Obviously the SAPS drug squad thinks themed parties mean you all have to dress the same. Members of the police drug squad that allegedly went undercover at Loeries 2005, no doubt in search of the legendary drug parties of old, got all dressed up in shiny pinstriped shirts and matching tight black trousers, their hair cut regulation short back and sides - they thought they would blend in. The word is that everyone behaved in their vicinity and there are no creatives still languishing as guests of the State (well, from that weekend anyway).
And if you flashed your wobbly bits at Loeries last year, as many did, chances are you were caught on film, à la Paris Hilton, and you can thank the students from one of the advertising colleges for that! Doing what students do, I suppose, they turned the security cameras from one of the neighbouring buildings onto the street party that erupted in the small hours after the Sunday awards ceremony... capturing all the shenanigans on film.
And that footage was aired to police top brass on the South Coast after newspaper stories that local holidaymakers (not part of Loeries, ag shame) complained that the cops were dancing in the streets. The footage showed that police and protection officers did their duty and kept foot-tapping to a minimum!
The biggest problem, apart from the isolated incidents above and one OD (she was OK), was people forgetting where they lived and missing buses back to the airport on the Monday morning after Loeries. "Last year we had a lot of people lose their cars, their keys, forget who they were staying, forget who they are...," local organisers confirmed.
One poor soul was even found lying in the gutter between Southbroom and Margate, having missed the last bus from the circus tent and forgotten where he was staying. But this is where the true heart of a community like Margate comes into play: his B&B owners were actually worried about him when he didn't return and were out looking for him, when local organisers found him. That can only happen in a small town where people actually care.
And it is with that spirit and gentle politeness that local organisers ask that this year's guests "please refrain from throwing things out of the windows"!
But that was obviously just the minority, as many of the guest houses are having the same guests back again as they loved you!
