DIY AGM Blackpool: Mixed emotions as farmers come to town

I’d never been to the DIY AGM before – just heard the stories.

A wild, unofficial young farmers’ weekend that’s half community, half free-for-all.

What I got was something in between: it felt like freshers’ week, but with more local animosity.

By the time I arrived, just before noon on the Friday, Blackpool was already humming — a sea of mullets, harlequin shorts, and high spirits.

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The town centre pulsed with chanting, cider and, as I expected, slogans scrawled across polo shirts: “Drill’em, Fill’em, Bill’em,” “Making ruts, Railing sluts,” and “Young Farmers Are Like Shotguns – They Need a Tight Choke & A Good Loud Bang.”

Marker pens added other touches — arrows on necks reading “It’s long for your shlong” and “Insert here” scrawled on bare thighs.

For many, this weekend is the event of the year.

One lad from Shropshire — already halfway through a 2-litre bottle of cider at noon — told me with a grin: “It’s sex and filth this weekend — and nothing else.”

© Ben Hesketh Photography

Chloe, a young farmer from Staffordshire, insisted I put “feral” in capitals in my notebook, describing her experience as “FERAL, chaos and dirty”.

And yet, on the surface at least, everything seemed to be under control. Police later confirmed there had been no major incidents and praised attendees for their good behaviour.

A couple of locals commented: “They work hard, it’s one weekend; they’re young and having fun. Just let them be, any 21-year-old would do the same.”

Still, I couldn’t ignore the underlying tension that some locals and venue staff described — a sense of barely contained chaos and sexism behind the laughs and dancing.

A town divided

While the vibe I witnessed seemed upbeat and managed, I heard the same message from many locals: “We’re not against it, but we’re wary.”

Chris, a Blackpool resident, told me this was the first time in five years she’d dared go into town during the DIY AGM weekend.

“They are a lot better now than they used to be. But I was punched in the stomach by a young farmer during the weekend a few years ago. It was the year when ambulances were trashed. I don’t feel safe, and I’m really cautious.”

© Ben Hesketh Photography

Shaz, who owns Buckingham’s Bar just off the main strip, said she simply doesn’t let any of them in.

“I’ve never allowed them in my bar,” she told me. “If a few come in, I ask them to leave. I used to have a hotel, and I wouldn’t let them in there either.

“There are nice ones, don’t get me wrong. Others just cause trouble; I don’t get why they can’t come and have a nice time without smashing the place up.”

Outside Flames takeaway, across from one of the main venues, I watched a young farmer steal a fire extinguisher from the restaurant and empty the contents over cars and unsuspecting pedestrians.

The owner, Rochdi, described the weekend more like damage control than hospitality.

“It’s annoying, but what can I do? People are being sick in the shop, banging the tables and the windows. They’re just drunk. All I’d say is please just behave and speak to people nicely.”

Past troubles

While taking a breather from the festivities, I read about last year’s allegations of sexual assault and safeguarding concerns.

I contacted the organisers several times to ask what steps, if any, had been taken since last year’s concerns, but they did not respond.

None of the venue security I spoke to had received any formal communication from the organisers regarding additional safeguarding measures or guidance on slogans.

I did come across a short video posted online by the organisers ahead of this year’s event, urging attendees to be respectful.

Inside the venues

Watching crate-loads of WKD Blue being wheeled into bars in preparation, it seemed like a great boost for the local economy.

At Walkabout, where streams of young farmers flowed through the doors, I met Anton, part of the security team working the weekend.

“It’s the biggest event in Blackpool. On a good weekend, we have over 1,000 through the door –  over this weekend, we expect about 10,000.”

© Ben Hesketh Photography

He raised an eyebrow at some of the polo shirt slogans. “Some are quite outgoing, something different, sometimes quite borderline. We’ve had nothing from the organisers about not letting particularly bad slogans in.”

Over at Yates, the tone was similar. I asked Abdul, another member of security, how things had been.

“We’ve had no trouble so far. The slogans are horrendous, though. We’ve been told to let anyone in; whatever it says on the shirts, it doesn’t matter.”

A rite of passage — or time to rethink?

As the music blared and the crowds spilled from bar to bar, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

On one hand, the camaraderie was real, the laughter infectious. The sense of rural identity and belonging was impossible to miss.

But on the other hand, it was hard to ignore the undercurrent – the locals feeling afraid to come into town, venues refusing entry for fear of vandalism, questionable slogans, and increased harassment logged over the weekend.

Even some young farmers told me they were torn. “I’m a farmer, I’m here because all my mates are, but I’m not proud of it,” said Sarah.

“It’s got a bit of a reputation. I’m here to have a good time, but sometimes it’s hard to ignore how things can get out of hand.”

I arrived curious and open-minded; I left with the sense that this weekend means very different things to different people.

For some, it’s tradition. For others, it’s fear.

The slogans debate – do they encourage bad behaviour?

© Ben Hesketh Photography

Much of the focus at Blackpool seemed to be about the nature of the polo shirt slogans, raising the question of whether there should be a policy around how far they go.

The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs – which is not affiliated in any way to the DIY AGM and distances itself from the event – messaged its members in advance saying, if they were going to Blackpool, to remember they would be representing rural communities.

It advised them to “choose clothing carefully, to ensure it promotes the positive work of the agricultural industry”.

The message seemed lost on many. “The shirts are grotesque,” said one local mum surveying the scene in front of her. “I wouldn’t bring my daughter into town [over the DIY AGM weekend].”

She’s not alone in feeling unsettled. To many, the event isn’t just a few off-colour jokes, it’s symptomatic of a wider issue.

Reclaim Blackpool, a local campaign group, said reports of catcalling and harassment rose significantly over the weekend of the DIY AGM event.

© Ben Hesketh Photography

A spokesman said they were disheartened that concerns raised in previous years appear to have gone unaddressed.

“We don’t expect people to turn farmers away, but we want them to focus on the misogynistic T-shirts people continue to wear.

“In some venues jogging pants aren’t allowed, but shirts that insinuate sexual assault and rape somehow are.”

Encouraging bad behaviour 

For Reclaim, it’s not just about the slogans, it’s the behaviour that they encourage.

“It seems to be the view of many young farmers that they come to Blackpool to do what they want.”

On their online harassment mapping tool, there were several reports logged over the DIY AGM weekend.

“While walking through town with my young daughter, we were harassed and catcalled several different times by young farmers,” said one.

“I was standing on the corner of a street and heard a commotion, so I looked over and a girl was walking to her car being followed by a man in a red farmers’ top,” said another.

“She was screaming at him to leave her alone, and he followed her to her car and was trying to get in, pulling at the door handles and banging on the windows. She turned the car on, and he sat on the bonnet, making sure she couldn’t leave.”

One bar worker commented: “During the weekend, I was spat on, had derogatory remarks made towards me, and had a plastic cup of urine thrown at me.” 

Following the weekend, Reclaim wrote on its social media: “Let’s be clear: this isn’t about humour or rural pride.

“Women in Blackpool should not have to change their plans to avoid their town centre to feel safe. We belong here and deserve respect.”