Cropredy FAQs

Please read these Frequently Asked Questions before ordering tickets by post, fax or PayPal. Below are answers to questions readers have asked us. We'll add more as we receive them but please make sure the information isn't available elsewhere on the website before you ask. Please note that no-one will be admitted to the campsites before 9am on Thursday 10 August

• Q: How much are the tickets and when do they go on sale?
• A:

  Tickets for Cropredy 2008 will hopefully go on sale on Saturday 1 March.

  The ticket prices are:

  Pre June 1st:

  
  3 Day Tickets £ 72.00

  2 Day Tickets £ 62.00

  Sat Only £ 42.00

  June 1st-July 31st:

  3 Day Tickets £ 76.00

  2 Day Tickets £ 66.00

  Sat Only £ 46.00

  After July 31st

  3 Day Tickets £ 80.00

  2 Day Tickets £ 70.00

  Sat Only £ 50.00

  Camping Tickets:

  
  3 day camping £ 30.00 per vehicle

  
  2 day camping £ 25.00 per vehicle

  Please log on to our website regularly for further updates.

• Q: Where can I buy my ticket?
• A:

  To purchase your Festival Tickets, please click here.

• Q: Can I buy Thursday / Friday ONLY tickets?
• A:

  The answer is no. We only sell 3 day, Friday/Saturday and Saturday only tickets. The reason for this is that the country lanes around Cropredy and the accesses to the campsites simply could not cope with the two way traffic which such a ticketing system would create.

• Q: Who is on this year?
• A:

  Please click here for more information about the 2007 line-up.

• Q: Why is Fairport Convention using PayPal?
• A: It's a service to you, our customers. Many of you have asked us to accept credit card payments through our website for Cropredy tickets. To set up our own dedicated payment service would involve significant costs but by using PayPal, we can provide an easy and secure way for you to make payments through our website which we can accept 24 hours a day from most countries in the world.
• Q: What is PayPal?
• A: PayPal is a company that provides services for transferring money via the internet between people or businesses almost anywhere in the world. PayPal is owned by the online auction site ebay.
• Q: Is PayPal safe?
• A: PayPal takes considerable trouble to make its service as secure as possible. Millions of people use PayPal successfully every day. The vendor (in this case Fairport Convention Ltd) never has access to your personal financial data - only PayPal does. You can find out more about security on the PayPal website.
• Q: How do I pay using PayPal?
• A: Payments you make via PayPal can be charged to your credit card or bank account, depending on your selection. Alternatively, if you are a member of PayPal you can use your PayPal account. To order tickets, click the 'Add to cart' button(s) as appropriate: a new browser window opens and you simply follow the easy instructions on Paypal's pages.
• Q: Do I have to join PayPal?
• A: No, PayPal allows you to make payments from your credit card without becoming an actual member of PayPal. This procedure is similar to making a payment with a credit card at any other secure website.
• Q: Does it cost me extra to use PayPal?
• A: No, to buy your tickets via Paypal costs you nothing but the actual cost of the tickets plus ?1 for postage and handling. Please note, however, that your credit card provider may make a charge as with any other use of your card.
• Q: When can I arrive?
• A:

  Our campsites are open to the public from 9am on Thursday, 9 August. Please don't arrive any earlier than that as the gates will be locked.

• Q: What facilities do you offer people with disabilities?
• A:

  We provide a special viewing platform at Fairport's Cropredy Convention for festival-goers who are chair-bound or otherwise disabled. The platform has a ramp for wheelchairs and is situated beside the sound tower with a commanding view of the stage. The platform is big enough to hold up to a dozen chair-users and their helpers or ten self-powered mobility scooters. There is an adjacent toilet with facilities for people with disabilities.
  
  Staff stewarding the platform are in radio contact with site control so festival-goers with disabilities will be able to easily find out if there's space on the platform without having to go right down the field.
  
  As in previous years Fair Mobility will be based at the top of Field 6 (adjacent to the the Concert Arena) providing self-powered mobility scooters for those who need them. The scooters must be booked in advance. You can do this by clicking the link at the beginning of this paragraph or by phoning the Fair Mobility scooter booking line 01949 845189.
  
  As in previous years we'll be providing a camping area specifically for festival-goers with disabilities.

• Q: Does my child qualify for free entrance?
• A:

  Children under 12 years old are admitted free so long as they are accompanied by a ticket buying adult. All children of 12 years old and over must have a full priced ticket.

• Q: If I wait until August, will I still be in time to buy tickets?
• A:

  Provided we haven't sold out, you will still be able to purchase tickets if we have your order by Sunday 5 August but you will not be able to take advantage of our discounts.
  
  If you miss the 5 August deadline, you will only be able to buy tickets at the gate when you arrive at Cropredy. Tickets will be sold on a 'first come, first served - when they're gone, they're gone' basis. You can pay at the gate by cash (please have the correct money ready to save time), by credit card, or by cheque up to the value of the accompanying cheque guarantee card.

