Kentish Express Ashford & District
Hit festival heads for missed year
One of Tenterden’s biggest annual events is set to “take a well-earned break” next year after months of complaints around this year’s festival.
The s hock news was announced on the Tentertainment Facebook page on Tuesday evening, less than 48 hours after the end of this year’s music festival – judged by many to have been the best yet.
Tentertainment, which took place last weekend, will not run in 2018, following in the footsteps of the Glastonbury Festival, which is also taking a ‘fallow year’.
But the decision has sparked outrage from hundreds of angry Tentertainment fans, who say the organisers have done a fantastic job each year in providing the town with a leading event to enjoy and be proud of.
They are also furious that a small group of “killjoy” residents have made such a fuss about an event that only runs for three days each year.
Organisers for the Tenterden festival – which attract thousands of residents and visitors to the recreation ground each July – say they have made the decision to cancel next year’s event after issues with residents living near the rec and Tenterden Town Council (TTC) over noise levels, the stage location and other matters.
This year’s festival was almost cancelled after TTC wanted to relocate the main stage to alleviate noise complaints.
In their Facebook statement the organisers said: “First of all, we’d like to thank everyone who has supported this event over the years. It’s been a blast!
“It has been a true pleasure for us to meet so many amaz- ing people. For us as organisers this last festival was a bittersweet mixture of spectacular success, with a truly great atmosphere every day, and a huge personal and professional challenge.
“We started the event somewhat worn down and embattled by complaints.
“As volunteers who have busy family lives and day jobs to contend with, the work that goes in to planning, applying, liaising over and then staging Tentertainment eats into a lot of our limited time and energy levels.
“For that reason we have all agreed that we do need to take a well-earned break.
“So we will use 2018 to consider the impact on a music festival of the new plans for the recreation ground, the new terms and conditions for hiring the recreation ground and the ongoing ‘battle’ that seems to be happening in the town regarding noise and events generally. Therefore, we will put out dates for Tentertainment 2019.
“We believe that the wants and feelings of many people in the town are not accurately or adequately represented where they should be.
“Consideration should of course be given to everyone, but decisions should be weighted correctly and reflect the views of the vast majority, too.
“So for now, from the TT team, this is not goodbye – but see you all in 2019!”
Claire Gilbert from TTC said: “We will be making a full response on Monday for next week’s paper.”
For picture special on this year’s Tentertainment see pages 30-31
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