One festival’s never enough

According to the Derby Evening Telegraph, Alan Warner is planning another festival after Red White and Blue. I wonder if anybody’s told the artists and others involved about his fascist connections?

Warner’s going ahead whatever (apparently)

More coverage in the Derby Evening Telegraph.

Media Coverage

This article appeared in the Derby Evening Telegraph following the distribution of our press release.

Anti-BNP Activists Plan Rally at Summer Event

By Chris Mallett
CMALLETT@DERBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

09:30 – 29 February 2008

Left-wing groups are planning a mass protest against a British National Party festival which could take place in Derbyshire for a second year.

BNP member Alan Warner wants to attract thousands of people to Red, White and Blue – which he plans to hold in early August on his fields in Codnor-Denby Lane, Denby.

He sent a licensing application to Amber Valley Borough Council to play music and sell alcohol on the site.

But left-wing groups say that, if the festival goes ahead, a mass rally would be organised drawing “thousands of people across the region who oppose the BNP.”

The action was advertised on the website https://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com/ which has connections with groups such as Searchlight and Antifa UK.

These organisations object, among other things, to the BNP’s policies of ending immigration to the UK and sending non-whites to their countries of origin.

The website says: “The RWB festival is intended to draw new recruits into the party and consolidate these disgraceful politics.

“As such, those who oppose the BNP have begun a campaign to stop this year’s event from taking place.”

Last year, the Evening Telegraph reported that only one man with a “no to racism” sign turned up to protest.

Among those upset at the lack of action was Rev Ken Horleston, vicar for St Clement’s Church, in Horsley.

He said he felt guilty about not protesting last year and would back a peaceful rally by the anti-fascist groups.

Mr Horleston said: “We are planning a protest from the church perspective as well.

“The Bible calls on people to ‘love thy neighbour’ but the BNP’s views are in violation of this.”

Amber Valley MP Judy Mallaber said she was not prepared to comment on any protest as it was not yet clear whether the festival would go ahead.

Mr Warner said Red, White and Blue would go ahead despite protests and that it was the left-wing groups who were more likely to cause disturbances.

He said: “The festival is a peaceful family event.”

Derby Evening Telegraph on RWB

This article appeared in the Derby Evening Telegraph last week. It clearly demonstrates the degree of loal opposition to the Red White and Blue festival being held in Denby again.

Protesters See Red over Second BNP Village Bash
By Chris Mallett
CMALLETT@DERBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

09:30 – 18 February 2008

Campaigners have vowed to fight plans by the British National Party to hold its annual festival in Derbyshire for the second year in a row.

BNP member Alan Warner wants to attract thousands of people to Red, White and Blue – which he plans to hold in early August on his fields in Codnor-Denby Lane, Denby.

He said the festival would be almost double the size of last year’s event, covering the area of 35 football pitches.

People living near the site, who said they fear noise and nuisance from the hundreds of people expected, said they would be better prepared to fight the plans than they were last summer.

John Lumsden, who lives opposite the fields, said: “Last year, the first we heard of the festival was signs on lampposts a few weeks before it was due to start. This time we’ll be able to make a bigger effort.”

Mr Lumsden said Red, White and Blue 2007 had attracted about 800 people, but said noise levels had disturbed residents.

He said: “The people who caused the main problems were the organisers who stayed up all night having large karaoke parties.”

Brian Bentley, also of Codnor-Denby Lane, said the festival was completely unsuitable for the area.

Mr Bentley, 76, said: “We had a lot of noise last year and a lot of people from the festival left the site and were just walking around the village drinking.”

Amber Valley MP Judy Mallaber backed the residents’ comments, saying she would “strongly support the campaigners in stopping the festival coming back”.

She said: “Several residents moved away for the weekend last year because they were so frightened. One family moved out because they didn’t want their children to be there.

“Many of the residents’ fears came true. Kids brought glass bottles on to fields where horses were kept, and there was a loud firework display which made the horses bolt.

“The festival does the area’s reputation no good whatsoever.”

It is legal to hold events on privately-owned land in the UK, but selling alcohol or playing music on the site requires a licence from the local district council.

A licensing application for the festival will be sent to Amber Valley Borough Council by the end of this month, but Mr Warner said Red, White and Blue would go ahead even if the application was unsuccessful.

He said: “I own the site and I will be holding the event with or without drink or music.

“They put a restriction on the number of people allowed last year, I believe it was 2,000, but I would prefer to see more.

“This year we have extra land because a neighbouring landowner has offered his fields. We can’t have any control over what visitors do once they leave the site.”

He said the members-only event would be “a family festival celebrating British culture” and would feature, among other things, a big wheel, a falconry display and dodgems.

Amber Valley Borough Council said it would consider any application on its own merit.

Police said no arrests were made at last year’s Red, White, and Blue, and that, if it took place this year, they would treat the festival in the same way as any other large event.