2016 Map

[rseamer]

The 2016 map is here

http://be-16-assets.bestival.net.global.prod.fastly.net/files/082016/57bc5ae82d9c196b44000001/original/Bestival_Map_2016.pdf?1471961832

If it's correct it seems the site is shifting away from the hill - no music stage shown there (previously the bandstand / small stage they had last year) and no WI TENT

[flannel]

Not much around the Wishing Tree either.

Are they winding it down?

[Tom12]

It's crazy how little is on the map, the big top looks a lot smaller as well! Bit of a pisstake considering we are still paying £200 

[Buddy Holly]

What could this mean for the future of the festival? Do we think there's a chance of it winding down permanently, possibly even ending in the next couple of years?

Tbh the line up doesn't look much worse than last year for me (although I have been doing a bit more research this time round), so similar quality line up with much less people seems like a pretty good deal for me this year round, so I'll try and look on the bright side of this potentially festival destroying revelation.

Also if they've realised they're not going to make nearly as much money as they'd hoped it makes sense that the last headliner was one (or two) that can't possibly have demanded much money... And that majority of the line up is artists with only singles and EPs, no LPs.

[tillyandthewall]

Aww, that's sad.  I'm hoping that's just a first draft and that more will be added.  It seems to have lost its Glastoesque feel of stages everywhere throughout site, just concentrating it in the arena instead.  Stages like the Swamp Shack and Grand Palace of Entertainment are goners.  The festival's probably stuck between a rock and a hard place - the hype festival's now Boomtown, and there's EOTR and No6 to pick off the older indie kids.  But there's still a buzz about the festival so it'll be fine long-term, maybe a smaller gathering's it's niche?

[QueenPesky]

48 minutes ago, tillyandthewall said:

But there's still a buzz about the festival so it'll be fine long-term, maybe a smaller gathering's it's niche?

I really hope this is why! I've been to Bestival most years and it has changed a lot since the early days (not always a bad thing!) but I guess it is possible that Rob da Bank is just trying to take it back to a smaller festival. 

I have to say I'm not all that impressed with the line-up as a lot of the acts aren't really my sort of music - but that's not a bad thing really, sometime it is nice to not be rushing between stages all the time!
 

The small number of campsites does seem a bit strange though - we used to camp in Blue but ended up in Black last year after they got rid of it and I guess we will end up there again this year! Just have to be at the gates when they open to get a good spot! 

[smogo]

Rob has said he's interested in getting numbers back down to 35,000ish. Not sure why that would be - maybe there's a tipping point where the extra infrastructure and land hire needed for larger numbers starts to make it less profitable. Hopefully fewer tickets were put on sale this year, and the campsites aren't going to be ridiculously cramped.

But definitely a shame to see the lack of comedy tent and Grand Palace (and Bandstand and Kaleidoscope stages too).

[gibble]

There definitely looks to be some stuff missing - WI Tent for example is mentioned on the website...

Lack of camping does look a bit worrying though - the green and red sites were heaving when I last went in 2014! Hopefully they have done the maths on this correctly.... Maybe there is potential for extra camping space between black and the campervans?

[QueenPesky]

There is also a lot of boutique/glamping options so maybe lots of people have taken them up on that! 

I can only assume that the number of tickets available and the space in the campsites have to follow some kind of health and safety rules, which must have been followed for the festival to take place. There also have the day tickets for the first time in a while so that could make the difference too. 

Bestival are implying on social media that the app will be updated very soon (I assume today/tomorrow) so maybe that will have a bit more information on things like the WI tent and things like that! 

[gibble]

The Blind Tiger was announced recently but that doesn't appear to be on the map either?

[Janaka]

I've only been to Bestival once (2011) and had a fantastic time.  As a long-time Glastogoer, it felt like a smaller version of that - similar vibe but easier to get around, think the capacity then was under 50k?  Still a lot but when you're used to Worthy Farm, everything else seems much more manageable and a quick zip between stages.

To me though, this year's line-up is very weak - we're all going only because one friend is a Cure obsessive and we couldn't all sync up for anything else over the summer.   That said, I'm very happy to bumble around and hear sounds I wouldn't normally entertain, and if the festival isn't rammed to bursting point I'm cool with that too but can appreciate it's a disappointment for others.

