as you know kev, i support all kinds of festivals in kent, including aylesford, and personally i prefer those which take place in towns and involve the wider community- because otherwise we're just pleasuring ourselves... greenfield sites are ok but they tend to be about franchise burger bars and cd/shirt sales as much as music imho.. we can't really expect to remove locals from their pubs, but we can involve them if we choose appropriate material and don't alienate them by wiffling about obscure shipwrecks in the key of ambiguous... and we owe it to the publicans to drink their beer in return for using their venue... personally i'd rather pay them knowing that it helps to keep the bar open for Early Doors Sid in November than cough up for a fly-by-night franchise...off soapbox...
just to reaffirm= there were great concerts too at Broadie, and the crowds of youths are nothing to do with the festival- they apparently show up at weekends- but they are easily avoided if you wish along the prom & round the allotments... I had s great time and a real mixture of musics- and so many workshops too, if you were awake for them... roll on next year!