by Adam Williams

awilliams@thekmgroup.co.uk

BRIT Award winner Emeli Sandé tops the bill in the first set of acts announced for Lounge On The Farm 2012.

The three-day boutique festival returns for a seventh year at Canterbury’s Merton Farm from Friday, July 6 to Sunday, July 8 with disco legends Chic, The Wombats, Mystery Jets, Roots Manuva and Goldie also confirmed.

Organisers are hoping to be awarded an event licence in March after concerns were raised by the police and city council following last year's festival. The bid is going out to consultation this week.

Sandé, winner of the critics’ choice award at this month’s BRITs, follows in the footsteps of former winner Ellie Goulding, a headliner from last summer’s festival.

The soul and r‘n’b singer recently crowned a memorable six months as album, Our Version of Events, went to number one. Current single Next To Me is number two in the charts, following on from the successes of debut solo anthem Heaven and number one collaboration Read All About It with Professor Green.

For Mystery Jets and Roots Manuva, it’s a return to the festival they last performed at in 2009. Roots Manuva’s headline set that summer wowed the then Cowshed main stage while indie five-piece Mystery Jets release new album Radlands at the end of April.

Liverpudlian trio The Wombats are no strangers to Kent having performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Maidstone in 2008.

Drum and Bass legend Goldie promises to bring his own collection of heavy beats to the dance arena in a Lounge On The Farm first. Also joining the bill is reggae DJ David Rodigan, a servant of the genre for more than 35 years.

David, still a regular DJ on radio station Kiss 100, received the MBE this month from Prince Charles in recognition of his devotion to the industry.

Finally, Chic are set to spin the disco sounds which have made them a club classic for generations, including Le Freak and Everybody Dance.

Tickets are now available for the next two weeks at early bird prices of £110 from The Farmhouse in Dover Street, Canterbury and the Lounge On The Farm website. After that, weekend prices are £115 with boutique camping starting at £395 for four people.

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