• Q: I have not received my ticket yet
• A: We cannot acknowledge every order we receive so please allow 21 days for delivery. If your tickets have not arrived after 21 days, please check with your bank to see if your account has been debited. If it has been debited, please send a fax to 01623 870872.
• Q: Does the £ 1 booking fee apply to each transaction or to each ticket purchased?
• A:

  The £1 fee covers each order. For example, if you were to order five weekend tickets and two camping tickets, the fee would be £1.
  

• Q: What do I do if I lose my ticket or forget to take it to Cropredy?
• A: You will have to buy another ticket when you arrive at the festival's main entrance. Be sure to get a stamped receipt from the ticket-sellers. When you get home and retrieve your ticket, send the stamped receipt and the ticket to the address below for a 75% refund. Please note that the ticket you send must be completely intact.
  
  Fairport Convention Ltd
  PO Box 8413
  Bilsthorpe
  Newark
  Notts NG22 8WY
• Q: How do I get to Cropredy?
• A:

  You will find Cropredy on any road atlas or you can search for the village on theMultimap website or see themap on this website.
  
  Travelling by rail: Banbury railway station is served by half-hourly Chiltern Line trains from London Marylebone station and Birmingham Snow Hill station. It is also served by Virgin Trains crosscountry services from many parts of the UK.
  
  You can find train times by phoning 08457 484950 or by visiting the rail enquiries website. You can also enquire at your local railway station. If you are coming from abroad, you should be aware that British train services can be unreliable so it's always advisable to catch an earlier train than you think you need.
  
  When you arrive at Banbury railway station, ask a staffmember where to catch the bus to Cropredy. During the festival, there is a frequent bus service to Cropredy. There is also a bus service from Cropredy back into Banbury after the concert. Timetables will be posted on the website nearer the time.
  
  Travelling by road: The best route is to travel to Banbury on the M40 motorway. Leave the motorway at junction 11 which is signposted for Banbury (see our map). At the top of the slip road is a roundabout where you should see temporary signs which will say 'Music Festival' or 'Fairport Cropredy' or something similar.
  
  If you are not camping on the site, there is a car park on the north side of the Williamscot Road (see site map). Festival stewards will direct you.
  
  As as aside, if you want to explore the area by car or on foot, buy Ordnance Survey 'Landranger' map Sheet 151 which covers Cropredy and the Banbury area.

• Q: Can I Bring My Dog?
• A:

  You may bring your dog but all our canine friends must be kept on a leash at all times. There are 'waste' bags at all the Campsite Control portacabins and the Info portacabin.

• Q: In the camping price list, what do you mean by 'a vehicle'?
• A: We mean a car, a jeep, a light van, an MPV, or a similar conveyance. The price per vehicle includes the occupants of the vehicle (providing each one has a concert ticket for the day they arrive to camp). The number of occupants might be one chap and a brown mongrel dog in a Mini or a family in a Range Rover. Four is the average occupancy although we're unlikely to quibble over up to six, especially if some of them are children. Commonsense, and the comfort and safety of others, are the primary considerations.
• Q: Does the camping price per vehicle include tents?
• A: Yes, because if people arrive in a vehicle to camp, they'll probably bring tents with them. A 'tent' can be anything from a tiny one-person 'pod' to a three-room luxury job. Subject to safety considerations and the campsite marshalls' decision, you may be able put more than one tent on your pitch ? for example, a mid-size one for mum and dad plus a small one for the kids. But a marquee or a pair of giant canvas palaces on one pitch wouldn't be allowed by the marshalls. Again, use commonsense and consider the safety and comfort of others.
• Q: Is a caravan a vehicle?
• A: As far as camping goes, a caravan towed by a vehicle will be treated as a tent: you just pay for the vehicle and its occupants with no extra charge for the trailer. Remember, though, that we reserve specific areas for caravans. A camper van or mobile home and its occupants pay the same as any other vehicle (we reserve specific areas for them ? see below).
• Q: Are mobile homes admitted to all the camping fields?
• A: No. Mobile homes (by which we mean larger campervans and Winnebago-type vehicles) will be directed to specific fields. So will towed caravans. In previous years, the locations have included: fields 6 and 6A; an allocated section of 7; and, for staff and artists only, the backstage compound.
  
  (Note: there are many factors affecting what goes where: these include operational changes in field usage, health and safety law, local authority regulations, the requirements of our safety officer and fire officer, the comfort and convenience of fellow campers, access for emergency vehicles, the preservation of fire lanes, and the condition of the land itself ? for example, if the ground is waterlogged).
• Q: Can I park my campervan in the same field as last year?
• A: Field allocation is less hard and fast when it comes to little'uns such as Dormobiles and V W Campers (yes, there are still plenty about). In previous years, for example, small campervans have parked in fields 1, 2 and 4 whereas mobile homes have been directed away from those fields.
  
