Lamberhurst Music Festival – FAQ

Where and what are my tickets?

When you place an order via the website, you will receive an email of the order details, and that email acts as your tickets. If you pay by PayPal, then PayPal will also send you a receipt of the monies paid, and that receipt also can be used as your tickets. In the unusual event that neither of these emails appear in your inbox, please, after checking your junk mail filter, contact us, and we will investigate.

What time does a concert start?

The start time of a concert will be printed on the ticket. Concerts at St Mary’s church usually begin at 7.30pm, the doors open for people to take their seats at 6.45pm.

The open air opera at Bayham Abbey usually begins at 7.30pm. The doors for this open at 5.30pm when people bring picnics to be eaten prior to the opera.

What time does a concert end?

Concerts at St Mary’s usually finish between 9.30pm and 10pm, depending on the performer’s programme and encores.

The open air opera at Bayham Abbey usually ends around 10pm.

Is there an interval at the concert?

Yes. At St Mary’s, this is around 20 minutes and at Bayham Abbey, it is around 30 minutes. A bell is rung when the second half of the concert is about to begin.

Are there toilet facilities at the concert?

Yes. At the church there is one WC at the back of the church. At Bayham Abbey there are 8 mobile toilets behind the main house.

Is there parking at the concert?

Yes. At the church there is a large car park. For some concerts this fills up and we have use of the car park at the adjacent Lamberhurst Golf Club. On these occasions we will have car park stewards directing people.

At Bayham Abbey we have use of the adjacent field. Stewards will be on duty to help you park. Please note that it can take a couple of minutes to walk from your car to the Abbey. In addition to this, if the ground is soft underfoot, appropriate footwear should be worn.

If you have special access requirements, please contact LMF so that we can allocate a parking space nearer to the church or Abbey.

What price are the tickets?

Ticket price differs from concert to concert but is clearly shown on the website for each event

I see that children are free. What age is one still considered to be a child?

Up to and including the age of 16, as we want to encourage young people to listen to classical music and attend concerts. We think that the intimacy of concerts at St Mary’s is the perfect place to start what will hopefully be a lifelong interest in classical music.

I’ve bought tickets for a concert which I no longer can attend, can I get a refund?

Unfortunately not. This is stated under the Terms and Conditions section of the website.

Is there any special information that I should know for the concert at Bayham?

Yes.

  • There is no dress code for the event. Please come as formal or informal as you wish
  • LMF do not provide food or drinks. The audience is welcome to bring their own drinks and picnics
  • The gates open at 5.30pm and the concert begins at 7pm or 7.30pm. Please see website or emails for exact timing the concert. It is usually 7.30pm but can occasionally be 7pm
  • The concert consists of two halves, each of around 55 minutes. There will be an interval of 30 minutes and the opera should finish around 10pm
  • There is an area directly in front of the stage where we place between 100 and 150 chairs, and this area is kept picnic free
  • The audience can arrive from 5.30pm and are invited to bring folding chairs, tables (if required) and picnics. These can be set up anywhere outside the main seating area
  • The audience can move into the main seating area once their picnics are finished, using their own chairs (space permitting) or the LMF chairs provided. Alternatively, you are more than welcome to stay outside the main seating area, enjoy the concert and continue your picnic during the interval
  • The concert will be amplified so everybody should be able to easily hear
  • The LMF would appreciate the audience taking their own litter home with them
  • We have use of a field next to Bayham for car parking and this is no more than a 100 metre walk to the Abbey. Car parking marshals and stewards will be in attendance on the day. If you have any disability issues, please mention this on arrival, and you will be shown to a disable parking area that is closer to Bayham.
  • There will be a ticket desk at the entrance. Tickets may be available on the day
  • If it does rain, then umbrellas are allowed. Under these circumstances, please be aware of other guests
  • If it rains too heavily for the singers and the musicians to perform, then the event will be cancelled. We would hope to be able to do this prior to the event and would notify everybody via email if that were to be the case. In this instance a full refund of the ticket price will be made
  • It will get chilly by 10pm, so please bring a blanket or warm clothing even if it looks very sunny and bright at 5pm

Is there a maximum number of tickets for each concert?

Yes. At the church the maximum is 200

At Bayham Abbey the maximum is 500

What is a Patron, what benefits do Patrons receive and how much does it cost to become a Patron?

A Patron is a person who has paid an annual fee that helps to support the LMF in addition to purchasing tickets.

A Patron receives priority seating at all concerts they purchase tickets for at the church. At Bayham Abbey, Patrons have access on the afternoon of the opera in order to choose their picnic site or seats, prior to the doors being open to the general public. In addition to this, Patrons receive free wine and drink at all concerts at St Mary’s church that they purchase tickets for.

Cost of patronage is £100 per year and can be purchased via the website.

How can I contact the Lamberhurst Music Festival?