Police and Parties in England: November 2011

Dorset: 'Illegal Rave blocked by Police' (Bridport News, 1 December 2011)

'Lyme Regis police blocked an illegal rave that was set to attract hundreds of revellers after it was advertised on the internet. The party was publicised on social networking site Facebook as a public event with camping, fireworks and live music. Police in Lyme Regis received a tip-off about the event and discovered that various DJs were lined up to perform in a field from 8pm to 6am.

Community beat manager PC Richard Winward said: “We had no idea where it was so we made some inquiries and discovered who the organisers were. We discovered that it was going to happen on Saturday, November 19 in a field off the A35 at Wootton Fitzpaine. We realised of course that it must not go ahead because it was illegal and would have caused huge disruption to people living in the area.” The organisers were three 19-year-old men from Lyme Regis, Umborne in Devon, and Exeter.

"We told the organisers that they did not have permission and the rave would not take place, and if it did go ahead or if they made any more preparations they would be arrested We also told them that unless they removed the pallets and breeze blocks, which legally counts as preparing for a rave and if they didn’t put a notification on Facebook that it had been cancelled, they would also be arrested.”

PC Winward said the organisers agreed to postpone the rave until they obtained the correct licences and permissions. But some determined revellers still threatened to turn up at the field, so police were forced to blockade the area'.

Hampshire: 'Illegal rave in Andover stopped by police' (BBC, 21 November 2011)

'An illegal rave in a disused industrial unit in Hampshire has been shut down. Police officers followed social media websites to locate the site of the rave which was being set up at the Walworth Industrial Estate in Andover. About 70 officers broke up the gathering by dispersing people travelling to the music event on Saturday night. Three men, from Wales, Gloucester and Hampshire, were arrested and sound equipment was seized by police. A 36-year-old from Llanishen, Wales, and a 19-year-old from Alton, Hampshire, were both arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and using electricity without authority. A 37-year-old from Gloucester was arrested on suspicion of using electricity without authority'.

Norfolk (Lynn News, 28 November 2011)

'Police seized sound equipment and a vehicle used to transport it from those believed to be the organisers of an illegal rave shut down on Sunday in Feltwell. The unlicensed music event was held at a Fire Ride, between 4am and 1pm, where it is thought that around 200 people attended. Superintendent Dave Marshall said: “The Constabulary takes such incidents very seriously. “We will take action to deal with anyone intent on causing disruption and nuisance within our local communities. Such events are unsafe and we will continue to prosecute, seize and destroy the equipment of anyone found to be involved.”'

Buckinghamshire (Leighton Buzzard, 2 December 2011)

'Thames Valley Police has charged a 20-year-old man with public nuisance following a rave at Ivinghoe Beacon in October. [RB] of Haverhill, Sussex, was charged with the offence yesterday and is due to appear at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court on December 19. The offence relates to an illegal rave attended by more than 600 people which took place in the early hours of October 2'.

Somerset: 'Seven arrested for illegal rave' (Somerset County Gazette, 18 November 2011)

'Police arrested seven people and seized sound equipment after breaking up an illegal rave at Nuctombe Bottom near Timberscombe recently. More than 600 people descended on the site without permission, prompting police to move in and break up the rave following complaints from angry residents. Police said the noise was so intense that it could be heard up to four miles away in Minehead'.

Lancashire: Police Scupper New Year's Eve Party (Burnley Citizen, 2 December 2011)

'Plans for a New Year’s Eve rave in Colne have been refused after strong objections by Lancashire Police. Promoters Small Trees wanted to stage the event at an industrial unit off Burnley Road, Primet Bridge but PC Mark Driver, Pennine policing division licensing officer, raised concerns on how an expected crowd of up to 500 could be managed. Further worries centred on internet promotional promises of £2 drinks for everything except spirits. The borough’s licensing committee issued a counter-notice against the event'.

England in the Spring: police and parties

'Illegal raves thwarted by police in villages' (Bedford Today, 16 May 2011)

'Three illegal raves were thwarted by police over the bank holiday in Bedfordshire villages. The first rave was disrupted on Friday night in Lidlington at a site off Sheep Lane. The following evening officers prevented a second rave from being set up in the Steppingley area. Police intercepted a convoy of ten vehicles, three of which contained sound equipment which was seized. The drivers and passengers were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance. A third rave was closed down in the early hours of Sunday morning at a site off Cobblers Lane in Ridgmont. Officers dispersed around 400 people, while organisers were told their sound system would be seized if they did not comply with the order'.

