Bluebell Roots in The Kitchen
with special guests and floor spots
Hosted by Milton Hide
6.15pm (arrive from 6)
Live music in the kitchen. Booking essential
Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, Bates Green Farm,
Tye Hill Road, Arlington, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6SH. UK.
NOTE – We have made a change for 2025 – we will be changing our regular day to the FIRST Sunday of every month, but we’ll have a month off in January.
We are licensed as Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, Arlington, Polegate, Bates Green Farm, BN26 6SH UK – Live Music Venue
Coming up in 2024
Jan 28 – Gabriel Moreno watch video
Feb 25 – Daria Kulesh Watch Video
March 31 – MG Boulter
April 28 – Johnny Campbell
May 26 – Natalie Holmes
June 30 – The Browns
July 28 – The Long Shorts
August 25 – NO BLUEBELL ROOTS
Sept 29 – Self Help Group Watch on Youtube
Oct 27 – Two’s Company
Nov 24 – Steve Pledger
Dec29 – A Bluebell Roots Twixmas Celebration BOOK
Podcast
Your regular co-hosts, Milton Hide will join Neil Povey, your MC to kick the evening off and send you home with a song at the end of the evening. There will also be wonderful floor performers. (Please email info@bluebellroots.co.uk if you would like to play)
A FEW THINGS TO NOTE:
- Arrive by 6.15
- This is a Pass The Hat event. In other words – there isn’t a ticket price, but we do expect a generous donation. We suggest a donation of £12 per person. Having said that, to avoid our events becoming elitist, our ethos has always been ‘pay what you can afford’. Please bring cash on the night.
- There will be food available (please make sure you give us food preferences for each guest), or you can bring your own snacks
- Space is limited and when seats are booked, sadly we simply cannot squeeze more people in. Limited to 4 seats per order.
- BRING YOUR OWN DRINK – THERE IS NO BAR!! – and take your empties home
Donate to the Bluebell roots kitty
LOCKDOWN SESSIONS
During lockdown we were broadcasting Live-streamed sessions on every last Sunday were while we couldn’t be in the kitchen.
You can watch past lockdown Bluebell Roots shows on YOUTUBE
Watch past online events
2021 Live-Streamed Open Mic sessions
We aren’t featuring a particular performer during our live-streams – it will be more like an open floor session. We have arranged for a few regulars and past performers to drop in. Get in touch if you’d like to drop in and we’ll get you on if there’s space.
MONEY!!
OK, there are costs involved in streaming this and we need to build up our funds again to book artists to play in person in the future. We have exhausted the money we had in the kitty, so, just as per our regular Bluebell Roots evening, we will be shaking a saucepan for contributions.
Obviously if you cannot afford to contribute, you are still very welcome – that has always been the way we work.
We are certainly hoping to be back in the actual Bluebell Kitchen as soon as we safely can and look forward to seeing you then.
Neil and Jim and Josie (Milton Hide) and Jade will be hosting, with Milton Hide kicking off the music as always.
Donate to the Bluebell roots kitty
Diary of past events
2023
JANUARY 29th – The Gillies www.thegilliesmusic.com
FEBRUARY 26th – Chris Fox www.chrisfoxmusic.org
MARCH 26th – Tim Hoyte timhoyte1.bandcamp.com
APRIL 30th – The Last Inklings www.thelastinklings.co.uk
MAY 28th – Alfonso The Magnificent alfonsothemagnificent.co.uk
JUNE 25th – Jason McNiff www.jasonmcniff.com
JULY 30th – Ceol na Mara www.ceolnamara.band
AUGUST 13th – Dandelion Charm www.dandelioncharm.com
NOTE: part of Summer Trifle Festival
(SEPTEMBER 13th – Hailsham Festival special – An Evening with Milton Hide) hailshamfestival.co.uk Not your usual Bluebell Roots night.
