The Square Festival, Borth, 24-26 July 2009

A couple of people who I’d hoped would be able to help me out at the festival weren’t able to make it, so undeterred, I set off for the Square Festival on my own, with just my pretend dog, Lovely, as company, and a bundle load of magazines, books and t-shirts to sell.

The journey up was pleasant enough. There was fairly constant rain, but the forecast for the next day, Saturday, was good. A little way outside of Aberystwyth, I picked up a hitch-hiker, Urshula, who was working at one of the bars at the festival. She gave me a little bit of advice about running a stall. My fanciful idea that I would be given some kind of ready-erected stall was quashed, and I realised I was going to have to improvise, particularly as I suddenly realised I had forgotten the only bit of stall-like equipment, a table, I had meant to take. I dropped off Urshula who was meeting friends in Aberystwyth, and was now just a few miles from the festival.

The approach into Borth is a beautiful stretch of road. You turn one corner, and there below you is the coastline, and a fabulous looking beach. Once in Borth, I somehow had difficulty in finding the actual festival site, and had to ask a couple of people, and also before getting in, was stopped by a policeman who had no apparent reason for stopping me other than to be snoopy. Once in the festival, fortunately Chris, the only contact I had, was there at the entrance, and I was issued with a pass that let me into the main festival site.

I drove onto the site, and parked just inside the gate by the security. It turned out I’d arrived just in time, as shortly afterwards, this gate was closed, and believe me, these security guys were not going to let anyone in after this without very good reason.

First things first, I set about trying to borrow a table. This proved difficult, and I realised I would have to make-do by some other means. While pondering my predicament, I sat in the car listening to the security. They were without doubt the biggest lot of moaners I have ever heard. They spent probably a good 20 minutes grumbling about the amount they were getting paid – around £450 each for the weekend I gathered, which sounded pretty reasonable – when they were expecting to receive it, etc. At the same time, anyone approaching them about getting in via the now-closed gate was hastily sent on their way. I was therefore amazed when my enquiry about whether I could use some pallets disposed of outside the gate was met with an offer to help pass them over to me! Two of them chucked over about five of the pallets, and I now had a makeshift table, and a square one at that!

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