Alcohol + camping

[Welshood]

Hey its my first time going to glasto in 2010 Infact it is my first ever festival.

to say the least i am very excited and cant wait!

I am going with a group of friends, in which no one is 18 or over. so im just wondering are they strict on ID at the bars or do they serve everyone.

Obviously we'll be taking alcohol in with us (we aren't that stupid). It would just be nice to know as im quite liking the sound of the cider bus !!

Oh and one more thing, only one of us has been before and we just wondered where is best to camp. We are looking for a place with a good atmosphere, friendly and has lots going on well into the night! ( sorry if these questions have been asked before )

[planetcat]

All the bars SHOULD ask for ID but don't always. My son is 19 and has been asked occasionally for ID. Essentially, the law remains the same at Glastonbury but, being a festival, the staff don't always have the time/inclination to do that!. Obviously if you're taking your own then you wont go without! In terms of camping you would have a good time in the Pyramid field, Pennards Hill or the area around the Dance Village - all of which are lively (!) areas and seem to have a large community of your age group. To be honest it depends on which day you go down - leave it much later than thursday afternoon and you won't have much choice left! In terms of things going on all night - there are so many areas with stuff going on til the early hours that you are more likely to be out and about anyway. Head for the Dance Village, the Glade, Trash City, Arcadia etc etc for late night activities (won't say too much as I wouldnt want to spoil it for you!)

Whatever you do, and wherever you camp you WILL have a fantastic time and never want to leave!

Hope this helps

[cejx]

Hey its my first time going to glasto in 2010 Infact it is my first ever festival.

to say the least i am very excited and cant wait!

I am going with a group of friends, in which no one is 18 or over. so im just wondering are they strict on ID at the bars or do they serve everyone.

Obviously we'll be taking alcohol in with us (we aren't that stupid). It would just be nice to know as im quite liking the sound of the cider bus !!

Oh and one more thing, only one of us has been before and we just wondered where is best to camp. We are looking for a place with a good atmosphere, friendly and has lots going on well into the night! ( sorry if these questions have been asked before )

[ivan]

Last year at V - I was chatting to one of the guys who ran one of the bars , he had been fined twice

that weekend for selling to under 18's , the council had sent some kids in , and he was banged

to rights.

I noticed Leeds has been strict these last few years - No ID for under 25's no serve attituted

TBH - You are just going to have to take your chances , if you get refused move on or try later.

[sisterofmercy]

My friends and I got served at least 4 times this year at Glastonbury, and we're all 17 (with one 16 year old with us). The most we got was one of us was asked if we were 18 (to which of course we said yes ) but that was about it. You never can be sure though so it's always a good idea to take some with you as well. Depending on how busy the bar is and how old you look you might get away with it.

[glasto-worker]

Hey its my first time going to glasto in 2010 Infact it is my first ever festival.

to say the least i am very excited and cant wait!

I am going with a group of friends, in which no one is 18 or over. so im just wondering are they strict on ID at the bars or do they serve everyone.

Obviously we'll be taking alcohol in with us (we aren't that stupid). It would just be nice to know as im quite liking the sound of the cider bus !!

[LondonTom]

I can't comment on glasto, but music venues in general are getting stricter with underage drinking, when I first went to Brixton about 2 years ago I was under-age and got served no problems. I went last friday to see franz got id'ed every time I went to the bar. I also done some bar work at events and it really depends on your luck of who you get serving you , some take a completely relaxed attitude, others take a sort of if they look like twats then no and others are quite strict.

[sisterofmercy]

ps - only a fool would ask someone are you over 18 ?

[geztival_09]

If it's busy then you're less likely to get asked, like when you're at a club or something. If none of you look old enough then get some form of fake ID, and bring as much alcohol as you can carry! Better still, get friendly with others there who are old enough, and get them to buy drinks on your behalf

[glasto-worker]

If it's busy then you're less likely to get asked, like when you're at a club or something. If none of you look old enough then get some form of fake ID, and bring as much alcohol as you can carry! Better still, get friendly with others there who are old enough, and get them to buy drinks on your behalf

[HurrahBrother]

In other words, what everyone is saying is please don't try and buy on site if your under aged.