  The answer to the question is 'maybe' ? it depends which field you were in before, what time you arrive, what operational changes we've made to field usage, and developments in national and local authority regulations. So just because you parked your campervan somewhere last year doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to park there this time.
  
  As always, our friendly admission-gate staff and campsite marshalls will decide where vehicles, including campervans, go. They'll be acting on instructions from the fire officer, safety officer, and site managers so please give 'em a smile and comply with their requests.
• Q: Do bikers and backpackers camp for free?
• A:

  Yes. If you arrive on a motorbike or scooter or moped or pushbike or on foot, you can camp for free provided that you have concert tickets for the day you arrive to camp.
  
  Note that his applies to all camping whether in a tent or caravan. You must have a concert ticket for the day you arrive to camp.

• Q: Is there a special camping field for motorcyclists?
• A: No. We do not segregate bikers or herd them into one area ? we accord them the same status as every other camper. So bikers can camp on any field on the same 'first come first served' basis as everyone else. Bikers will be directed to camping pitches by our friendly marshalls.
  
  However, bikers ? like hikers and back-packers ? do enjoy one special privilege: they camp for free!
  
  We constantly strive to improve camping at Cropredy, we review the arrangements regularly, and we take into account the needs of all festival-goers including, of course, motorcyclists.
• Q: Do you know any other places to stay if I don't want to camp?
• A: There are other campsites and a range of hotels and B&Bs in the area. We simply don't have space to list them all nor can we answer individual questions about places to stay. However, you can gets lots of information about accommodation and about the local area from the official North Oxfordshire tourism website.
  
  You can also try these local tourist information offices:
  Banbury: ? ?01295 259855
  Bicester: 01869 369055
  
  If you want to camp in the area before our campsites open on Thursday morning, you can find a list of Oxfordshire sites on the UK Camp Sites website which has a search facility.
• Q: Where can I get medical help if I need it?
• A: St John Ambulance provide a medical centre on the main field: it opens on the Thursday. There are also first aid posts dotted about the whole festival site. There is a doctor's surgery in Cropredy village and a hospital in Banbury.
• Q: Where's the nearest supermarket?
• A: The nearest supermarket to Cropredy is Tesco, Lockheed Close, Banbury. The store is near the A423 Southam Road. It is about a mile from Banbury town centre and the same distance from Junction 11 on the M40 motorway.
  
  Tesco, Banbury, is open until 11pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but during the festival it will be open 24hours a day (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). The phone number is 01295 457400.
  
  Note that Tesco is the nearest petrol station to the festival ? petrol is available 24 hours a day by 'pay-at-the-pump' card transactions.
• Q: What is the weather like in England in August?
• A:

  It can range from cold and wet to very hot and dry. Some years we get temperatures of over 30C (90F) and other years we get chilly wet weather with temperatures below 10C (50F). You can check the local forecast on the internet before you travel.

• Q: Do I have to pay for Cropredy camping if I arrive on a narrowboat?
• A: No, not if your boat remains in the canal. If you haul it onto the festival site, however...
• Q: If I come by narrowboat, can I reserve a space and do I have to pay for a mooring?
• A: Following several similar enquiries, we checked with British Waterways, the authority that runs the Oxford Canal.
  
  It is not possible to reserve a mooring ? it's strictly 'first come, first served'. Obviously, the earlier in the week you arrive the closer you will be to the village centre. But even if you don't arrive until Thursday, you should be able to find somewhere to moor although it may be up to a mile from the festival site.
  
  British waterways tell us that boaters do not normally have to pay for temporary moorings as they travel the canals. The general rule is that unless canalside signs tell you otherwise, you may moor on the towpath side for up to 14 days free of charge.
  
  In the Cropredy area, parts of the length between Cropredy lock and Cropredy Mill bridge are normally restricted to 48 hours free mooring. These are indicated by signs. But British Waterways tell us that they take a more relaxed attitude to this restriction during Fairport's Cropredy Convention. However, they say, you must not moor in such a way as to obstruct the service area and turning point below Cropredy bridge, nor obstruct the approach to the lock or any bridge.
  
  It is quite permissible to moor two abreast (that is, one boat tied alongside another) providing that doing so doesn't obstruct the passage of other boats passing through ? in fact, boats are usually moored two abreast for half-a-mile below Cropredy bridge during the festival weekend.
  
  Like anything else, commonsense, good manners and consideration for others are your best guides.
• Q: Where can I find out more about visiting Cropredy by canal?
• A: British Waterways, the authority that runs the canal system, has a very informative website covering the leisure and boating uses of inland waterways at www.waterscape.com.
• Q: Where can I find out more about visiting the local area?
• A: There is plenty of information on the official tourism website for North Oxfordshire.