involved, I'd like to have a meeting, I'm running an event in Bury St Edmunds on the 16th May which you may like:

http://www.partyvibe.com/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=30881

We could have a chat there, so I can work out what you're looking to do, and what you want from the event.

But yeah. it sould like it could work (if we can get the TENS sorted).

[binge]

Yay it worked!!!

Just so you know I'm not fucking around- here's what some mates and myself did at the Dragon Festival in March this year:

http://www.partyvibe.com/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=30533

Ours is the red, blue and black rig in the videos!

[sampfordman]

hi yer i have always wanted to go to studio 3, it sounds prett cool, how big is it like to compared to somewhere like the junction in cambrige, and is it as good as the junction, i was going to go to a night called evil kitty there a few weeks ago but sadly couldnt go. yer that would be good if we could meet up at studio 3 in may. im not sure if the event will be able to take place this summer as there is only 4 months till agust. what is your thoughts. if we really crack on witht he tens application we could hold it this summer.

[RawDirtyBass]

Hey there

sounds like you got a good little idea and could well have a nice little party - tho you need some techno & breakcore!!

theres a small festival called frogstock near diss which is a bi yearly event similar to what you would like to do - couple of band stages, dance tent & reggae tent

its free, all the bands play for free, and you buy a glass then all the ale is free and as its not presented as a rave or under the rave format they get away with having a 10k dance tent at the back

have a look at their site it may give you a few ideas of what you want/can do - http://www.frogstockfestival.co.uk/

Also pm me if you do get anything sorted out and my band will play

[binge]

Originally posted by sampfordman

hi yer i have always wanted to go to studio 3, it sounds prett cool, how big is it like to compared to somewhere like the junction in cambrige, and is it as good as the junction, i was going to go to a night called evil kitty there a few weeks ago but sadly couldnt go. yer that would be good if we could meet up at studio 3 in may. im not sure if the event will be able to take place this summer as there is only 4 months till agust. what is your thoughts. if we really crack on witht he tens application we could hold it this summer.

Blatently this summer, but be best to hold it end aug, early sept as the weather is more reliable! If you want to meet up before the 16th I'm game, but am moving to London on sun so could be a bit of effort.

Studio3 is a lot smaller then the junction, but if you get a good night there the vibe is just as wicked. If you come up to the night we could sit down and I could work out what you want to do and whether I think I'd like to put the effort into organising something.

@RawDirtyBass- I know Frogstock very well, I know the brothers that run it and we've done the dance arena for them before. I would def be talking to them about how to go about it, and it's just the kind of thing I'm thinking of doing. I'd also get Amen-tal from Norwich involved (so there's your Breakcore!) and there would undoubtly be some techno somewhere along the line!

The way I like to run nights, and events like this is having a little big of everything, and getting wicked bands and djs in from all genres so that everyone can enjoy it. To be sucessfull, and to get the locals on our side, you want to appeal to all ages. I would therefore have the main stage playing wicked bands all day and into the evening, (with possibly one big headliner). I would then have one dance tent (personally I'd like it to play lots of different styles of dance music- keep things interesting) and possibly another playing reggae and dub as a chill out arena.

Obviously this is just how I like to do things, but I do have the contacts to make all this happen, just need the right land and a forward thinking council/ constabulary to let it happen! Michael may have a different idea of what he wants, so we should meet!

And always up for hearing new bands mate! What do you play?

[binge]

Be interested to see whether we can get any police intelligence opinion on this? (Come on- we know you are watching!!)

It'd be nice to know whether we stand a chance!!

[General Lighting]

if its still like the old days they aren't going to be upfront

what they always did was get people to get their hopes up and spend their money/time, then refuse the license at the last moment -

the idea was to starve the crews (then believed to be linked with organised crime) of money and to deter others from doing so (but clearly this was one factor what led to the illegal party scene)


but this is supposed to be a "new era"

Bear in mind though its only Norfolk what has offered the olive branch, Suffolk and Essex are just saying zero tolerance and have never openly offered support for events (actually Suffolk may have hinted at it but I've never heard any conciliatory words from Essex constabulary)

- maybe the simplest thing to do is to call Uttlesford Council and Chelmsford Police HQ and discuss the matter? if they refuse point blank (I got told that Tendring refused all TENS applications, but I'm not sure how true that is ) then just post here so the whole world can see why there is this problem in East Anglia...