Throwback Thursday – V Festival, Chelmsford

Temperatures have really been soaring this week in the UK. Ordinarily, Glastonbury Festival was scheduled for this weekend, and what a year it would have been; celebrating the event’s 50th birthday in the sunshine.  But of course, sadly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and related social distancing rules, there are no festivals happening here at all this year. However, the BBC radio stations are lifting our moods, treating us some legendary festival sets from years gone by. Rio Lounge have become well known for supplying festival furniture hire to a number of outdoor music events over the years.   So, in this blog we take a look back at a major music extravaganza from yesteryear : the  ‘V’ Festival. Read on to discover more about both the history of ‘V’, and some info on the furniture products hired to create a chilled outdoor VIP zone.

V Festival –  a brief history

V Festival (or simply ‘V’ as it came to be known), started in summer 1996. It ran for 22 years, with the final one being in 2017. Originally billed as ‘V96’, and sponsored by Virgin, it was the brainchild of Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker.  Jarvis had the idea of holding the same outdoor festival in two locations over two days.  Two sets of bands would be billed; each playing one location on the first day and then swapping over and playing the other location on the second day.  Pulp, being at the height of their success at the time, headlined in the first year. The two locations originally chosen were Victoria Park, Leeds, and Hylands Park, Chelmsford.  The northern venue switched firstly to Temple Newsam, Leeds, in 1997 and then in 1999 to Weston Park, Staffordshire; whereas the southern venue in Chelmsford remained the same throughout the life of the festival. 

Over its 22 years, V attracted a really diverse range of top artists, including Oasis, Taylor Swift, The Killers, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce to name but a few. Although it was considered far more commercial than some of the older festivals, the lineups were always stellar. No matter what your musical taste, you would be guaranteed a great weekend.

Festival furniture hire at V Festival

So, enough about the bands; let’s talk festival furniture hire! Which of our products were hired to created this exclusive outdoor zone?

Deckchairs

Our traditional wooden deckchairs are available in two colourways: this jaunty seaside stripe, (pictured here) and the more demure cream linen. Evoking the nostalgia of traditional British seaside resorts in a bygone era, hiring deckchairs is a fun and affordable way of adding a touch of retro chic to an outdoor gathering.

Cantilever umbrellas

Our giant cantilever umbrellas are cool in every sense of the word. When the sun is blazing, you’ll want to provide some shaded areas. And when the sun moves, you can simply change the angle of the umbrella without having to move the whole thing. Supplied with four slabs so they won’t blow away either!

‘Marrakesh’ modular rattan sofas

Last but not least, we have our signature rattan sofa sets, the Marrakesh range. Consistently our most popular product, these good-looking yet practical rattan sofa sets can seat 6-8 people each and even come with a matching table. Their modular design means you can split the modules or put them together, depending on social distancing requirements.

Creating that festival vibe at home?  We want to hear from you!

You may not be able to attend your favourite summer music festival this year, but you could recreate the festival vibe in your own back garden. With lockdown measures slowly being relaxed, why not host a socially distanced gathering at home? (everyone has at least one friend with a guitar, after all!) If you’re feeling inspired by these festival pics, then please do get in touch. We’re specialists in hassle-free outdoor furniture hire, so give us a call to find out more. Our team are contactable by phone on 0845 46 77483.  Or you can email us.  We look forward to chatting with you!