FIELD OF DREAMS...

by Lucy Stephens

“IT’S just literally the field of dreams … ”

Those were the words of Melbourne Town Band’s leader after TV personality Johnny Vegas joined its ranks, wielding the conductor ’s baton before wowing the crowds on the cymbals!

It was all part of the opening ceremony for Mr Vegas’s Field of Dreams glamping site, which took place in the company of local guests and a Channel 4 film crew on April 5

Parish councillors from Melbourne joined local shopowners, other representatives from the community, our own Village Voice and Melbourne Town Band to see Mr Vegas cut the ribbon to open the Field of Dreams, which was granted planning permission at a meeting of South Derbyshire District Council in March (See Page 9)

Scissors were found, the ribbon was cut, and Mr Vegas shook hands with all who came into the field to admire a collection of beautifully renovated old vehicles turned glamping pods

The occasion could not have been more quintessentially British with Melbourne Town Band playing the Dambusters theme tune as guests came in – appropriately as one of the latest vehicles to join the Field of Dreams is an old fighter helicopter transformed into sleeping accommodation by Stu-Art Aviation of Durham, under the design of Mr Vegas

Mizzly rain only added to the general Britishness, as did the china cups and saucers in which large quantities of tea were drunk, along with excellent sandwiches and cake provided by Melbourne Hall Tea Rooms.

Melbourne Hall events manager Roger Lowe said: “This has been about a year in the making, since Johnny did a comedy performance in Melbourne last year We’ve planned this since then “We’re really chuffed with the response to it All the vehicles are really unique and they have all got a bit of Johnny in them, one way or another ”