Reading or Leeds for teenage girl groups first festival?

[morph100]

Which is safer for a group of 17 year old girls to attend? I went to reading when I was 17 now daughter and mates want to go to one but not sure which. Logistically both the same distance and easy enough to get to. 

[RarerThanDandyB]

North v South really. I’ve done Leeds, my cousins done both. 

Leeds if you are in a group is fine, it’s an expected teen festival full of the perks you expected (drinking, drugs, dickheads, music). Obviously ask her to be careful as I did notice boys being very girl obsessed and things like that but I reckon the same applies to both. Reading according to my cousin is much less party which is down to Leeds having more venues post music, Leeds goes on for longer into the morning due to having licenses Reading doesn’t.

Leeds is outside Leeds in Wetherby whereas Reading is in the centre which could play a part.

its a teen festival, they will be very similar. being more local will be the best bet for you. Leeds is better as it’s my festival but it sounds so much better as it goes on for longer and I all my mates go from the North to Leeds. Choose the one where she will know more people as it’s more enjoyable knowing more than your bubble. Both will have idiots but teens always go to the local one so I wouldn’t worry which she goes to. Choose your local festival and let them go and enjoy it. 16 y o do it so 17 she should be fine. Do you usual tell her ropes and let her and her mates have a cracking festival.

[CG31]

Readings class, there’s boats, taxis and food all around outside. Tesco is only about 10 minutes away and I’ve never experienced anything bad personally although as said above there is drugs, pricks etc. But yeah for more music and later curfew Leeds 

[Padjeq]

 

7 hours ago, RarerThanDandyB said:

North v South really. I’ve done Leeds, my cousins done both. 

Leeds if you are in a group is fine, it’s an expected teen festival full of the perks you expected (drinking, drugs, dickheads, music). Obviously ask her to be careful as I did notice boys being very girl obsessed and things like that but I reckon the same applies to both. Reading according to my cousin is much less party which is down to Leeds having more venues post music, Leeds goes on for longer into the morning due to having licenses Reading doesn’t.

Leeds is outside Leeds in Wetherby whereas Reading is in the centre which could play a part.

its a teen festival, they will be very similar. being more local will be the best bet for you. Leeds is better as it’s my festival but it sounds so much better as it goes on for longer and I all my mates go from the North to Leeds. Choose the one where she will know more people as it’s more enjoyable knowing more than your bubble. Both will have idiots but teens always go to the local one so I wouldn’t worry which she goes to. Choose your local festival and let them go and enjoy it. 16 y o do it so 17 she should be fine. Do you usual tell her ropes and let her and her mates have a cracking festival.

This is good advice. You'd make yourself sick thinking about all the potential calamity.

I think the main thing to consider is how detached they're going to feel camping. Reading site is in the town centre, and it's easy to go and walk out and use the local gym showers (bit of a queue), or to the mcdonalds or shops. Leeds site is not even in Leeds, but there's a bus that will take you to Tesco. Haven't been on it myself. Definitely an easier time at Reading.

My first festival was Leeds when I was a teen. I took a tent I got from Morrison's for £10 and had the Time of my Life.

[Miyn]

10 hours ago, morph100 said:

Which is safer for a group of 17 year old girls to attend? I went to reading when I was 17 now daughter and mates want to go to one but not sure which. Logistically both the same distance and easy enough to get to. 

I don't think it makes a huge difference, as they're designed to be as similar experience as possible. With the safety thing, they're about the same. A lot of the safety risks are often caused due to alcohol and drugs being pretty easily available, both being a risk to yourself if you take them, and other people being a risk to you. Though if your in a group, I think the safety risks are pretty minimal and there's also security available 24/7.

I've heard the odd story of people getting their stuff nicked, more so than most festivals as it's pretty commercial and easy to get a ticket. I'd recommend keeping your valuables on you at all times as a safety measure, as no-one wants to steal people's sleeping bags. I've also heard relatively common stories of people getting touched by strangers in big crowds, which is disgusting, so I'd just say keep your wits about you at all times if you can.

