Thousands descend on Harborough for rave

An estimated 2,500 people from all over England attended a rave in a redundant mushroom farm near Market Harborough this morning (Sunday).
Scenes on Welham Lane.Scenes on Welham Lane.
Scenes on Welham Lane.

Party-goers from as far afield as Lincoln, Great Yarmouth, Basingstoke and Coventry were alerted about the rave on the internet. They then rang a special number at midnight last night (Sat) to find out the location of the event - the farm on Welham Lane, near Great Bowden.

The party started at about 1am today (Sunday) in the big, abandoned curved-roof sheds of the old mushroom farm. Hundreds of cars and vans were parked down Welham Lane and on the sides of the A6 Market Harborough bypass.

The music from one rig was still playing at 10am today, as party-goers - many unable to move their cars from the packed Welham Lane - wound down after a sleepless night of dancing to a wide variety of music, ranging from drum ‘n’ bass and breakbeats to old school jungle.

A reveller leaves the rave on Welham Lane.A reveller leaves the rave on Welham Lane.
A reveller leaves the rave on Welham Lane.

As far as The Mail could see this morning, with perhaps 800 party-goers still at the site, there was no trouble at the event.

“And I swear the mess will all be cleaned up” said one of the event organisers, nicknamed Billy Whizz, as he showed the Mail round the site.

“We respect mother earth, so we wouldn’t leave a mess” insisted another raver.

“It was a great party” said one visitor from Diss in Norfolk. “And as you can see everyone’s chilled, and there’s no trouble.”

Cars block Welham Lane near the rave at the old mushroom farm. NNL-161030-115902001Cars block Welham Lane near the rave at the old mushroom farm. NNL-161030-115902001
Cars block Welham Lane near the rave at the old mushroom farm. NNL-161030-115902001

“We came up last night from Basingstoke” said the driver of a van full of around eight party-goers in the remnants of Halloween costumes and make-up “We’re just waiting to go now, but we’re blocked in.”

Around 250 people were still moving to the music from one rig left playing at 9.30am this morning. At the party’s height, there were different sound systems in each of the side arches of the dark former mushroom farm.

“It’s just been fun” said a visitor from Lincoln. “It was free, so no one’s making money, and yeah a few people have drunk too much or taken too much, but it’s all peaceful.”

The police had a presence at the site, preventing further traffic from using Welham Lane, but party numbers were so huge that the most they could do was monitor the event.