Residents’ outcry over New Year rave at old factory site
UP to 1,000 people attended a New Year’s Eve rave which lasted for more than 12 hours in an old factory.
Police were called to the rave in Talywain in Torfaen, with reports of people still arriving there throughout yesterday morning.
Residents five miles from the site posted on social media about noise from the party in the old ETM factory.
Fireworks were also heard from around 3am, while one resident nearby claimed there had been instances of people “urinating in people’s gardens”.
Video footage from the area showed long lines of cars along the lane leading to the Grade II-listed building near Pontypool.
A Gwent Police spokesman said the music was shut down at around 1pm, with some vehicles remaining in the area during the afternoon.
An investigation will follow to determine if the rave was held with the landowner’s permission.
Chief Inspector Dan Taylor said yesterday: “Vehicles are waiting to leave the premises but the music has stopped. We will now be locating the site’s owner.”
Garndiffraith resident Angela Williams said she was left unable to sleep because of the noise.
Mrs Williams, 44, said: “I don’t know how they managed to find the location. It kept me awake all night – the bass is having an effect all around the area.”
The mother-of-one added: “There are cars everywhere – it’s gridlocked.
“There are people sleeping in their cars and urinating in people’s gardens. My neighbour’s dogs have been going nuts because of the fireworks at three or four in the morning.”
Resident Michelle Mead said: “I live a mile from the site and it woke me up several times in the night. I thought it was a car starting to begin with. The fireworks at 5am and 6.30am were not good for my dog either.”
One Talywain resident said she could still hear the music at noon yesterday. She said: “It kept my seven-month pregnant daughter awake all night who had to be up at 6am for work. You can hear the noise – police are in attendance but can’t do anything.”
At 11am Gwent Police force duty inspector Ryan Francis said the event was expected to “end soon”.
Posting on Twitter he said: “We are aware of a music event in the Talywain area of @gppontypool.
“We expect it to end soon. Officers will remain at the location to ensure public safety and to prevent any antisocial behaviour.”
Also posting on Twitter, councillor for Abersychan Giles Davies said a road at Talywain was closed due to the rave.