They're pretty similar but I'll give a quick overview of both:

Reading

• In a city
• Televised
• No real late night activities, due to a licensing issue

Leeds

• In the middle of nowhere. It's actually in Wetherby, despite being called Leeds
• Non-Televised
• A few late night things, like Silent Disco and campsite DJ sets

I think it doesn't really make much difference which you go to, but from people who've gone to both, Leeds is better. I've also heard the analogy that Reading is more "tame" compared to Leeds, take what you want from that.

I think a deciding factor could be which order of the days you'd prefer, bands obviously play both sites so to a lot people it doesn't matter. But if you're desperate to see Liam Gallagher doing a shit karaoke of Oasis songs on a Sunday night, you'd go to Reading.

Overall, I think it's pretty safe if you have a talk about the risks before-hand with your daughter, they'll be safer than most people there. It really doesn't matter which you go to, as they're honestly really similar.  

Edited September 2, 2020 by Miyn

[Benj]

I’d never been to Leeds so can’t comment on safety, one huge advantage Reading clearly has is that it’s in an actual Town with all the advantages that brings

The chance of better weather at Reading is probably also worth consideration 

[thewayiam]

On 9/2/2020 at 4:46 PM, Miyn said:

I don't think it makes a huge difference, as they're designed to be as similar experience as possible. With the safety thing, they're about the same. A lot of the safety risks are often caused due to alcohol and drugs being pretty easily available, both being a risk to yourself if you take them, and other people being a risk to you. Though if your in a group, I think the safety risks are pretty minimal and there's also security available 24/7.

I've heard the odd story of people getting their stuff nicked, more so than most festivals as it's pretty commercial and easy to get a ticket. I'd recommend keeping your valuables on you at all times as a safety measure, as no-one wants to steal people's sleeping bags. I've also heard relatively common stories of people getting touched by strangers in big crowds, which is disgusting, so I'd just say keep your wits about you at all times if you can.

They're pretty similar but I'll give a quick overview of both:

Reading

• In a city
• Televised
• No real late night activities, due to a licensing issue

Leeds

• In the middle of nowhere. It's actually in Wetherby, despite being called Leeds
• Non-Televised
• A few late night things, like Silent Disco and campsite DJ sets

I think it doesn't really make much difference which you go to, but from people who've gone to both, Leeds is better. I've also heard the analogy that Reading is more "tame" compared to Leeds, take what you want from that.

I think a deciding factor could be which order of the days you'd prefer, bands obviously play both sites so to a lot people it doesn't matter. But if you're desperate to see Liam Gallagher doing a shit karaoke of Oasis songs on a Sunday night, you'd go to Reading.

Overall, I think it's pretty safe if you have a talk about the risks before-hand with your daughter, they'll be safer than most people there. It really doesn't matter which you go to, as they're honestly really similar.  

If it's like it was then the walk to Reading entrance is a mission from the car parking.

[Miyn]

52 minutes ago, thewayiam said:

If it's like it was then the walk to Reading entrance is a mission from the car parking.

Yeah, you have to walk through all the campsites at Leeds to get to the arena.

[thewayiam]

23 minutes ago, Miyn said:

Yeah, you have to walk through all the campsites at Leeds to get to the arena.

Yeah I know. That can be a pain as my last time camping we used White Camp which was the first one at the time outside the arena.

At the time, Red camp was the closest inside at Reading if you got Green Car Parking and it wasn't too rowdy back then. One year however we had White Car Park which was shit.

[TheWaters]

Managed to get a ticket for Everything Everything’s sit down socially distanced show in London next month. Well excited, will be my first gig in almost 8 months at that point. Anyone else going?

[TheWaters]

2 hours ago, TheWaters said:

Managed to get a ticket for Everything Everything’s sit down socially distanced show in London next month. Well excited, will be my first gig in almost 8 months at that point. Anyone else going?

lool almost 3 hours later and I’ve realised the thread I posted this in. damn this new forum layout and style 

[Matt42]

Reading when you’re young is so much fun. Just know that they are absolutely 100% doing drugs no matter what you do