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Weeley Carboot Site, located on Colchester Road in Weeley, CO16 9AG, United Kingdom, is predominantly known as a large open-air market and car boot sale destination rather than a traditional nightclub. Throughout its history, the site has played a varied role in the local community, primarily hosting weekend car boot sales that attract visitors from the wider Essex area. However, its reputation is deeply rooted in the cultural history of the region due to its transformation into an iconic music venue during select periods.
Most notably, the site was home to the legendary Weeley Festival held in August 1971, which is one of the most significant events in Essex's musical legacy. The festival, which began as a charity event organized by the Clacton Round Table, evolved into a massive weekend gathering, reportedly drawing crowds of up to 150,000 people and becoming one of the UK's largest music festivals of its time. The event featured a robust lineup of both international stars and then-emerging British acts, contributing to the site’s enduring fame as a one-off music mecca.
Over time, the Weeley Carboot Site has primarily maintained its role as a commercial market venue, and there are no records of it operating as a regular nightclub in the traditional sense. Nevertheless, its moment in the spotlight during the early 1970s added an unmistakable mark on the area’s cultural landscape, and the festival is often remembered by generations of music fans. The venue itself has seen changes consistent with market demands and local infrastructure improvements, but aside from temporary festival stages and amenities set up for specific large events, there have been no lasting structural changes that transformed it into a purpose-built nightclub or concert hall.
Notable artists who have performed at the Weeley Carboot Site during its historic 1971 festival include T. Rex (Marc Bolan), Status Quo, Mungo Jerry, The Faces (featuring Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood), King Crimson, Rory Gallagher, Colosseum, and Lindisfarne, alongside local support acts and other bands active during the early 1970s British music scene.