Kendal Calling it a day

[Tug life]

 I love Kendal Calling, it's by far my favourite festival. The setting, the line up, the people etc make my memories and help me forget the price of beer, the cost of food, the sneaky bastards that put their prices up on Sunday, the bar staff struggling with basic maths, I can even overlook the teenage security that think they're ten men (a minority thankfully). But I think it's time to call it a day. The overbearing police presence has become too much. I've never seen so many police away from a football stadium. The searches on entering, including the dogs having a sniff of my nuts was way over the top. It's not because I have something to hide, if I did they'd have found it; it's being treated like I've done something wrong when I'm innocently going about my business. It's not just the uniforms on the gate, who resemble an occupying force rather than public servants, it's the undercover officers inside (including the very mature students and their drug questionnaire). The disproportionately high numbers of 2 deaths and 10 ICU's should tell them that something isn't working. I had read that KC was going to offer free drug testing, following its success elsewhere, but it was not to be. A shame, as such a common sense, forward thinking approach to the problem would be far more effective at finding rat poison than a sniffer dog. So until KC starts putting safety before police arrest statistics#, I'll be spending my small fortune elsewhere. 

#Or until I see next year's line up.

[bexj]

I didnt find the police presence too overbearing at all, just 1 dog on the gate at midday thursday. I didnt see any police inside the arena and didnt think security were too overbearing either -infact the majority of them that I came across were very friendly and pleasant.  I saw lots of tweets over the weekend that suggested they were doing The Loop drug testing, but I didnt know where it was or see any signs for it.  

[RichDevoto]

New to this forum - been reading it for ages so might as well join in, as I hate Facebook! Don't know what Tug life is going on about! Yes there were lots of cops'n'dogs on Thursday, but after this I never saw another one! Kendal's own security were visible and officious at access points (pulled my 18 year old son a few times when he was carrying cider through here as he had no ID), but nothing like enough to put you off! 

None of our party of 8 (4 teens/young adults, 4 oldsters) got searched once, and we were in and out all day and night! Perhaps Tug had something to hide..........!!

[LOCHLAND5]

2 hours ago, RichDevoto said:

New to this forum - been reading it for ages so might as well join in, as I hate Facebook! Don't know what Tug life is going on about! Yes there were lots of cops'n'dogs on Thursday, but after this I never saw another one! Kendal's own security were visible and officious at access points (pulled my 18 year old son a few times when he was carrying cider through here as he had no ID), but nothing like enough to put you off! 

None of our party of 8 (4 teens/young adults, 4 oldsters) got searched once, and we were in and out all day and night! Perhaps Tug had something to hide..........!!

Always concerns me when you get a long time listener first time caller post on something as delicate as tug life has posted ! Maybe you should of posted first in the thumbs up post ! 

 

From my own stance the festival needed to grow a pair ! And they did this year ! There was drug testing! Security was tighter ! After last years sad events what did anyone expect ? 

What we got was a well run event well thought out and executed to the law! Do I like dogs ,police car parked in emperor the usual DS picking off naive kids that think cos there are at a festival they can snort whatever in public with no consequences? It's not great but it was always gonna be that way ! 

I get what thugs life is saying but from my own experience it wasn't that heavy handed ! Everyone has there own experience and maybe folk were unlucky got searched everywhere they went ! 

For the last few years KC had lost its way.................. This weekend it got dragged back to where it belongs a great event with a positive vibe once inside the arena.

 

[Tug life]

Just to clarify a few things; I'm not new to festivals, I've been attending since before they became mainstream. I have no problem with the police per se, but I believe such a large presence unnecessary (3 or 4 times more than previous KCs in my estimation), I have nothing to hide (didn't I say that already?), in fact my work sees me tested regularly (which I also believe unnecessary, and have never failed) and even smoking a joint would turn my world upside down. Security has improved year on year, but you get nobheads in all walks of life, and security work is a magnet for them, overall I'd rate KC security as very good. Where was the on site testing? I never saw it. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, it means I never saw it.

[LOCHLAND5]

[trebor1892]

I have been doing festivals for 12 years now and this was my first time at KC.  This is the first time I have seen that kind of presence at a festival and I welcome it.  So many times I have seen young people dangerously off their faces and heard of many deaths through drugs at festivals I have attended.

This was the first time taking my children (9 & 5) to a festival and at no point were they made to feel intimidated or having to watch stupidly drunk/drugged up people.

Lets bear in mind that this is marked as a family festival and should be treat the correct way.

[RichDevoto]

Blimey Lochland5 I didn't mean to cause offence by saying I didn't agree with the OPs point of view! I had a great festival (apart from the wee-throwing lout who hit my wife in the face during Noel - but we had a right go at him and managed to move him on) and I didn't feel the security or the police were over the top at all. 4th year at Kendal by the way.

[LOCHLAND5]

26 minutes ago, RichDevoto said:

Blimey Lochland5 I didn't mean to cause offence by saying I didn't agree with the OPs point of view! I had a great festival (apart from the wee-throwing lout who hit my wife in the face during Noel - but we had a right go at him and managed to move him on) and I didn't feel the security or the police were over the top at all. 4th year at Kendal by the way.

Not offended mate at all .

bit shit on the golden shower !!!!

all I'm saying is everyone has there own experience. I get what you an tugs life are saying.

i see the guys who sold the drugs last year got 12 years between them this morning.

[Radgie Gadgie]

I thought the organisation this year was a massive leap forward.

