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24-26th July 1970
Ecclesden Common.
Worthing
Saturday July 25th 1970.

    Fed-up fans quit the big pop happening
 
   After a quiet , trouble free night at the Patching Pop Festival , near Worthing , hundreds of pop fans rolled up their sleeping bags and went home today - reported to be fed up with the lack of arrangements. This morning, crowds were down to between 1,000 and 2,000 after last night's estimated 3,000. But by midday other youngsters were arriving ready for the evening sessions .  The festival was two hours late in starting, the delay mainly caused by heavy rain during the morning . There was no toilet accommodation and youngsters were told to go in the woods. 

TENTS

   There were also complaints from many of the youngsters about the lack of sleeping accommodation. Many had brought their own tents, but several hundred expected tents to be provided. They spent a cold night in the open. Many young people arrived at the festival without money . Some were seen shaking with cold and hunger. A St John's spokesman said 
" The trouble will  probably come later in the festival when they start coming in suffering from exposure. Many are camping out in the open , without food . Drugs too seem to be passing freely and this could have a culminative effect. "

BURNED

  Local clergymen helped out by opening up their ' Jesus Tent' to the hippies, but there was room for only relatively few. Today all the toilets still had to be provided. Organiser Mick Farren blamed Worthing Rural and West Sussex County Council for most of their organisational problems . The council considered bringing an injunction to stop the festival and as a result traders and undertakings refused to accept cheques and demanded cash for services . Because of this there was a delay in the erection of toilets. 

   Mick estimated that the organisers , Phun City Ltd , would only break even on the festival unless many thousands arrived later today and tomorrow. Originally 20,000 fans were expected. There is no admission charge and more are now likely to come now it has been announced that Ronan O'Reilly the young Irish millionaire and former Radio Caroline boss , has stepped in with financial support. 

   Sussex police drug force swooped on the ground and arrested youngsters. They broadcast a warning over the public address system . There was also trouble from traders trying to  to get into the ground to make a quick profit. They clashed with others who had paid for concessions to sell food and drink.

DOCTOR.

    A doctor was constantly in attendance to deal with the more serious cases . One girl smoked three reefers at one time , she then began stripping off all her clothes , throwing them on the ground before going all the way. The festival continues until the early hours of the morning. Thousands more fans are expected to arrive today and tomorrow. 

Turned on ; While the others kept warm in their blankets , or sleeping bags, 
this enthusiast got "turned-on "by the music and just had to dance. 


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Big thanks to Keiran McCann , Celia Bouquet ,Rich Deakin and Phil Jones for the donation of the press articles that have enabled us to construct this site and to Ronald Jensen and Dicky Howett for the great photographs.

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