kelstar

Stage Coach are now running buses on a friday and saturday till 1.30/2am...Number 23

I cant see camping on Southsea Common, as I think they tried that before and they didnt get it. And to be honest, people are crying out for Victorious to get a bigger site. The only place they can expand is behind the common stage (aka onsite parking) They also tried to put in a glamping site on a field called Alexandra Park in November, but locals raised objections, as it is surrounded by a housing estate.

Think they are doing a Park and ride service this year, judging by the website. Being a Portsmouth local, I can imagine it be the Park and ride in Tipner (Access is via the M275) or they will use Lakeside North Harbour, although that may not be available friday as its offices/business park, but it is a good 20-30mins bus ride via motorway from festival site. But I might be wrong.

Hopefully we should hear the Sunday headliner and some more at the end of March (based on 2022) last years poster had about 24-27 names per day (obviously not the Friday) Victorious always does three main announcements. X

Interesting to see everyone’s thoughts! so who would be the afternoon special guests and who would headline beats stage, as this year it was Andy C/Hot Chip

We mainly had an issue during Sugababes. As we didn’t go closer after that. We were quite far back, positioned ourselves between the bar & food stalls and could barely hear each other. Maybe it was just a few acts x

We are Sky Mobile, and had nothing all day. We noticed any friends who had EE, tended to have a bit of signal…..funnily enough it was sponsored by EE! normally signal is pretty decent in the area, but is absolutely appalling every Victorious.

Here my thoughts on 2022. Sorry a long one! I’m a Portsmouth Local, I live 0.5miles/15min walk from camp site. So I used local public transport & lifts from my dad, so I can not comment on the camp site or any of the park & ride services. I only attended Saturday & Sunday, so again I can’t comment on Friday. I attended with family including children, met with various friends and other family members with children over course of weekend. Personally our tastes are more chart music /old school pop with a little bit of well known chart indie/rock. Victorious over the years has mainly been old school indie/rock with a couple of pop acts. Which isn’t really our taste, but the festival has so much on offer, with local bands, kids area, so we enjoy wandering around, meeting friends and catching a few acts we know. We attended every year since 2013. Out of interested, found my 2014 tickets in my email, and early bird tier 1 was £16.20 a day. Victorious make mistakes every year, but I found they listen to general complaints and try to fix them. We had not enough toilets, the wrong type of toilets, not enough loo roll, not enough bars, not enough food places. This year I was very excited for the festival, a comedy tent added something else, and we had a handful of pop acts which gave me something more to enjoy. Generally I had a great time, and would go again as it’s on my doorstep and we have many friends & family who go. But it wasn’t it’s best year in my opinion. Victorious do tend to listen to complaints and try to improve, so fingers crossed they listen again. Here are my issues/suggestions for improvements. WiFi absolutely sucks, has done every year! This annoyed me personally due to a safety issue. As you arrive, to the family friendly festival, your kids are given a plain wristband which you write your phone number on. Yet there is no phone signal to call you if your kids go missing. Luckily my children are old enough and know the area for us to have a meeting point just in case. I know there are other reasons personal to you all but I thought I use this one as I have always found it ludicrous. Stage/act planning:- Portsmouth loves to party. Pop & chart. Every time we have a pop or chart band in the area for bandstand or a music festivals they are packed, thousands turn up. Add in all the wonderful non locals coming along and a wrong stage, it’s a recipe for chaos. Which was seen on the castle stage. I think enough has been said, but I echo everyone’s options on the madness. Comedy tent:- This was all wrong, Thousands turned up, and everyone wanted to see. As it was early, everyone we came across was generally patient and kind, but it was very busy. Also we had noise clashes. Music from the piano tree & kids area made it impossible to hear the comedy who were at the back making people leave. Bigger/more video screens:- as we are with kids, we didn’t want to get in the thick of the crowds. We preferred to sit towards the back. Unfortunately due to huge crowds, this was so far away at times, it was a bit difficult to see. Plus we noticed the sound system on the common stage was much louder this year. At one stage we sat were we sat last year with our kids, this year, it was impossible to hear each other. Not a complaint, just be better if we could sit in quieter areas and see a screen. Toilets:- much improved from last year, but the castle stage toilets were filthy and unusable after 8pm. They need either more or cleaning if that’s possible. I’m not expecting perfect toilets, especially late on day 3 but I expect to be able to be able to use them. One in five were just about useable. Luckily I took a she-wee, so we could at least try and have a wee! Soft drinks:- At one stage we paid £4 for a can of Fanta! I expect ridiculous prices but £4 for a soft drink! (This was for my kids, not for me) living in Portsmouth I known Portsmouth water is yucky and chalky and is freely available. But it’s nice to give my kids a nice drink at times without selling a kidney.

