My initial thoughts on this year’s Catz May Ball were slightly dismissive: vaguery seems clearly in vogue. The theme of ‘Infusion’ is yet another rather meaningless May Ball premise which gives guests little idea of what to expect – something drawn out further by the description of the ball as a chance to ‘feel sound, touch taste and smell colour’.

In all honesty, it’s hard to say that the resulting event especially reflected this theme – but this is not something that held the ball back. For a smaller-scale all-nighter, it was a lot of fun and the committee deserve credit, overall, for pulling off a solid event.

However, there was one really significant area in which the ball managed to infuriate guests. Entry to the event was poorly managed, with only few people on the door and ‘technical issues’ leading to queues of over two hours; some guests claimed to have spent a quarter of the ball’s running time just waiting to get in. This was a real disappointment – particularly as other May Balls have this year provided entertainment and/or food for queuing guests in an effort to alleviate the pain of long waiting lines.

Despite this, on entering the ball, guests’ experience was very positive. The main bar, situated nicely just by the entrance, served a range of spirit & mixers as well as a couple of kegs of ale. Bars all around the ball also had a variety of cocktails on offer. Drinks overall were not particularly original (plenty of G&T, Long Island iced tea etc.), but were consistent in being both strongly mixed and not running out as the night went on.

I would have to say, though, that the décor was the most impressive part of the ball. The committee only had a small area to work with, yet the attention to detail in each of the side courts was impressive. I particularly liked the Soundscape area, which was dressed and lit artfully to create an ethereal feel, with copious quantities of fairy lights and all-white decorations surrounding the piano in the centre of this greener area. Further, time and effort had clearly been put into planning where the food stands and bars would be positioned in order to enhance the visual effect of the areas.

Less thought had been put into the food on offer, though this is not to say that it was bad. The committee had gone for tried and tested options (such as Nanna Mexico and Mac 'n' Cheese), though I have to commend them for the inclusion of both the Smokeworks stand and the really tasty paella on offer in the Caribbean themed area. However, vegetarian friends did note that veggie options were limited and not of the same quality as for meat eaters – the main initial veggie option were cold sandwiches, compared to ribs or pulled pork from Smokeworks. The cereal bar toward the end of the night was a great idea, though.

The ents were also pretty good. Wiley unexpectedly dropping out as headliner, only to be replaced by Tinchy Stryder, seemed not to affect guests too much, if the atmosphere during his set is any guide. Likewise the strong atmosphere around the main stage continued for much of the night, with Swede Dreamz a highlight. Antarctic Monkeys’ early set, however, suffered a lot from the lack of people who had at this point entered the ball, though I was impressed with the South London Soul Train’s set in the Botanical Bar.

Running alongside the musical ents were some May Ball classics (a shisha tent and the Churchill Casino), as well as some more unique attractions including flavoured-air generating orbs and a coconut shy, all of which supplemented the night well. The only criticism I could possibly make is that the pace of the ball noticeably dropped off after about 3am - which was a slight issue given the later time (6am) of the survivors’ photo.

Overall, then, this was a solid if not quite spectacular event. Catz’s small grounds lent themselves well to the intricate design of the ball, and this more intimate feel ensured that guests by and large had a great time. The quality of food, drink and ents was high, but there remained a few small issues – this coming on top of the queuing debacle – which made the ball an enjoyable experience, though not top tier.

The feeling remains that a touch more quality could have forced this well-rounded May Ball into a higher class of event.