POWYS music festival organisers are hoping to return to the area next year after this year’s event ran smoothly – despite fears that it would be “three days of hell”.

Organisers of the Working Classtonbury Festival, held just outside Howey over the opening weekend of July, fiercely defended themselves ahead of the event after concerns of disruption from a local resident.

The 2022 festival had been held in the Nant Glas area, near Rhayader, but this year’s event was staged at Bwlch Farm, near Howey, from June 30-July 2, the weekend after Glastonbury.

Organisers The Orrible Crow Show hit back angrily over the accusations, adding that organisers received no noise complaints and had no issues with Powys County Council (PCC) following the 2022 event.

“We were very happy with the festival, it ran smoothly with few hiccups,” said a Orrible Crow Show spokesperson.

“The council were very happy with the way it was run. The police had no issues. The only issues were sat nav was sending some people to the wrong location and a few vehicles turned around on a neighbouring field.

“The police spokesman came and he was happy. A local councillor came Friday and back Sunday, and asked if he could bring his male voice choir next year.

“Several locals came for a look and a few stayed in the bar for a couple of hours. The neighbouring farmer even offered the girls behind the bar use of their shower.

“The only real problem was where some locals took signs down, a couple of vehicles were sent the wrong way by sat nav and had to turn round in a field.

“All the children enjoyed it and there were no noise complaints as far as I'm aware of.

“There was no mess left and we will be putting them on annually. Hopefully in Powys, on the same farm.”

A PCC spokesperson said: “An officer from Dyfed Powys Police’s licensing team attended the first day of the event to ensure organisers complied with their event safety management plan and that they were operating within the parameters of their temporary event notice.

“They were satisfied that this was the case and no follow-up visits were carried out.

“The council did receive three complaints, two related to noise from the event and the other related to the nearby SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).

County Times: Working Classtonbury Festival 2023 was said to be sold out Working Classtonbury Festival 2023 was said to be sold out (Image: None)

“The noise complaints are being considered by the council’s environmental protection team while the SSSI complaint has been referred to Natural Resources Wales.”

Before the festival, PCC said it had granted a temporary event notice (TEN) to organisers for a “family-friendly music and community arts camping event”.

But the local authority said a review was carried out and a further meeting was held with the Orrible Crow Show team after it received several concerns from members of the public regarding the nature of the event.

Performances across the weekend included acts named Dog Mess, Dog Sh**e, Army of Skankz and 2000 Demented Slagz.