Rock festival organised by £148 million EuroMillions winner is axed

Rock festival organised by £148 million EuroMillions winner is axed with just two weeks to go after neighbours object over noise fears

• Adrian Bayford planned to host Cambridge Rock Festival at his country estate
• The former postman won a £148 million jackpot on the EuroMillions lottery 

A rock festival hosted by a Euromillions jackpot winner at his £6.5 million mansion has been called off after neighbours raised concerns the event would bring ‘noise and chaos’ to the area.

The Cambridge Rock Festival, which attracts around 2,000 revellers, had been due to take place in the 90-acre grounds of Adrian Bayford’s Horseheath Lodge estate, which he bought after winning £148 million on the lottery in 2012.  

The event has been held across various locations in Cambridgeshire  since 2004, with Bayford, 52, hosting it at his estate in the village Linton, in Cambridgeshire, in 2017 and 2018.

The four-day festival, which has hosted an array of major performers, including Thunder, Uriah Heep and Hazel O’Connor, was scheduled to to run from 3-6 August .

Fans have, however, been left disappointed after festival organisers were forced to call the festival off due to Cambridge City Council’s refusal to grant it a license.

Adrian Bayford (right) who won £148 million jackpot on the EuroMillions with his wife Gillian (left) had planned to host Cambridge Rock Festival on the 90-acre grounds of his Horseheath Lodge estate

The former postman (pictured) bought his 90-acre Horseheath Lodge estate for £6.5 million after winning £148 million on the lottery 

READ MORE: EuroMillions winner Adrian Bayford sparks neighbour row amid plans to host music festival with 2,000 revellers at his £6.5million estate

Mr Bayford became one of England’s biggest ever Euromillions jackpot winners when he won £148 million with his now ex-wife Gillian, when they were both living in Haverhill, Suffolk. 

The former postman later split from his wife just 15 months after winning the multi-million-pound jackpot following nine years of marriage.

A statement on the festival’s Facebook site said those who bought tickets would be offered a refund or given the opportunity to keep hold of their tickets for next year’s event. 

‘It is with deepest regret that the Cambridge Rock Festival Committee need to let you know that this year’s festival cannot go ahead as planned,’ the statement said. 

‘Although this would have been our 3rd time at Horseheath Lodge, the Licence now required (not the same as previously), has in practice taken the decision out of our control for this year.

‘As you can imagine we are devastated to have to break this news to you. However, we would love to invite you in 2024 to our celebration of 20 years since our first festival in 2004! Our provisional dates are 1st – 4th August 2024 TBC, back at Horseheath Lodge.

‘If you have paid for tickets there are two options. You can choose to support the festival by keeping hold of them and put them to use next year as they will still be valid, or you can request a refund by emailing [email protected].

‘Please note you may now purchase tickets for 2024 on our website, but the line-up is yet to be updated for 2024 as we confirm each bands availability from the 2023 line up. Thank you to all involved for their help behind the scenes, and a huge thank you for your support and understanding.’

Earlier this year there were reports that Bayford’s neighbours were upset about him hosting the festival again and feared it would bring ‘noise and chaos.’

Adrian Bayford and his wife Gillian split up around 15 months after they won the jackpot together in 2012

Adrian Bayford had planned to host Cambridge Rock Festival at his 90-acre Horseheath Lodge estate in Cambridgeshire

The £129 event, which had been set to feature 60 rock bands, would have seen music playing until 11pm each night.

Festival organisers said for the last two events at Bayford’s estate they were advised to apply for multiple Temporary Event Notices, which only required a 10 days’ notice period.

‘There were no noise complaints, no rowdy behaviour or drug issues and no traffic problems. A good number of happy and mature festival goers enjoyed the events across the 2 years (2017, 2018) in a beautiful safe place,’ the organisers said. 

They said they had ‘no reason to believe that this year would be any different’ but the current incumbent would not allow them to use the Temporary Event Notices and they needed a Premises Licence instead.

They said a licence hearing would need to take place and as that could have been as late as July 28 – five days before the festival – they had to cancel.

‘The local residents understandable representations have resulted in a requirement for a hearing,’ they added.

‘Their concerns actually stemmed from the assumption that CRF was responsible for the local noise issues. Loud drum and bass dance music originated elsewhere, another much, louder and later running event (with a very different and younger demographic to ours, that had recently taken place in the local area).

‘We have three stages in marquees, within around 150 metres of each other, that, in effect prevent us from running too loud in order to limit undesirable ‘crosstalk’ between the stages.’

They said they are continuing with the licence application and hope to run the event again next year.

They added: ‘We will continue with the licence application for approval as this will set us up for the 2024 Festival and beyond. We do not expect it to be rejected.

‘We are working, and continue to work, in partnership with the council and local residents to address any concerns. The issues raised will no doubt be dismissed at our hearing but this will sadly be too late for CRF23.

‘We are truly devastated that this means we cannot go ahead with the festival after being through so much in the last 12 months.’

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