OCTOBER 1st – Bruce Watson www.brucewatsonmusic.com
OCTOBER 29th – The Long Hill Ramblers longhillramblers.com
NOVEMBER 26th – Mal McWatt malcolmmacwatt.bandcamp.com/music
DECEMBER 17th – Bluebell Roots Christmas Special
2022
December 18h – Milton Hide Christmas Special.
November 27th – Dan Raza
October 30th – Eva Abraham
September 25th – Nigel Horn
August 28th – Friction Farm
July 31st – Benita Johnson
June 26th – Hatful Of Rain
May 29th – Marylin Thomas and Ian Cairns
April 24th – Ian Roland and Simon Yapp
March 27th – Paul McClure
February 27th – Rodney Brannigan
January 30th – Danny Goring
2021
December 19th – Milton Hide and Friends, A Bluebell Roots Christmas. 6.30pm in the kitchen. LFT requested. TICKETS
November 28th – Kev Minney. 6.30pm in the kitchen. LFT requested. TICKETS
October 31st – Jamie Freeman. 6.30pm in the kitchen. LFT requested.
September 26th – Paul McClure – postponed until 2022
August 29th – Cheer up Mollys. 6.30pm In the woods / barn
July 25th – Daria Kulesh. 6.30pm.In the woods / barn
June 27th – Ben Morgan Brown. 6.30pm In the woods / barn
May 30th – 6.30pm in the woods!
April 25th – 7.30pm Live-streamed open mic
March 28 – 7.30pm Live-streamed open mic
FEB 28 – 7.30pm Live-streamed open mic
JAN 26 – 7.30pm Live-streamed open mic
Past News
58/60 – Bluebell Roots, 28/7/24
It was a scamper to get ready to leave for Bluebell Roots, having got back from Bridport at 4.30pm. But we know what a lovely evening we'll have...
53/60 – Bluebell Roots, 30/6/24
Bluebell Roots with The Browns. Jim arrived early at the Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen to set up while I stayed at home to sort out our spare room as...
43/60 – Bluebell Roots April
with special guest Johnny Campbell. 28th April 2024 at the Bluebell Kitchen. This session was pretty well attended with some regulars who hadn't...
Bluebell Roots Hall of Fame
2020 Pandemic sessions
Dec 28th
ELSTOAF session
Nov 29th
Live on Facebook and Youtube
Oct 25th
Live on Facebook and Youtube
Sept 27th
Live on Facebook and Youtube
Aug 30th
live on Facebook from the Bluebell Woods
July 26
live on Facebook from the Bluebell Woods
June 28 7.30pm
Live on Facebook and Youtube
May 31 7.30pm
Live online – Paul McClure, the Rutland Troubadour
APR 26 7.30pm
Facebook Live event on Facebook
MAR 29
Cheer Up Mollys – Postponed
Facebook Live event instead 7.30pm on Facebook
2020
FEB 23
Minnie Birch & Robert Lane
JAN 26
SOLD OUT! Hatful of Rain
2019
DEC 29
Dan Searle and King Size Slim
NOV 24
Oliver Cherer and Grant Sharkey
OCT 27
Arcelia
SEP 29
Toontones
AUG 25
Jeremiah Longshanks and The Purple Shoes
JUL 28
Ellie Ford
JUN 30
Terry Lees and Hickory Signals
MAY 26
The Self Help Group and Mike Reinstein
APR 28
Dandelion Charm and John Forrester
MAR 31
Pemberton Smith
FEB 24
Bev Lee Harling and Jamie Freeman
JAN 27
The Kimberleys and Kevin Minney. 1 Year of Bluebell Roots
2018
DEC 30
SOLD OUT – Lily Ramona and Milton Hide. New Year’s Eve’s Eve
NOV 25
Christine Heartsong and Bernard Hoskin
OCT 28
Cracks in the Land and Folk in Adur
SEP 30
Oliver Hall and Moltenamba Trio
AUG 26
Andy Melrose and Judy Granville
JUL 29
Grant Sharkey and King Size Slim
JUN 24
Ian Roland, Charlie Tipler and Milton Hide
MAY 27
Luna, Night House & guest host Kevin Barber
APR 29
Hickory Signals and Self Help Group (Solo)
MAR 25
Mike Reinstein and Trevor Moss
FEB 25
Jamie Freeman and Chalk Horse Music
JAN 21
Bluebell Roots launch night! Dave Beckett and Swan Steps
About Bluebell Roots
Folk, Blues, Acoustic and other music in the Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen in Arlington, hosted by Milton Hide and Hailsham FM’s Neil Povey.
