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Lounge on the Farm gets a licence

Sunshine basks Merton Farm at Lounge On The Farm 2010
Sunshine basks Merton Farm at Lounge On The Farm 2010

Lounge on the Farm music festival has been granted a licence - but organisers admit they are on probation after trouble at last year's event.

The team behind the four-day festival at Merton Farm in Canterbury says it has striven hard to counter issues with parking, security and late-night noise.

And they hope future festivals may grow bigger and even move to another place in the district if needed.

On Tuesday, members of the city council's licensing committee approved the application for a festival from July 5 to 9 for no more than 9,999 revellers.

Solicitor Phillip Day representing Festivals Incorporated, the company organising Lounge, told the committee many changes had been made to the way this year's event would be organised.

"The event is on probation this year," he said.

"It's radically different from last year and the team doing the security and the ticketing are new.

"This is a licence for one year and where it goes depends entirely on what happens.

"But the present site or location does not have much room for growth, so there might be a time when we come back and say we would like to move within the area where there's more space and more capacity. However, that's a question for another day.

"The festival is good for Canterbury and good for everyone that lives in the area."

The headline act at this year's festival will be The Charlatans, a 90s alternative rock group which was at its most popular in the 1990s.

Support groups include Chic, a 1970s disco outfit, and The Wombats, a rock group from Liverpool.

Mr Day went on: "There has been a move between the sort of bands that attract 18- 25-year-olds and those likely to attract a plus 25 audience.

"The main stage is more mainstream than it has been in previous years."

Around 15% of activities and events are arranged for children, who will not be able to get in without an adult.

An addition to this year's festival is to allow people living near Merton Farm and in the Nackington Road area a tour of it while it is in full swing.

They will also be able to ring a 24-hour dedicated phone line to report any issues they have with noise.

Additional reporting by Victoria Chessum.

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