does melvin really care about the sunday trouble?

[biffoire]

It's the same old story year on year and I personally have voted with my feet and Melvin Benn won't see penny one from me.

It is ingrained deep in the festivals identity and I feel there are only a few ways of dealing with the issue. Most of which involve spending money or losing money so no go there. Banning fires for me is a complete no brainer but then again, sweeping it under the carpet seems to have done the job so far!!

The problem with that is that it still leaves reading and leeds with a shitty reputation.

Edited September 9, 2009 by biffoire

[hearing_aid]

I don't see what they can do. The trouble at reading, the rioting is so much a part of its identity these days. i would even say its one its appealing aspects to many people. So many times I have heard conversations from people looking forward to the chaos on Sunday night. When you have 10'000 of people who want too, and think it is not only acceptable but even expected to cause trouble then what can the organisers do? Treble the security? Have on site holding areas? How much extra money would that cost?

If they really want to stop it then need to take much more extreme measures. Ban fires for one thing. I have enjoyed them, they keep you nice and warm though they aren't needed, get rid of them, they cause trouble.

Reading is actually becoming a bit of a joke to other festival goers, and rightly so really. When people are acting like knobs at other festival goers you will usually hear someone comment something like "do they think they are at reading?"

[Im_in_a_tent]

I don't see what they can do. The trouble at reading, the rioting is so much a part of its identity these days. i would even say its one its appealing aspects to many people. So many times I have heard conversations from people looking forward to the chaos on Sunday night. When you have 10'000 of people who want too, and think it is not only acceptable but even expected to cause trouble then what can the organisers do? Treble the security? Have on site holding areas? How much extra money would that cost?

If they really want to stop it then need to take much more extreme measures. Ban fires for one thing. I have enjoyed them, they keep you nice and warm though they aren't needed, get rid of them, they cause trouble.

Reading is actually becoming a bit of a joke to other festival goers, and rightly so really. When people are acting like knobs at other festival goers you will usually hear someone comment something like "do they think they are at reading?"

[biffoire]

I wonder if not granting the license for a year would do it?

There are a lot of contributing factors which could be tackled...

1. campsite size smaller campsite

2. campsite access (T in the park have a gated campsite unlike r and l)

3. Ban fires

4. The date - it is the last festival of the summer after all

5. Obviously better policing!

When I did go, i got the f**k out of dodge sunday night every year with the exception of one. To be honest, I'm suprised it gets a license year on year with such a consistant and persistant problem.

[Reue]

out of curiosity have the "riots" always been like this or are they a recent development

[Reue]

I have met Melvin (and you, for that matter) and i know there's alot of good intentions on Melvins part. Well, lots of nodding and agreeing, but no tangible action taken. You can tell me all the changes that were implemented this year until you're blue in the face - dosn't change the fact that we had to evacuate at 2.30 in the morning. That's the first time i've ever had to do that in over 12 years of attending

[biffoire]

I still believe the changes made things alot better then they would have been had no changes been made. Yes, things do still need improving and prehaps it would take a RBC license refusal 1 year to spark the kind of reforms which might be needed.

Edited September 9, 2009 by biffoire

[TalkShow Bob]

They were pretty bad in early 00s, then died down alot but have recently sparked up again in 07, 08 and 09.

[gooner1990]

I recon your wrong there. Early 00s were uncomparable to this year, we had nothing near the destruction that used to go on. But its been in steady decline.* I have been out there on the Sunday nights in the hotspots for a fair few years now and this was by far the quietest night I have had. The fact we had a decent number of security in the campsite for the first time was amazing and the police being out there too, that was the first time ive seen them out in the campsite on a Sunday night sing the early 00s, even back then you saw about 2 all night.

*As a trend. There will be years that were very quiet but thats normally due to rain.

[TalkShow Bob]

You must have missed TVP coming out in vans and riot shields last year then!

[hearing_aid]

it can be stopped, the police stopped the g20 meltdown protest in a pretty good fashion. it can be done it just needs the money and people to make this happen

i for one wouldnt mind paying a bit more to see the camp site become a safe place

[eFestivals]

I recon your wrong there. Early 00s were uncomparable to this year, we had nothing near the destruction that used to go on. But its been in steady decline.* I have been out there on the Sunday nights in the hotspots for a fair few years now and this was by far the quietest night I have had. The fact we had a decent number of security in the campsite for the first time was amazing and the police being out there too, that was the first time ive seen them out in the campsite on a Sunday night sing the early 00s, even back then you saw about 2 all night.

*As a trend. There will be years that were very quiet but thats normally due to rain.

I had a drink last night with someone who's been working at Reading (not as security) for about ten years, and he pretty much agreed with this.

His take was that whereas ten years ago the trouble had lots of proper nasty characters involved, the trouble now is nothing more than overly-boisterous kids who carry no real threat of violence.

He told me a story from this year about how he spoke to one of three kids that were rocking an ice cream van (and scaring the shit out of the guy in the van, who thought the van was going to be turned over), near to a group of around 100 chanting kids (which the van driver felt were a part of the threat to him). He went up to the biggest van-rocker, and said something like "what you doing sonny? What's the point of that?", and the guy and his mates slopped off rather embarrassed to have been 'caught' mis-behaving.

[TalkShow Bob]

I had a drink last night with someone who's been working at Reading (not as security) for about ten years, and he pretty much agreed with this.

His take was that whereas ten years ago the trouble had lots of proper nasty characters involved, the trouble now is nothing more than overly-boisterous kids who carry no real threat of violence.

He told me a story from this year about how he spoke to one of three kids that were rocking an ice cream van (and scaring the shit out of the guy in the van, who thought the van was going to be turned over), near to a group of around 100 chanting kids (which the van driver felt were a part of the threat to him). He went up to the biggest van-rocker, and said something like "what you doing sonny? What's the point of that?", and the guy and his mates slopped off rather embarrassed to have been 'caught' mis-behaving.

[eFestivals]

The better one though is when you tell them that if they get evicted then we tell their parents, they really don't like the idea of that.

The switch in the audience from rock young-adults to pop kids is bringing about some very amusing scenarios.

[PaulS9_]

Why don't they just up the age limit to avoid all these young whippersnappers who obviously cant handle their ale and are out to cause trouble?

[eFestivals]

Why don't they just up the age limit to avoid all these young whippersnappers who obviously cant handle their ale and are out to cause trouble?

i'd suggest that it wouldn't make too much difference - you'd end up with much the same problems, tho from a different demographic.

I don't think there's many who'd disagree with a statement that the average age of the audience has got lower in the last ten years (if not going back further) - and the trouble doesn't (from many comments) appear to have got any worse despite their being more youngsters. In fact, there's many who'd say there's less trouble from these youngsters than there was from the older crowd that used to go.

[Gre]

i'd suggest that it wouldn't make too much difference - you'd end up with much the same problems, tho from a different demographic.

I don't think there's many who'd disagree with a statement that the average age of the audience has got lower in the last ten years (if not going back further) - and the trouble doesn't (from many comments) appear to have got any worse despite their being more youngsters. In fact, there's many who'd say there's less trouble from these youngsters than there was from the older crowd that used to go.

[rexclark]

I've been to leeds 2000-5, 2006 & 2008, seen the last night shenanigans each time, and completely agree with that.