However, pack spirits decanted into plastic bottles, buy mixers on site at the yellow 'general stalls'. You probably get better value as well.

[julie_d]

Would definately say they're getting stricter!! I'm sure i've been ID's more times since turning 24 than any other age!! Maybe i've got a young face....?? But at V this year i got ID'd EVERY time i went to the bar!

[pezzypops]

i ususally get ID'd in the real world once or twice a year since i was about 21 (i'm 30 now) but i've never been asked for ID at a festival bar.

[popcornmaster]

Say you go to any bar 15 times over the weekend you may get id'd 2 at most (in my personal experience)

I've never been ID'd and 09 was the first where I was 18.

Yes it's all good being PC and saying that people are getting stricter and they should ID everyone still walking without a stick but it's just not the case for me and any of my group (admittedly one friend did get ID'd in 08 but he has a baby face)

Realistically you will get served and if you do, the system won't fall apart, you won't mug the elderly and you won't get a liver condition (obviously in moderation)

Though the stories of the council sending kids in is ridiculous (not ridiculous in that i don't believe it, just the fact that the taxman is Glastonbury is atrocious)

[glasto-worker]

At each event the bar staff know that more and more local authorities are taking a active part by sending in people who are under 18 and of course we have no prior knowledge they are going to do this.

Take it from me staff are not going to risk being fined for a Complete stranger

The first year the new act kicked in { which made Bar Staff liable rather than Bar Owners } local authorities did plan to do a few mystery shopper stings but due to the bad weather that year they decided to skip the plan.

Like it or not the law is in place and I have seen people taking away who were caught trying to buy drink when they were underage - they get moved to the local station and the Police will not start interviewing them until their parents are called so even if they do end up with a caution they have missed most of the event.

If you are daft enough to risk it then you cant complain if you get caught.

Bar Staff in the past may have been willing to turn a blind eye but now they can be fined { and possible lose their full time job } they will not be taking any chances.

[frankie boy]

realistically you will get served and if you do, the system won't fall apart, you won't mug the elderly and you won't get a liver condition (obviously in moderation)

Though the stories of the council sending kids in is ridiculous (not ridiculous in that i don't believe it, just the fact that the taxman is Glastonbury is atrocious)

[jameshunt]

completely agree with this. I just cannot see police call for back a riot team and armed respose unit just because an over 18 bought an under 18 a beer especialy at glasto or such events.

[geztival_09]

This year it was unusual as Glastonbury was the first large event of the season so any new staff would not have had any experience.

You must remember that unlike a commercial Club where the bar staff are being paid and may be on a bonus if they sell over a certain limit all the staff in the main bars at Glastonbury are volunteers so they are under no pressure to reach certain targets.

Most of the bar staff should be aware that the more busy the bar the more likely a joker will try to slip though.

Sure its not impossible but I can assure you that everyone working in the main bars at Glastonbury have to sign a Contract that clearly points out that they are legally responsible if they get caught selling to a person under 18 and they have failed to check for ID so really they are warned not to take any chances.

Trying to use fake ID is nuts - in our campsite we have copies of fake ID as they tend to fall into a few certain categories + when one is spotted we will let the other tents know by radio.

By the way asking a friend who is over 18 to buy drink for someone underage also has risks as its a very heavy fine for the person who gets caught

[glasto-worker]

Below is the notes that are sent out by the Home Office to Trading Standards

They are not daft and they look at large events as a opportunity to increasse their conviction rate so just because its Glastonbury they are not going to turn a blind eye.

I have been working with the Workers Beer Company for the past twenty years and I know how often they show up - they will stand back from the Counter and they stop Customers they think look underage { they dont always use mystery shoppers } and check what ID they produced.

Be it right or wrong the authorities are cracking down.

