School friends form own festival
Four friends from Staffordshire have started their own music festival as a less expensive alternative to major events like Glastonbury, V Festival and T in the Park.
Four friends from Staffordshire have started their own music festival as a less expensive alternative to major events like Glastonbury, V Festival and T in the Park.
All four were pupils at Thomas Alleynes High School in Uttoxeter and they are expecting hundreds of former classmates to join them at the event this summer.
Former head boy James Scarlett, Simon Maltas and Andy Rea, who all left the school in 1997, together with James's younger brother Robert, set up the 2000trees festival as a green and ethical alternative to more mainstream events.
In its first year in 2007, it was nominated for best new festival at the UK Festival Awards and the Guardian also named 2000trees in its top 10 small festivals.
It was also one of the cleanest festival sites on record, as festival-goers recycled a whopping 66 per cent of waste.
The family-friendly, two-day festival brings together a wide range of almost 60 artists from rock, folk, indie, metal, hip-hop, ska and dance DJs.
Up to 3,000 people will enjoy three stages of music and two nights of camping in a picturesque field at Upcote Farm, Withington, near Cheltenham, on July 11 and 12. Andy Rea explained: "The four of us have been great friends for many years and regularly travelled across the country to enjoy music festivals.
"But we grew disillusioned by ever spiralling costs, poor facilities and pursuit of profit at all costs."
Simon Maltas said: "We were overwhelmed with the response from everyone who knows us in Staffordshire. It was like a high school reunion with hundreds of familiar faces.
Headline bands will be top rock act Reuben on Friday and indie pop outfit Art Brut on Saturday. Weekend tickets cost £39 and are available from www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk or from 1.3.1 in the Maltings, Uttoxeter, on 01889 563010.
