Residents of Compstall in Stockport are divided over the impact of festivals held at nearby Whitebottom Farm, with some describing the situation as 'awful' and others saying people are 'making mountains out of molehills'.
Complaints and Concerns
At a recent Stockport council meeting, residents complained of being kept awake until 2am, wildlife being impacted, and the village being turned into a one-way system. One resident said 'the drugs, the litter, the noise was horrendous' in recent weeks.
Councillors said they were working with the farm to address the issues, but the problem was far from solved. Complaints include people urinating, lorries damaging cars and trees, road safety concerns, traffic jams, and smashed plant pots.
Divided Opinions
One woman, who did not want to give her name, said someone was rolling a spliff outside her house at two in the morning. She said: "The village needs help. If they did [the festivals] two times a year but every summer it's May, June, July, and August. There's retired people around here. They just want to chill out. It wrecks people's lives."
Another woman, Claire, said: "Just not being able to sleep is the worst thing. I do not want scratches down my car. It's just stressful. It's not nice. I know people that have moved elsewhere because they do not want to live here anymore."
However, Steve Worth, who lives towards Marple Bridge, said they were less affected but had noticed a change. He said: "You do see quite a lot of people park on the road and leave it at the weekend rather than pay to park at the farm car park which I imagine leads to neighbours getting quite frustrated. We do not get any noise from the festival."
Aaron, who attended one of the festivals, said: "I think it's an overall good thing for the area. It brings more people here and generates more money. It's not like they are doing festivals 24/7. They are few and far between. I haven't got a bad word to say about them."
Farm Owner's Response
Karl Hancock, owner of Whitebottom Farm, said they were determined to tackle any issues and were continually looking to better manage events. They operate a zero tolerance policy towards drugs with security checks on all bags going into the festival.
Hancock's family bought the 50 acre cattle farm in the 1960s, but had to diversify to secure its survival amid a tough economic environment for farmers. He said: "We do not want litter. We do not want antisocial behaviour in the village we are living in. It's not like we are a promoter going onto a site and then leaving."
He added: "The amount of income that comes into Compstall and the surrounding area is a massive boost. If you want to book an AirBnB, you have to book it now for next year because they are full."
Ahead of the Firevolt festival this weekend, signs have gone up all over the village to help manage the crowds. There are also litter picks carried out in the wider area and measures to try and minimise the impact.
Council's Stance
Coun Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection at Stockport Council, said: "We are aware of the concerns raised by local residents about events at Whitebottom Farm. We take these concerns seriously and continue to engage with residents, partner agencies and the landowner on a range of issues that have been brought to our attention. We recognise there are strongly held views on all sides and will continue to work with all parties through the appropriate regulatory processes."
