Stagecoach will be providing a special ‘Loop’ service through the night for this year’s Margate Soul Festival.
The festival, which runs from August 3-5, has grown each year with more venues and bigger named acts which this year will include The Fatback Band and Atlantic Starr famous for the massive UK chart hits I ‘Found Lovin’ and ‘Always’ as well as other hits that included ‘Bus Stop’ and ‘Secret Lovers’.
The bus company will provide extra buses each night on the Loop route linking Margate with Broadstairs and Ramsgate. A special half hourly service will run beyond the normal close of service on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
The event will be spread across several venues and outside areas in Margate Old Town, Margate Harbour and the Winter Gardens. Buses will divert via the Winter Gardens and Margate Harbour to help get festival goers to and from the main arenas.
Stagecoach assistant operations manager Kim Brooks said: “Margate Soul Festval is now such a major event with so many people coming from around Thanet and beyond. It’s great for Margate and we’re pleased to be able to help support the event and provide a safe means of travelling there and back.”
The extra buses will operate in addition to the usual Loop timetable, departing Cecil Street at 01:20, 01:50, 02:20 and 02:50 in the morning.
Festival goers can also make use of route 8 buses to and from Westgate, Birchington and Canterbury during the day and evening.
Stagecoach will be offering cheaper tickets on their smartphone app, with one day’s unlimited travel at £4 in the Thanet area and one evening (from 19:00 until 4am the next day) for just £3.