Over 18s Wristbands

[mandypants]

Leeds are doing an optional Over 18s Wristband in addition to the normal weekend wristbands. If you take some ID to the tent in the Village you can get one, which will make life easier at the bars and save you from carrying around something important like your driving licence or passport.

[Mark E. Spliff]

This is not the case.

I'm not trying to be a smart-arsed pedant - I work the bars, and at every festival which has 'over 18' wrist-bands, I have to turn down surprised (young-looking) people for drinks. The laws governing the sale of alcohol are not set by Festival Republic or any other organisation - they're set by Law, and they require bar staff to look for certain types of ID.

The 'over 18' wrist bands will be for other purposes - e.g. they might allow you to enter without a responsible adult, or something like that. They are definitely NOTHING to do with alcohol licensing.

So. Just be on the safe side and bring along an approved form of photo ID - driving license/passport/etc. Reading and Leeds are a nightmare to work the bar - everyone looks seriously young, and gets seriously p*ssed off because they haven't brought the right ID to get served.

[imalreetme]

I'll be getting one! I always, always, always get id'd at the bars (seeing as i look 15...) so to save me pulling out my id all the time and risk dropping it somewhere in the mud id rather get a wristband and flash them that.

Then i can put my id in the car where its safe. I tell you when your 22 theres nothing worse than being confused for a child!!!

[Mark E. Spliff]

I'll be getting one! I always, always, always get id'd at the bars (seeing as i look 15...) so to save me pulling out my id all the time and risk dropping it somewhere in the mud id rather get a wristband and flash them that.

Then i can put my id in the car where its safe. I tell you when your 22 theres nothing worse than being confused for a child!!!

[markeee]

if not for bars, what use would they be for the majority of the festival goers? Doesn't matter to me either way, im 24, so no responsible adult needed..just curious

[imalreetme]

Well best of luck with that then mate. Just try to remember - the bar staff are all volunteers and they get personally prosecuted if they get caught serving underage drinkers. Try not to give them grief if you get refused.

[foo3]

Err no you seem to have mis-read. I am 22 but I look like a child so I always get asked for id.

Thats why ill be getting a wristband.....

[Mark E. Spliff]

Read post number 2 in this thread and you will understand what Mark E. Spliff is talking about...

Edited August 7, 2009 by Mark E. Spliff

[tjallen900]

The only way I can see any kind of defence, (from a law student point of view), is that if you work on the bar, by seeing an over 18 wristband is that you could argue that because they were given that by someone who required ID, the blame shouldnt be on them.

But in practice that doesnt work. With all the bar staff getting prosecuted in bars and clubs when it is up to the bouncers to ID. So, I can see where you are coming from.

I will just get an over 18 wristband anyway, if worst comes to worst, I will get one of my mates to get my drink. Just so you know me and my mates are all 20. If a few people have their IDs on them, then at least it is a back up.

[Im_in_a_tent]

It will stop you having to carry your ID every time you want a drink on site, or want to bring alcohol into the campsites from the supermarkets. It is a trial and so please help us with it. There will a tent outside the arena entrance where you will be able to get the over 18’s band once you are in the event. You will need valid ID in order to get the wristband and this will be a a PASS hologrammed ID card, a full photo card driving licence issued by the DVLA or a passport.

[Mark E. Spliff]

kinda contradicts what your saying

[mandypants]

From the ticket folder which I got yesterday:

Over 18 Wristband

This year we are introducing an over 18 wristband. You can pick up one of these at the tent in the village when you produce ID. It is voluntary, but it will help speed up the queue for you at the bars and it will save you carrying ID around with you. It is an additional wristband and is totally separate from your normal festival wristband.

[Im_in_a_tent]

I can see this is going to cause ALL sorts of grief during the festival. Here are the facts, see what you think:

Although Festival Republic are trialling this 'Over 18' wristband idea, they don't actually hold the license to sell alcohol - that's held by the Workers Beer Company. The Workers Beer Company know a thing or two about licensing, and have a tried and trusted underage drinking policy.

The law requires bar staff to verify the age of any potential underage customers by using an approved photo ID card - i.e. a PASS ID card, driving license etc. etc. Nowhere in law does it say that a Festival Republic 'over 18 wristband' removes the necessity to see photo ID. Think about it - how difficult would it be to get your 50 year old mate to get an 'over 18' wristband and pass it on to you? The whole idea is ridiculous.