The evening features 1 or 2 invited guest acts plus an “open floor” session.
We are delighted that this event has become known for its listening and respectful audience. It’s a rare thing to find a venue without a bar, a noisy coffee machine and a constant chatter.
The FIRST Sunday of EVERY month (except January), 6.00 for 6.15pm
BOOKING ESSENTIAL
An optional meal, prepared by Philippa and Michael Vine, is served half way through the evening – if you wish to eat you must reserve you seat at the table.
If you wish to perform in the ‘open floor’ session, please book in advance.
FAQs
How much are tickets for the evening?
We don’t charge for tickets but the music is not free – we take a collection during the evening for the music. If having food, you order in advance and pay Philippa on the night – presently £12.50 per person.
We want everyone to be able to come along and enjoy the evening so simply ask you to donate what you can afford for the music – we recommend a £12 donation per person, which goes towards paying invited guest performers. If you are able to give more, that is great. We prefer cash so we can give it to the performers but you can pay online using the link above if you forget to bring cash.
Do I have to book?
Yes – you need to book in advance. Booking opens 2 weeks before the event. See the link at the top of the page.
You can come along just to listen to the music or you can book a place at the table for a meal. The meal generally costs £12.50 per portion and is payable on the night.
Only those who have booked a seat at the table will be guaranteed a meal.
What time should I arrive?
The evening starts at 6.15pm sharp. Please do not arrive before 6pm. The evening usually ends at about 9.30 / 10pm and we ask you to wait until the end before leaving to avoid disturbing performers and audience.
Is there a bar?
No, please bring your own drinks and glasses and take your empties home at the end of the night..
Who are the organisers?
Bluebell Roots is run by Jim Tipler and Jo Church of Milton Hide and Neil Povey of Hailsham FM. They run the event on a voluntary basis.
The food is prepared by Philippa and Michael Vine of the Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen
Do you have a PRS music licence?
Yes we are licensed as Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, Arlington, Polegate, Bates Green Farm, BN26 6SH UK – Live Music Venue
How do I get to play a Floor Spot?
What we are attempting to do with Bluebell Roots is to create an evening where everyone feels part of proceedings. And it works! The floor spots are an opportunity for you to play to a listening, attentive audience which is quite a rare thing! You also get to share the stage with other great performers.
We don’t think it’s fair for people to perform just one item and we don’t want people to make a potentially wasted journey – driving out to us to find there isn’t time to include them – so we now ask you to reserve your slot a couple of days before the event. This won’t be on a strict first come first served basis though as we want to try and avoid becoming too cliquey, so please do understand if you are a regular and we ask you to relinquish your reservation (in advance).
We do not pay floor spot performers – if you would like to be paid to perform, please ask us about being an invited guest performer (see below).
How do you book the invited guest performers?
Many of our guest performers have contacted us to ask if they can play a guest slot, sometimes we contact someone that has been recommended to us or that we have seen. Our policy is to arrange the programme for the following 6 months in September and January. [We are fully booked for 2024 but if you are interested in playing in 2025 please CONTACT US at the beginning of September 2024.]
The evening starts at 6.15 with an hour of floor spots then a break for a meal. The guest slot starts from about 8.30 and lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Our invited guests receive the donations collected during the evening less a small amount we take out for expenses and PRS licence fee. Audience sizes vary (mostly between 25 and 40 people) so the amount in the collection cannot be guaranteed. Philippa provides a meal (either eat in the interval just before you play or wait to eat at the end of the evening) and we provide drinks and a lift to/from the local station if needed. If you are coming some distance we may be able to arrange somewhere to sleep for the night.