Remembering Bardney Festival 1972

By Nick Sell
BBC Blast Reporter

Over 50,000 people came to the Bardney Festival in 1972

May Bank Holiday in 1972, an estimated 50,000 people descended on Tupholme Manor Park, Bardney.

Genesis, Status Quo and Roxy Music came to play the Great Western Festival.

Sadly it is unlikely that we will ever see anything like the now infamous event in the county again.

A combination of staunch local opposition, the poor weather and the end of all things peace and love conspired to end the pop festival phenomenon for the next 30 years.

The event's bill reads as a virtual who's who of the day including the likes of Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Genesis, The Beach Boys and Roxy Music. Even the Monty Python stars and the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel made an appearance at the event.

Local opposition

They didn't seem to want to make time to look after people who in effect were bringing a big boost to the local economy. Graham Sell

The festival was not without its detractors though. Despite successfully running a similar folk orientated event featuring The Byrds and James Taylor the year before, Lindsey County Council, landowners and village residents raised staunch opposition. Festival organisers Stanley Baker and Lord Harlech found themselves frequently having to appease the worries of those concerned that the event would not significantly harm the local community.

The event went ahead but the weather refused to relent over the four-day event. Torrential rain and hazardous wind conditions forced most attendees to seek shelter by any means they could.

I was there!

In order to delve into the true essence of Bardney in 1972 and find out what it was really like, I have spoken to the people that were actually there for those four days at Tupholme Manor Park. I am blessed however, that my pursuit of such knowledge only takes me as far as my living room where I find my father, Graham Sell, veteran of the festival. I began by asking how he first heard about the event.

"Basically it was in the local newspapers, the Echo and things like that. It spread around the city that this festival was going to potentially happen, although nobody was quite sure."

Live on stage at the Bardney Festival

"We knew there was opposition to the festival. I think the police were quite opposed to it and in some aspects it was over policed. A lot of people were shepherded like cattle going to market. They didn't seem to want to make time to look after people who in effect were bringing a big boost to the local economy. For my part whilst I was there I didn't see any anti-social behaviour or anything that would cause a grievance to local residents."

Outstanding performances

With an all star line-up, my father told me who he most enjoyed. "Rory Gallagher was really excellent. Carlos Santana as well, I've always rated him. Joe Cocker too, those were the three that stood out."

So the next time you book and admire the line-up of your next festival, spare a thought for the Great Western Festival of 1972.

Although with hindsight the event conspired to be the end of the peace and love generation, it was truly a marvellous attraction for Lincolnshire, the like of which we have yet to see again.