Reading/Leeds Council will send 'mystery shoppers' round. These are underage customers who will attempt to get served. If they DO get served, we get fined. The only way to prevent this happening is to ID them - fortunately for us, all the 'mystery shoppers' carry ID cards with 'Fake' stamped across them!

So... we won't be serving people who look under 18, even if they've got an 'over 18' wristband. The punters will quite understandably be expecting their 'over 18 wristband' to do the business, and will have probably left their photo ID at home.

Festival Republic might as well have renamed their festivals 'The Leeds and Reading Riots' and handed out a free gas cylinder with every bundle of firewood.

[scottt]

I look young, ive been going since i was 16 (looking aobut 12) and usually for ever bar worker who wont serve me, there's 2 that will. I imagine most bar staff will allow this as a form of I.d to be honest.

[Chris12345]

From the ticket folder which I got yesterday:

I know about the under 21 ruling, but if you have one of these wristbands it means you have proven that you are over 18, and the age limit for alcohol is still 18 so bar staff will have a much easier time of it, and you can still turn away anyone appearing under 21 who hasn't got a wristband.

[Chris12345]

Oh, and I still wonder what sort of c**t volunteers to be a mystery shopper, they must be very well paid!

If anyone's worried about ID, go to Wetherspoons and get one of their application forms... they have a special spoons only price of like £4.50 for a PASS approved card... beats losing your driving license!

[farmer_andy]

I do love these posts, whether from glastoworker or this mark guy, because although im sure the individuals are telling the truth about their own practices the fact is the festival bar staff generally dont give a shit and serve most 16 year olds with no i.d.

[Mark E. Spliff]

I do love these posts, whether from glastoworker or this mark guy, because although im sure the individuals are telling the truth about their own practices the fact is the festival bar staff generally dont give a shit and serve most 16 year olds with no i.d.

[rexclark]

I'm 27. But I am a very young looking 27. I get ID'd most nights I'm out which isn't a problem as I always haveID on me.

At Rockness this year I was ID'd at nearly every bar and didn't have my ID so had to get my mate to get my drinks, how embaressing!

In regards to the strictness of Leeds, I have never been ID'd in since I first went when I was 17 (I probably looked about 12) so I don't think saying only a few peope aren't as strict is really true. (In fairness I don't know how long workers beer company has been doing the festival)

I understand the problems with IDing people, my mother works in a supermarket and has to ID people constantly as the risk of being fined is too high.

[batman_23]

i think im gnna get one anyway, but still take my ID, see if bars exept it or not then i have a back-up. and if it works out alright then i dont have to carry my ID the other days!

[rexclark]

i think im gnna get one anyway, but still take my ID, see if bars exept it or not then i have a back-up. and if it works out alright then i dont have to carry my ID the other days!

[Dropkick Murphy]

Mark, I understand what you are saying. However, i've never ever been ID'd at Leeds. I've been going for 9 years now, i'm 24 now but look really young, and always get ID'd on nights out. The fact that they never ID people at Leeds, coupled with these 'over 18s wristbands', to me means no one with an over 18s wristband will get ID'd for service. The bar staff don't care as it is, and if they see an over 18 wrist band, i am certain they will just serve.

Legally speaking, as you say, anyone who looks under 21 and has a wristband still should be asked for proof of age, however, in practice, this will not happen. Leeds bar staff are so lax, i've never seen anyone ever getting ID'd...

Edited August 10, 2009 by Dropkick Murphy

[Mark E. Spliff]

Mark, I understand what you are saying. However, i've never ever been ID'd at Leeds. I've been going for 9 years now, i'm 24 now but look really young, and always get ID'd on nights out. The fact that they never ID people at Leeds, coupled with these 'over 18s wristbands', to me means no one with an over 18s wristband will get ID'd for service. The bar staff don't care as it is, and if they see an over 18 wrist band, i am certain they will just serve.

Legally speaking, as you say, anyone who looks under 21 and has a wristband still should be asked for proof of age, however, in practice, this will not happen. Leeds bar staff are so lax, i've never seen anyone ever getting ID'd...

[Dropkick Murphy]

I always carry my drivers license in my wallet anyway, never lose it as its on a chain attached to my belt loop.

But yeah, from personal experience, the Leeds bar staff are much less strict than those in usual town pubs/bars/clubs.

[rexclark]

I always carry my drivers license in my wallet anyway, never lose it as its on a chain attached to my belt loop.

But yeah, from personal experience, the Leeds bar staff are much less strict than those in usual town pubs/bars/clubs.