Didn't mind the larger police presence at all. Especially after last year , we had expected it really.

They all seemed to be pretty chilled and keen for everyone to have a good time from what i experienced.

A bit of confusion as to whether you had to queue every time you entered Emperors fields from your car was quickly and efficiently resolved by asking someone in charge at the entrance.

Well done KC , big improvement.

[Tug life]

7 hours ago, RichDevoto said:

Blimey Lochland5 I didn't mean to cause offence by saying I didn't agree with the OPs point of view! I had a great festival (apart from the wee-throwing lout who hit my wife in the face during Noel - but we had a right go at him and managed to move him on) and I didn't feel the security or the police were over the top at all. 4th year at Kendal by the way.

Are you sure it was wee? They were selling Fosters in the bar and I'm told they taste remarkably similar.

[Tug life]

On 03/08/2016 at 8:42 AM, LOCHLAND5 said:

How did I miss that??! Thank you, my faith is (partially) restored.

[neato]

We noticed the stepped up security presence but it didn’t really bother us. It was especially notable going into the festival, but it was more of a presence than actual searches.

 It seemed a bit excessive to show your wristband to three different people stood 5-10m apart on the way into the arena, but caused no harm. I can’t see how it makes it any safer, but it’s not exactly difficult. I don’t think searches going into the arena were any worse than in past years. I got stopped a few time because I carry a bag of medical stuff – some were more thorough than others but they were all polite about it.

We also had a laugh at the ‘last drug amnesty point’ as there was another two we spotted inside the festival. I hadn’t realised that they were doing drugs testing, but I’m glad it was there. From our point of view, and obviously we’re just one group – we were happy campers J

Edited August 4, 2016 by neato

[Dididdlyi]

We were a party of mixed ages from 16 - 60 yr old and we found that the 20 somethings were targetted for more vigorous searching on the way in than others - It was very amusing to witness their street cred disappear as their security peers seemed puzzled by the amount of "proper" food they were bringing to a festival. Slightly irritating, but I appreciate necessary was the cool bags that we had carefully considered packing to keep as cold as possible were left unzipped for longer than would have liked. But it is a festival and we had taken back up pot noodles as you do.That said the one who was carrying the bag for life with 22 pot noodles in  came up with a collective noun for them "An embarrassment of Pot Noodles". And one over zealous security girl was debating whether to allow my daughter her deodorant can (bought because it wasn't glass!) and eventually let her through saying "just be careful when you spray it, that it doesn't go in anyone's face"  ... Oh OK thanks for that advice.

[Curlygirl]

I personally thought the extra police presence was fab. Had a good laugh with them every morning in Emporers. They were very strict searching at Emporers entrance, unless you had a child. I was searched every time. I thought there were less pricks there this year and even the youngsters in the mosh pit were respectful of the 12 and 16 year olds on the barrier. I loved Kendal this year. 

[Comfy Bean]

2 hours ago, Curlygirl said:

I personally thought the extra police presence was fab. Had a good laugh with them every morning in Emporers. They were very strict searching at Emporers entrance, unless you had a child. I was searched every time. I thought there were less pricks there this year and even the youngsters in the mosh pit were respectful of the 12 and 16 year olds on the barrier. I loved Kendal this year. 

Aye, this was pretty much my experience. After the shit that went down last year it was expected and fair enough. I made 2 trips in from the car and had my bags searched both times. Much stricter going into the arena as well.

We were sitting on the grass outside chai wallahs on Sunday afternoon ( when was there last grass anywhere on the Sunday  ) and some bloke let off the remains of one of those smoke bombs - fortunately we were up wind. Security bloke went over and sat down next to him for a casual " did you really want to do that " chat and they put it out between them and everyone moved on. Never saw one bit of hassle all weekend.

[bottonrob]

I said to Mrs Bottonrob earlydoors that it felt like they'd just tweaked everything up a notch this year and I had no issue with the extra visable presence given last years horribleness. had a really fab one this year, my boy wearing his inflatable 7ft spider having a dance off with the eden spider being a particular random highlight

 

[bottonrob]

4 minutes ago, comfortablynumb1910 said:

Aye, this was pretty much my experience. After the shit that went down last year it was expected and fair enough. I made 2 trips in from the car and had my bags searched both times. Much stricter going into the arena as well.

We were sitting on the grass outside chai wallahs on Sunday afternoon ( when was there last grass anywhere on the Sunday  ) and some bloke let off the remains of one of those smoke bombs - fortunately we were up wind. Security bloke went over and sat down next to him for a casual " did you really want to do that " chat and they put it out between them and everyone moved on. Never saw one bit of hassle all weekend.

by any chance were you that 'some bloke' and is this a feeble sheepish apology?

Edited August 9, 2016 by bottonrob

[Comfy Bean]

2 minutes ago, bottonrob said:

by any chance were you that 'some bloke' and is this a feeble sheepish apology?

 

NO 

 

By that point in proceedings I wasn`t letting anything off unless I was within 6 feet of the loos. I blame the real ale / cider / rum combo. 

[Lowther Calling]

20 hours ago, bottonrob said:

I said to Mrs Bottonrob earlydoors that it felt like they'd just tweaked everything up a notch this year and I had no issue with the extra visable presence given last years horribleness. had a really fab one this year, my boy wearing his inflatable 7ft spider having a dance off with the eden spider being a particular random highlight

 

Would have loved to see the spider dance off!