Crowd control issues

[Leyrulion]

2 hours ago, Neil said:

no it hasn't. if it had there'd be crush injuries.

Injuries are not what you want to use to measure whether your crowd control measures have worked effectively or not. 

As anyone that works with risk in their jobs will tell you a "near miss" is often treated just as seriously as if the incident had occurred. 

Seems to be the debate is whether a near miss happened this time or not.

[moogster]

I googled crowd control techniques and was reading this . Not always relevant in regards to a festival, but it did make me think than more signage would help. Now you just have a couple of random signs telling you that SEC is one way, WG is full etc but for example using the stage screens to display messages ("exit Pyramid from the left/right" "Park is now full") and add a few more visible info screens around could help a little... It may not add much to the atmosphere though.

There were still a lot of people heading to JP after it was closed off, leading to heated discussions with security etc and maybe if they'd known... Or tell people to take the JP route to Other instead of left stage to balance things out.

 

[March Hare]

On 7/12/2022 at 11:45 AM, moogster said:

I googled crowd control techniques and was reading this . Not always relevant in regards to a festival, but it did make me think than more signage would help. Now you just have a couple of random signs telling you that SEC is one way, WG is full etc but for example using the stage screens to display messages ("exit Pyramid from the left/right" "Park is now full") and add a few more visible info screens around could help a little... It may not add much to the atmosphere though.

There were still a lot of people heading to JP after it was closed off, leading to heated discussions with security etc and maybe if they'd known... Or tell people to take the JP route to Other instead of left stage to balance things out.

 

Maybe we’ll see more of the digital signs next year 

[GeezLouise]

On 7/8/2022 at 8:05 PM, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Sorry, only just saw this.

help@glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

Are you telling them about the issues you had or is it something else?

Also a late reply. But I'm going to re-iterate the problems around the Park/Arcadia. If it had been raining and people had fell it could have been so dangerous. 

[MEGABOWL]

All depends on your personal experience I suppose.

I’m a total claustrophobe and headed up to Calvin Harris on Arcadia only to change my mind at the pinch point on the railway line but that was more I couldn’t be bothered as it was slow moving rather than feeling in any way unsafe. I was very aware of it being busy at times but I honestly think for me a lot of that was being out of practice, not being used to it.

[D-Low]

Didn't really notice it any worse this year than previous ones, but perhaps some one way entrances in to the Pyramid after a certain time might help, When entering from stage right the huge crowds coming out and in around the tree is always a nightmare, not to mention the food stalls right on the corner not helping matters with people trying to get to them and queueing. Would make it a whole lot easier if 'In' was on the left and 'Out' was on the right.

[Skip997]

25 minutes ago, D-Low said:

Didn't really notice it any worse this year than previous ones, but perhaps some one way entrances in to the Pyramid after a certain time might help.

Really not a fan of one way entrances.

They tried it at Shambala one year, for their biggest covered venue. It was a predictable disaster and they binned it the next year.

[GeezLouise]

19 hours ago, D-Low said:

Didn't really notice it any worse this year than previous ones, but perhaps some one way entrances in to the Pyramid after a certain time might help, When entering from stage right the huge crowds coming out and in around the tree is always a nightmare, not to mention the food stalls right on the corner not helping matters with people trying to get to them and queueing. Would make it a whole lot easier if 'In' was on the left and 'Out' was on the right.

It was more the crush around arcadia at night, the incredibly busy sets of McFly, Sugababes and TLC and then trying to get to Wet Leg. I said that once is an accident, 5 times (at least) during the weekend was negligence. Bit heavy handed but i don't think we should wait for something serious to happen before action is taken. 

[Crazyfool01]

43 minutes ago, GeezLouise said:

It was more the crush around arcadia at night, the incredibly busy sets of McFly, Sugababes and TLC and then trying to get to Wet Leg. I said that once is an accident, 5 times (at least) during the weekend was negligence. Bit heavy handed but i don't think we should wait for something serious to happen before action is taken. 

I honestly reckon the crowd control monitors will have picked up the issues … I’m sure they will be dealt with in time for next year … no reason for the festival to want anything catastrophic . The site is very heavily monitored by cctv 

[tigger123]

22 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

I honestly reckon the crowd control monitors will have picked up the issues … I’m sure they will be dealt with in time for next year … no reason for the festival to want anything catastrophic . The site is very heavily monitored by cctv 

I have honestly never noticed a cctv camera there in the 10 times I’ve been there (granted it’s not something I actively try to spot). Where do they put them, they must be well hidden! 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, tigger123 said:

I have honestly never noticed a cctv camera there in the 10 times I’ve been there (granted it’s not something I actively try to spot). Where do they put them, they must be well hidden! 

Everywhere … they are monitored constantly . @funkychick2007 might be able to give more detail … all the feedback we give I’d hazard a guess they already know. 

[Alvoram]

1 minute ago, tigger123 said:

I have honestly never noticed a cctv camera there in the 10 times I’ve been there (granted it’s not something I actively try to spot). Where do they put them, they must be well hidden! 

Really? They're everywhere... On poles, on scissor lift, on the tents / structures themselves... I swear there was even high / long reach pallet trucks dotted around with loads attached... 

[tigger123]

4 minutes ago, Alvoram said:

Really? They're everywhere... On poles, on scissor lift, on the tents / structures themselves... I swear there was even high / long reach pallet trucks dotted around with loads attached... 