Anyway - please can someone advise which campsite we should aim for?  We're all early 40's and still like to party, but could do without the sound of balloons and bad EDM at 5am from the tent next door.  Cheers.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Janaka

[rseamer]

1 hour ago, QueenPesky said:

There is also a lot of boutique/glamping options so maybe lots of people have taken them up on that! 

 

I do remember reading or hearing somewhere that Rob Da Bank (or maybe Josie) said that their research suggested that way more people were interested in the glamping aspect of Bestival.

To be honest, if the capacity goes back to being 20-30k I'd be quite happy with that - having been to every Bestival since the start (except for 2014) some of my favourite times when it was medium sized rather than massive.

Apart from the huge festivals like Reading and Glastonbury I think most (but not all) medium and small events had their peaks a few years ago in terms of attendance. Bestival was lucky getting headliners like Stevie Wonder which guaranteed big sales a few years back. If they are cutting their cloth to ensure the survival of the event I'm all for that, although I'd be gutted if the WI tent wasn't there because (unlike me) they've never missed even one!

 

 

[mjsell]

The W.I tent is most definitely on the website lineup page.

 

In other news, I dont mean to put the mockers on anything but the W word isnt looking bad for next week.

[QueenPesky]

32 minutes ago, rseamer said:

I do remember reading or hearing somewhere that Rob Da Bank (or maybe Josie) said that their research suggested that way more people were interested in the glamping aspect of Bestival.

 

I wouldn't be surprised! With the cost of the ferries I'd imagine its almost cheaper to get some kind of glamping option and only foot passenger across, rather than bringing a car! 

 

4 minutes ago, mjsell said:

In other news, I dont mean to put the mockers on anything but the W word isnt looking bad for next week.

Yeah, I'm trying not to look at that too much. Don't want to scare it away...

[smogo]

1 hour ago, gibble said:

The Blind Tiger was announced recently but that doesn't appear to be on the map either?

That's because its location is secret!  (It was in the forest last year.  If it's the same bar this year then look out for a shipping container with a tiger painted on it.)

[mjsell]

Just been having a closer look at the map.

Not many toilets in the campsite areas, I have no idea if this is the norm, there are less than normal or they havent added them all on the map yet but it just seemed a bit lacking.

[gibble]

1 hour ago, smogo said:

That's because its location is secret!  (It was in the forest last year.  If it's the same bar this year then look out for a shipping container with a tiger painted on it.)

Oh, ok! I missed that - sounds like it could be fun...

[Buddy Holly]

3 hours ago, mjsell said:

In other news, I dont mean to put the mockers on anything but the W word isnt looking bad for next week.

What site have you been looking at? Accuweather says good thurs and fri but very rainy sat and sun! Of course it's too early for that to be accurate but a bit worrying all the same :S

Edited August 31, 2016 by Buddy Holly

[gibble]

The BBC reports only go up to the Saturday at the moment but it's all looking good on there.

[Buddy Holly]

3 hours ago, gibble said:

The BBC reports only go up to the Saturday at the moment but it's all looking good on there.

Right you are, accuweather has now changed Sunday to cloudy without rain but Saturday's still rainy... I'll try and stay optimistic!

[mjsell]

Yeah to be fair i was only looking on BBC weather which was only going to Friday at the time - but looked blissful. I havent seen accuweather or any others. And now BBC says Saturday is sunny I doubt il be going anytwhere else for my weather fix 

 

Edit: What im also liking the look of is the night temperatures. Although at this stage its all just a bit hopeful isnt it.

Edited September 1, 2016 by mjsell

[rseamer]

Good news. Bestival have confirmed on twitter the WI tent will be there (grassy hill - new location)

[Tom12]

What's the wi tent? 

[hoils]

48 minutes ago, Tom12 said:

What's the wi tent? 

Women's Institute.  Home of many a restorative brew and slice of cake over the years. 

[rseamer]

19 minutes ago, hoils said:

Women's Institute.  Home of many a restorative brew and slice of cake over the years. 

And the cheapest tea at the festival. (It made walking up the hill worth it - but no walk up the hill this year!)