I’m back

Around 750 miles later (eek), and I’m back.

The Beach Break site at Port Lympne looks absolutely amazing, you really can’t tell that they only had 5 days notice, and it would seem that both sudents and artists are having a good time in the Kentish sun (for unlike Cornwall, it IS sunny over there.)

On the ‘green’ front I am in complete awe for the organisers. I used to work behind the bar at a major festival and I remember that when walking back to my tent at the end of the night, you walked on more cups than grass. Of course there was some rubbish around the site, but no way near the extent to which I was expecting.

Ok, the rubbish left over is only one part of the story – there is also the matter of the carbon emitted by those actually getting to the festival (myself included). Talking to organiser, Celia, she admitted with the sudden change of location the usual coach travel broke down slightly, but they have tried as hard as possible to keep the festival as green in Kent as it would have been in Cornwall. I also talked to Eddy Hill who runs the animal park at Port Lympne, she was instrumental in bringing the festival to Kent and said that the environmental plan provided was crucial to her approval.

So all in all a good time had by all. Photos and videos coming soon!

At the beach and yet not!

Recycling in Action

The Cornish Boat Stage

Auction for the Promise Club

Beach Break Lives

They’ve built a beach, erected some palm trees and ordered the sunshine.

Everyone is now settled in here at Port Lympne. The Red Light Company have just rocked the Main Stage and I am sorely tempted by the Zorb Obstacle course. It would provide a very unique view point,  but I’m not sure it’d be covered in my risk assessment.

All in all I am very happy how my filming is going. Now I just need to track down Celia or Ian. Any takers?

The saga continues…

It looks like the saga over Beach Break Live is about to come to a very unexpected conclusion.

KENT!

Yep! It’s official.

Whilst this is more than inconvenient – I am now faced with a 600 mile round trip rather than a  mere hop to the North Coast – it is very reassuring to know that the festival is still going ahead. I had worried that I might be left finding another festival at such short notice.

In a statement on their website, the organisers mentionned that they had had support from the Aspinall Foundation and Kent Council in making this year’s festival a reality. I am therefore in the process of organising interviews with them to discuss whether they had environmental concerns with hosting the event.

So relief, but I am now faced with the prospect of driving to Kent and back again. Hardly a good start when I am trying to keep my own carbon emissions down in the making of this documentary!

Beach Break Live!

In future I will breathe before tweeting or blogging.

There was no need to panic, BeachBreak Live is continuing as planned. AND I have official confirmation of my press pass! (Celebratory bop in my seat!)

But given the upset the planning decision has caused I will still be investigating this offshoot even if it doesn’ t make it into the final cut.

So the future is looking bright. Now I just have to confirm Chagstock…