When did Lounge On The Farm go from one of the Observer’s top 20 festivals you’ve never heard of to one which attracts the likes of The Streets and Ellie Goulding? Chris Price reports.

Everyone can already feel the energy around Lounge On The Farm. There is a sense that this year is special.

The Streets, Ellie Goulding, Example, Katy B and Echo & The Bunnymen are just a few of the artists who are making the sixth outing for this little festival on Merton Farm, near Canterbury, the most star-studded so far.

A more organised set-up is no doubt part of the reason. Long gone are the days when the festival was thought up on the back of a cigarette packet back in 2004, when original organiser Sean Baker met the son of a farmer as they watched a band perform aboard a flat bed lorry in the middle of Canterbury.

Former manager Matt Gough moved on last year after establishing the event on the UK’s festival calendar and it is clear that organisers behind the festival now have more act-pulling clout.

Its solid economic foundations – supporting local producers – means there is almost no fear of cancellation through financial problems meaning booking agents for the biggest acts feel comfortable about getting their artists to sign up.

A new main stage with a much bigger capacity means the top acts are not confined to performing to as many people as they can fit into the Cowshed.

The new stage has a capacity of 4,000 people – the whole festival’s capacity was 5,000 two years ago.

The Cowshed now takes on its new role as the dance tent, known as The Hoedown, hosting the likes of Annie Mac and Zinc.

The acts Lounge has booked this year are far more current, which is down in part to the emergence of the Hop Farm Music Festival as one of the country’s top music events for classic acts.

If Lounge organisers didn’t aim at a younger audience, they might struggle to find their niche in the festival market in Kent. They need to offer a unique product and staging their own classic acts would not do that.

Last year they looked a bit naff when they booked Martha Reeves and the Vandellas as the main event as opposed to the Hop Farm booking Bob Dylan, so there has been an effort to change focus.

Yet this raises an uncomfortable question for the family festival. Has Lounge turned its back on its traditional fanbase?

There is no questions that Katy B, Example, The Vaccines, Everything Everything and Devlin appeal to 16 to 25- year-olds.

Organisers recently announced the line- up for the silent disco tent, the preserve of Ibiza goers and young festival lovers for years.

However, if it didn’t aim for a younger demographic there might not be a festival at all. It would be competing in a losing battle against Hop Farm for the same audience. It is hard to rival Prince and Eagles’ only UK dates this year.

The shift in focus is a savvy move from organisers, who have also launched an iPhone and android app with set times for all the stages, biogs of all the bands, news and an interactive map.

It is all part of a natural progression for Merton Farm. After six years we would all be worried if they weren’t getting bigger names and new stages. It is the logical step.

Also there is the argument that headliners The Streets, Ellie Goulding and Echo & The Bunnymen all appeal to wide range of ages.

The Streets are a classic act who transcend musical and age barriers as all creators of genuine art do. The fact this is their last tour will pull in nostalgic and new fans alike.

Ellie has her young following and ex-University of Kent pals coming to watch but her soft synths are of the kind which make mum and dad think they are listening to something edgier than they are.

And the lesson in post-punk which Ian McCulloch and co will give when Echo & The Bunnymen round off the festival will be part singalong for long-time fans and part education for young audience members looking to learn a thing or two about making music.

In all, this year’s line-up is a master stroke and Lounge is not about to become known as the 'other’ festival in Kent the week after Hop Farm. It has more than staked its claim to be No1 in our hearts.

Lounge On The Farm takes place from Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10 at Merton Farm, near Canterbury. The Streets headline on Friday, Ellie Goulding on Saturday and Echo & The Bunnymen on the last day.