Fee a small price to pay for event (From Free Press Series)

Fee a small price to pay for event

ROCK in the Dell organiser Carol Mutlow has hit back at suggestions the one-day festival should be made free entry, warning if they didn't charge a small fee the popular summer event would not go ahead.

Thousands packed the grounds of the Dell next to Chepstow Castle on Sunday for over ten hours of top-class music. Compared to similar festivals around the country that charge tens of pounds for a similar day of music Rock in the Dell remains one of the most community-driven events in the summer calendar.

Despite proving a hit with festival goers though, a small minority in the town think the festival should be open to the public for free because it is held on public land.

The festival, now in its fifth year, attracts thousands of music fans to the town every year. It has the support of Monmouthshire County Council who award it a public entertainment licence every year and also the Chepstow Chamber of Commerce.

Despite not having any direct involvement Chepstow Town Council clerk Sandra Bushall said the town council had never raised any objections to the festival and that she would be surprised if any of its members didn't back the event.

Organiser Carol Mutlow said: "The event costs at least £7,000 to put on every year. By the time we have accounted for things like security the only way we can make the event happen is by charging a small fee. If we were forced into not charging the event would not go ahead.

"This is not a profit making project and never has been. All the money raised goes towards the event and anything left over goes towards the following year. Everyone involved is a volunteer and no one makes any money. This is a community event and always will be."

Carol added that this year's event was the best ever and that the crowd was very well behaved with only a few minor disturbances.