Guess I’m too engrossed in having a great time/inebriated to notice them! If I’m lucky enough to get a ticket this year will def try and look out for them next time as can’t believe I’ve never spotted one 

[I am Jon]

They normally publish a festival de-brief as part of the council licensing around November  

Here the one from 2019 https://www.mendip.gov.uk/media/23624/Item-07a-Glastonbury-Festival-De-Brief-Report-2019/pdf/Item_07a_Glastonbury_Festival_De-Brief_Report_2019.pdf?m=637255823027670000

Didn’t get glasto ticket this year but just got back from boomtown. It’s not the same but it was refreshingly easy to move between stages without the ‘crushes’ at pinch points glasto seems to be prone too. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by I am Jon

[gfa]

deleted -  break in video being discussed here:

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by gfa

[drunk pumpkin]

Missed 35 pages of this so apologies if I'm rehashing or irrelevant (generally am!)

This was my 12 year and it was noticeably busier everywhere!

Never felt it was any more dangerous than previous years and I've been in some huge crowds. Rolf Harris(I know!) on west holts, Jessie J on the other and the stones (plus arcadia south east corner etc)

This year It was just much harder to get anywhere! 

Wednesday and Thursday were insane (but I originally put that down to people arriving early) Changed my mind when it didn't get much better at anytime. Normally (I find) that when the larger stages open the site is much quieter. Not this year. It remained crazy. 

I stayed in a campervan (not for the first time) and access into Gate C was bedlam. The queues could take more than an hour at busy times and i've never experienced that before.

It felt to me like there were noticeably a lot more people on site. I know the capacity went up a little but it really felt like a lot.

TBH, if this is how it's going to be moving forward I'll probably stop going.

The site is huge getting around can be a challenge and all of that I accept and embrace but if we have bad weather it will become a nightmare with so many people.

I for one hope the festival do review the feedback, CCTV and all over sources and continue to innovate and potential reduce numbers!

[gooner1990]

9 minutes ago, drunk pumpkin said:

Missed 35 pages of this so apologies if I'm rehashing or irrelevant (generally am!)

This was my 12 year and it was noticeably busier everywhere!

Never felt it was any more dangerous than previous years and I've been in some huge crowds. Rolf Harris(I know!) on west holts, Jessie J on the other and the stones (plus arcadia south east corner etc)

This year It was just much harder to get anywhere! 

Wednesday and Thursday were insane (but I originally put that down to people arriving early) Changed my mind when it didn't get much better at anytime. Normally (I find) that when the larger stages open the site is much quieter. Not this year. It remained crazy. 

I stayed in a campervan (not for the first time) and access into Gate C was bedlam. The queues could take more than an hour at busy times and i've never experienced that before.

It felt to me like there were noticeably a lot more people on site. I know the capacity went up a little but it really felt like a lot.

TBH, if this is how it's going to be moving forward I'll probably stop going.

The site is huge getting around can be a challenge and all of that I accept and embrace but if we have bad weather it will become a nightmare with so many people.

I for one hope the festival do review the feedback, CCTV and all over sources and continue to innovate and potential reduce numbers!

I've said similar, I'm prepared to give 2023 a go (ticket permitting!) but if its like that again I may give up going. The busyness everywhere was too much for me and you can have great fun at other festivals as well without the same sort of hassle just getting from A to B.

[stuie]

20 hours ago, tigger123 said:

I have honestly never noticed a cctv camera there in the 10 times I’ve been there (granted it’s not something I actively try to spot). Where do they put them, they must be well hidden! 

There are cherry pickers up in the air all over the site - their only purpose is holding up CCTV cameras and radio antenna!

[drunk pumpkin]

1 hour ago, gooner1990 said:

I've said similar, I'm prepared to give 2023 a go (ticket permitting!) but if its like that again I may give up going. The busyness everywhere was too much for me and you can have great fun at other festivals as well without the same sort of hassle just getting from A to B.

I agree, went to Green Man in 2021 (i know a completely different sort of festival)but it was such a pleasure getting from A to B that I might end up going for smaller less congested festivals. 

I hope I'm successful in the October sales for next year and then I'll see if it was a one off or me just being older and more sensitive to the crowds!

[GeezLouise]

On 8/16/2022 at 4:27 PM, crazyfool1 said:

I honestly reckon the crowd control monitors will have picked up the issues … I’m sure they will be dealt with in time for next year … no reason for the festival to want anything catastrophic . The site is very heavily monitored by cctv 

I’m sure they will have picked it up too but an email to flag things couldn’t hurt either 

[KayaPayne]

I can't disagree. The crowd is more dangerous than we can imagine. Many researchers prove that people become more aggressive and stressed in a big crowd than alone. Moreover, we all know about the people killed by the crowd at trees Scott and other celebrities' concerts

[KayaPayne]

36 minutes ago, KayaPayne said:

I can't disagree. The crowd is more dangerous than we can imagine. Many researchers prove that people become more aggressive and stressed in a big crowd than alone. Moreover, we all know about the people killed by the crowd at trees Scott and other celebrities' concerts

That is an important question, so police must track and direct the people in the crowd so they don't get in such danger. By the way, stanchions in Canada are a pretty good decisison for big crowded places too. They may stop the people and let them turn or return, so there is more space to go out of this place.

[p.pete]

Some people might quite like to have some stanchions around their group of tents maybe?

[stuie]

1 minute ago, p.pete said:

Some people might quite like to have some stanchions around their group of tents maybe?

Down with the stanchions. 

[p.pete]

17 minutes ago, stuie said:

Down with the stanchions. 

Blame Canada