Picture by Laura Holme.
VIDEO/SLIDESHOW
FIFTY-FIVE thousand revellers are packing into Newport's Seaclose Park this weekend for the tenth Isle of Wight Festival headlined by Kaiser Chiefs, the Sex Pistols and The Police.
Business on the Island has been booming since the start of the week and traders hope sales will hit record heights.
Among those experiencing the rush was Fairlee Road’s Seaclose Stores, opposite the festival site, which stocked up with around 500 per cent more alcohol, water and snacks.
Store manager Tom Jefferies said: “We usually have several weeks' worth of business over the festival weekend and, while we are shattered by the end of it, the atmosphere is always absolutely fantastic.”
The shop was also trying out new credit card technology to cut the queues, with up to 12 members of staff manning the store.
The trend is also set to continue well into next week at Newport’s Morrisons store, where huge convoys of stock had been delivered.
Three articulated lorries full of beer were delivered by Wednesday with more on standby.
Store manager Martin Mowlam said: “Sales always increase significantly over the weekend. Business had already picked up by Monday.”
Residents in Fairlee Road even got in on the act, offering their driveways for festival parking for up to £150 while others have come up with other innovative money-making schemes, including offering spaces on private RIB crossings from the mainland directly to the site for £30 per head.
This weekend is the busiest of the year for Wightlink, which has been transporting infrastructure, passengers and acts to the festival.
Nearly 60 articulated lorries of toilets, fencing, scaffolding, generators and light towers have sailed The Solent, while extra sailings and two more boats have been introduced to meet demand.
Similarly Red Funnel has arranged additional Red Jet and vehicle ferry sailings, as well as back-up services to ensure there is enough space for both festival-goers and commuters.
Meanwhile police used the run-up to the event to warn festival-goers about the dangers of ticket touts and drugs.
Supt Dean Jones said: “If you’re found in possession (of drugs), either inside or outside the event, then you will be arrested, you could be excluded from the event and you could lose a lot of money.
"Our message to ticket touts is equally strong. The festival organisers have brought in tighter security measures this year to check for counterfeit wristbands. If you’re found trading them, you will be arrested.”
• Wightlink foot passengers with season tickets will be given priority over festival-goers when leaving the Island to commute on Monday.
IW Festival crowds in Newport.
(Problems seeing this video? You may need to install Adobe's free Flash player)
Pictures by Jennifer Burton and Laura Holme
• Free 32-page Isle of Wight Festival supplement with today's County Press.
Featuring line-ups for the main stage, Big Top and Platform One Bandstand. Plus site map and exclusive interviews with Kaiser Chiefs, N*E*R*D, Feeder, Arno Carstens, The Cribs and Delays.
• Watch out for our special online Isle of Wight Festival picture gallery at www.iwcpgallery.co.uk from Monday.