All-night rave yards from police station
By thisisessex – Monday 11 October 1999
Copyright: thisisessex
An illegal all-night rave was held yards from Harwich Police Station.
Ravers partied through the night at a war-time bunker on land off Barrack Lane – about 100 metres from the station’s front door.
The sound system began pumping out dance tracks on Saturday night and the last of the revellers were not partied out until 10am yesterday.
Neighbours complained about noise and the possibility of drugs being sold. And there was a claim one raver had an air pistol with him.
A firearms unit was sent to the rave and a search was made but no weapon was found.
Sgt Andy Hook said the event passed off peacefully but he said the police had been given no notice of the event.
Sgt Hook said: “There was a suggestion somebody there had a firearm and our firearms unit was contacted but it all went off peacefully.”
Police said up to 50 people attended the event.
Sgt Hook added: “We had no notice of it, the information came from members of the public that at about midnight or 1am there was a rave going on.”
It is thought the organisers were from London but they have not been traced.
Some neighbours had complained of noise disturbance but Sgt Hook said while there was some noise it was not “hideous”.
There were also claims that drugs were being sold at the party but police said they had no evidence that was the case.