Thanku, we can’t make next year, and our friends who usually stay won’t be able to use our house (having some work done while away) Not really paid too much attention to the ins & outs of the camping, so very interested in the option for them if they come down x

Question for all the campers! What was your experience with buses to and from festival site.

Being a Portsmouth girl, I’ve been to Victorious nearly every year (except 2012 - the first one) This year I felt the stage planning was totally wrong! The crowd levels on castle field for Sophie/Becky Hill was horrendous and totally unsafe. My husband took our kids to the toilet and they were being pushed and shoved by aggressive men/boys. I honestly thought Becky Hill was going to stop her set, after she stopped singing to tell people to calm down. comedy tent! Too small should of been a stage. castle field toilets were unusable for ladies after 8pm. Apart from the chaos and lack of usable toilets, pretty good weekend x

Great 1st day for us. Felt much busier than previous years. Tip for anyone going to comedy tent for Russel Kane. Go early as it was packed x

Hopefully the rumour is incorrect, but I’m not there until tomorrow. Keeping an eye on my Facebook for info, as I do have a number of friends going today.

That’s the rumour on Facebook, no draught, they think it’s just cans. (Poured into paper cups)

Not a moment, it probably once it opens we hear more unless locals post of Portsmouth sites .

Local Facebook page The Pompey Bible have posted bar prices

Wow, that grass has certainly improved, but it’s been raining everyday x

First Change

That was me! Everyone I have spoken to seems to be heading over to the comedy area for Russel Kane etc! Got a feeling it’s going to to rammed in that area. The same as when they put Lewis Capaldi on the castle stage! I was hoping it would be a stage. Went to look Saturday, but they had not started it. Plus there is the piano tree and literacy area in same space. Not sure if a tent will work with number of people x

Everyone who answered you so far are correct. Victorious site is mostly flat, with plenty of paths & roads suitable for a wheelchair. Currently in Portsmouth, we hardly had any significant rain, so the grass is hard, so you won’t have an issue getting around. Me & friends have gone every year, taking our children, some in pushchairs & carts, so quite young and never really had a problem. We tend to sit towards the back/side in the quieter areas of the stages and never had issues with drunk teens. They are there, but never had any issues as we keep to ourselves. victorious have raised platforms for wheelchair at the main stages, I think you need to apply to access them, but as your partner is in a wheelchair, I’m sure they would allow you access. I’ve mainly seen they castle stage one and it’s never crowded. by the Avenue de Caen entrance, next to kids area is a welfare tent, and if I remember clearly, I think they had a wheelchair toilet there last year. x

Campsite entrance moved? Not sure where that would be as there is only one way in & out of the field normally. The field sits in-between a train line, a motorway and an area know as farlington marshes, which all isn’t accessible by cars north of motorway, the only way in & out is via the car park next to the petrol station as far as I’m aware.

Keep an eye on the wind, it was breezy yesterday and a bit chilly especially when the sun went behind the clouds x you doing the hovercraft?

I honestly don’t know what buses they use as we catch the local bus to Victorious, which all take double buggies as long as there is space. (We live very close to the camp site - 10mins walk from our house) But if they hired the buses from local companies then you should be fine (Local company buses are Stagecoach or First Bus) If you really struggle Aqua is the local taxi company but are pretty rubbish, so you may need to book early x

Popped down yesterday and the site is definitely coming on. Perimeter fence is up, common, castle stages are mostly done, beats and comedy started. Most bars have been built. interestedly I think the seaside stage area which is still open to the public is open for Victorious, they put signs up for Toilets & Urinals up there. Fab news!

I’m off down to Southsea this afternoon, so going to have a look around to see what’s up.