Trading Standards – Underage drinking guidance 2009

Good relations with police will enable checks on youngsters that might reveal ASBO conditions, exclusion orders or area bans and police can issue FPNs.

Police and PCSOs can seize alcohol from youngsters in public places.

Offences – Licensing Act 2003

Section 146 - Selling alcohol anywhere to a person under 18.

Section 147 - A person who knowingly allows the sale of alcohol to an individual aged under 18 is committing an offence.

Section 147A - On 3 or more different occasions within a period of three consecutive months alcohol is sold on the same licensed premises, club or temporary event to an under 18. The premises licence holder and / or DPS are liable for this offence.Evidence of previous sales can include a conviction under Section 146, a caution or the payment of a fixed penalty.

Use of young people for test purchases

• The purchaser used must be under 18 (else no offence will be committed even if they look 13). Looking under 18 will exclude one defence.

• Check they have some money and what they are going to purchase.

• A briefing must include what might happen and what they say to the server if challenged. (They must not encourage a sale as agent provocateur).

• A challenge on age suggests unwillingness to serve and it will be necessary to lie about age.

The young person needs to:

• note any challenge

• describe any checks made by the server to confirm age

• be able to recognise the server and explain how s/he did this

If a sale is refused the seller should be appraised and thanked for their diligence, however if a sale occurs:

• It is necessary to confront the server with the purchaser.

• Get the purchaser to clearly identify the seller in the seller’s presence and hearing.

• Identify yourself and the purchaser and state what has happened, pointing out the offence of selling to a person under 18 and add the official caution “You do not have to say anything…”

• Note any replies. You can ask them to agree with the facts as an admission particularly the person’s apparent age and that they made the sale.

Offences by managers, Personal Licence Holders and DPS

The role of the seller should be established and whether they are personally licensed or authorised to make sales. If not in charge there may be offences by those that are. What directions / training have the unlicensed received on legal matters? Interview managers etc in presence of seller – this may mean a further visit.

There are defences to this offence included within section 146 Licensing Act 2003, including a ‘due diligence’ defence and also that the individual had taken all reasonable steps to establish the individual’s age or that nobody could have reasonably suspected from the individual’s appearance that s/he was aged under 18.

A s.146A Licensing Act 2003 closure notice may be served where three under age sales have occurred within the last three months no matter who made the sales. If they accept the notice and voluntarily close for up to 48 hours as you may require there can be no prosecution.

A prosecution does have more serious consequences – circumstances will dictate which is appropriate.Alcohol is retained as evidence. Inexperienced purchasers may make mistakes precluding prosecution but the seller can still be advised. Rehearsals will improve success

[Alzeefest]

!

Edited November 4, 2009 by Alzeefest

[frankie boy]

Section 147A - On 3 or more different occasions within a period of three consecutive months alcohol is sold on the same licensed premises, club or temporary event to an under 18. The premises licence holder and / or DPS are liable for this offence.Evidence of previous sales can include a conviction under Section 146, a caution or the payment of a fixed penalty.

A s.146A Licensing Act 2003 closure notice may be served where three under age sales have occurred within the last three months no matter who made the sales. If they accept the notice and voluntarily close for up to 48 hours as you may require there can be no prosecution.

A prosecution does have more serious consequences – circumstances will dictate which is appropriate.Alcohol is retained as evidence. Inexperienced purchasers may make mistakes precluding prosecution but the seller can still be advised. Rehearsals will improve success

[FunkyDenz]

The alcohol is confiscated by the police as evidence. The under 18s would not be allowed to keep it, as this would be a criminal offence.

[rexclark]

Rockness was terrible this year, I'm 27 and got ID'd at every bar. Best bet is to have someone with you old enough to buy booze.

[glasto-worker]

very interesting. so ig glastonbury were warned about the sale of them selling to under 18s and they continued would they have to shut down the whole complex including all other bars in glastonbury?

and if the authorites do send an under 18 to buy alcahol and do get served,do you know what happens to the alcahol do the under 18s get to keep it?