'Sussex Police deal with three raves in 12 hours' (Argus, 2 May 2011)

'Police were called out to deal with three raves in 12 hours. About 200 people started setting up equipment for a party at Devils Dyke, near Brighton, at around 6.40pm on Friday sparking a series of calls to Sussex Police. Officers went out to the scene and had eventually moved everyone on by 9pm.

The police control centre then started getting reports of a similar sized group gathering in North Road in the city centre and around the seafront just before 9pm. Officers were drafted in to monitor the area and once again started moving the party-goers on. Most were dispersed relatively quickly although a “small hard-core” group ignored requests to go and stayed in the area until midnight.

Police were then alerted at around 12.15am on Saturday that another group of around 50 people had gathered on the Downs just north of Hollingbury. Officers were sent out for the third time to investigate and order the music to be turned off and the rave abandoned. Partygoers began to drift away and police returned to the scene several times during the night. The final few people had gone by 8.30am on Saturday'.

'Police cars attacked as hundreds party at rave on Saddleworth Moor' (Manchester Evening News, 3 May 2011)

'Hundreds of revellers descended on an isolated moor for a rave – and attacked police cars when officers tried to break up the party. The ravers are thought to have travelled to Saddleworth Moor from all over the north west after details and directions were circulated on the internet. Police were called in early yesterday. But yobs smashed the windows of two patrol cars and a third vehicle – a Ford Focus – was set alight. The blaze spread to grassland before being put out by firefighters at around 3.10am. No arrests were made as the ravers fled – but a police investigation is continuing.

The party was held in the remains of an old shepherd’s cottage off the A635 Greenfield to Holmfirth road. Ravers are thought to have arrived with booze, generators to blast out music and a tarpaulin to cover the roof of the cottage. The building, which belongs to nearby Uppermill House farm, is derelict. The land is used to keep sheep'.

'Illegal Rave Shut Down' (Diss Express, 6 May 2011)

'Police disrupted and seized sound equipment and a generator at an illegalrave in Dickleburgh last Friday. The event was reported just after 8am following concerns from members of the local community. Officers attended a field off the A140 and found the event was being run illegally and not as an official street party to celebrate the Royal Wedding. Supt Stuart Gunn said: “This event was disrupted before many had arrived at the site, largely due to the vigilance of local people who contacted police with their concerns. This is in line with Norfolk Constabulary’s firm approach to policing raves, which are potentially dangerous and disrupt those communities affected.”'

High on Hope

The links section of this site is badly in need of updating, but I have at least managed to get the new addresses for Datacide and Expletive Undeleted right. The latter includes an interesting interview with Piers Sanderson, who has made High on Hope - what promises to be an excellent film about the Hardcore Uproar acid house warehouse parties in and around Blackburn in the late 1980s/early 90s. There's more about the film at the High on Hope website.

Here's the trailer for the film, which will be released once funds for use of music on the soundtrack have been sorted out. Look out for the great bit at the end where someone shouts 'listen, the old bill have took the fuckin' desks, the bastards'. Someone should sample that.

High On Hope - Trailer from piers on Vimeo.

Rivington Castle Free Party

From This is Lancashire, 14 September 2009:

'A massive rave in a quiet beauty spot was broken up by police officers after it attracted hundreds of youngsters through the internet. More than 400 people attended the illegal, open-air rave at Rivington, near Horwich, in the early hours of yesterday. Officers were first alerted to the gathering at Liverpool Castle, at Rivington Reservoir, shortly after midnight, following complaints from residents living more than half a mile away that music could be heard.
A number of vans with industrial speakers inside were being used to pump out loud music at the castle until 7am.

More than 40 police were sent to disperse the crowds, thought to be youngsters in their late teens to early 20s, and the officers remained at the scene until about 9am.

...Insp Kevin Otter, of Lancashire Police, said it was the first event of its kind in the area that they had been called to deal with. He said... “This is a highly-unusual incident for the area, they happen more in the south of England. We did have one about 18 months ago, near Rawtenstall, but there were only about 50 people. He added: “Although this was obviously a very well organised event, it was an illegal gathering and those who attended were trespassing.”

The event was described on the Facebook site as “the first but hopefully never the last rave that was at Rivington Lower Castle”. Last night, a member of the group posted on the internet: “Really enjoyed the music, people raving dancing, juggling fire, everybody was shaking hands even though we didn’t know each other. People came from all over Manchester, Bolton, Horwich, Lancashire and Yorkshire.”

Some footage follows from Conan2472 at youtube where comments included: 'we got there before the coppers had blocked the road off, if it weren't for that helicopter we wouldn't have found it. heard loads about people duckin thru bushes swamps..walls, barbed wire ahaha. worth it tho!' Apparently Manchester's Daylite Robbery Sound System were involved