Power Appeals For Hop Farm License

Veteran music promoter Vince Power is expected to attend Tonbridge and Malling Council’s licensing committee meeting Jan. 21 to appeal its refusal to allow him to increase the length and capacity of his Hop Farm Festival.

The event debuted as a 30,000-capacity, one-day festival July 6, but Power wants to make the 2009 edition a five-day event (July 2-6) with 53,000 people per day.

Hop Farm was Power’s first festival since the non-compete clause he signed when selling Mean Fiddler Music Group to a joint venture between Live Nation (then Clear Channel) and Denis Desmond’s Gaiety Investments.

Tonbridge council knocked back his plans because it was concerned about health and safety issues and noise. Power is reportedly confident that he can change the local authority’s mind.