Power Hits Back

Maverick festival promoter Vince Power has hit back at story saying his Hop Farm tanked with debts of £4.8 million ($7.27 million), describing it as “ a cheap piece of journalism.”

He also vowed the outdoor in the Kent countryside will return this year, although it wasn’t possible to confirm the dates at press time.

Power used fan site Live4Ever to respond to a story that originally appeared in regional paper Kent On Sunday.

“The losses reported are inaccurate. The Hop Farm never lost 4.8million,” he said, attributing some of the downside to “a group of companies” under the Kent Festival umbrella.

He described the Hop Farm debacle as “one blip” in his 30-year career and said “the local rag” is for the community and that “there is no value in spreading inaccurate reports and doubt” with regards to his festival.

He said the festival is very popular among the local community.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts,” he said, apparently quoting Winston Churchill.

Responding to the paper’s revelation that he still owed acts such as Peter Gabriel, Suede, Damien Rice, Billy Ocean, Primal Scream, Richard Ashcroft, Kool & The Gang, George Clinton and Sir Bruce Forsyth for their appearances at the last Hop Farm, he said: “I spent and paid artists alone approx. £350 million over the years.”

Gabriel is said to be owed £100,000, Suede are believed to have dropped £46,000, while 85-year-old TV presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth’s first festival appearance left the “Strictly Come Dancing” host £9,000 out of pocket, according a creditors’ report obtained by Kent On Sunday.

“All suppliers and artists are working with me and many of the suppliers have been with me for many years, through the Reading, Phoenix and Homelands days. They are being very supportive,” he said, explaining his confidence behind the festival happening in 2013.

The original Kent On Sunday report came after the paper obtained a creditors’ report detailing Hop Farm’s debts, which was also reported to include Sevenoaks-based events company Entertee (£200,000), Maidstone’s Medevent Medical Service (£12,644), which provided essential paramedic services during the three-day event, and the regional police force.

Earlier in the year, Power told the Kent newspaper that this year’s fest will be July 7-9.

It wasn’t possible to get comment from Power at press time.