Families will not be allowed in the notorious after-hours south-east corner after 10pm

[stuartbert two hats]

3 hours ago, Nice hymer said:

Something that's coming across is how sheltered some people's children must be (I'm not saying that it's a bad thing).

We live in a sleepy, relatively well-to-do Somerset village probably less than 20min from Pilton.

If my kids wanted, they could just go to the local park, bus stop, street corner or some people's houses to get NOS, weed, pills, coke, ket etc. It's not their scene but it exists and it's not hard to find, particularly on a weekend.

Kids in nearby Bristol definitely have even more exposure.

Do places still exist where drug taking isn't commonplace?

What age are we talking about? The thing I've got a beef with is the primary school aged kids trying to sleep being dragged around by parents getting wasted.

My daughter is nearly ten and drugs are not remotely on her radar, I presume you don't mean pre-teens?

[Nice hymer]

14 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

What age are we talking about? The thing I've got a beef with is the primary school aged kids trying to sleep being dragged around by parents getting wasted.

My daughter is nearly ten and drugs are not remotely on her radar, I presume you don't mean pre-teens?

I guess most local kids going out on Friday night are exposed to NOS and weed. Things more serious are happening out of sight. Some 13/14yr olds (yr 9) are certainly participating, all of their peer group will be aware, it's just part of life now. This is why I'm surprised that some teenagers are not being exposed to drugs, that's a pretty good place to be...

Agree that primary school kids being dragged around by wasted parents at 2.00am isn't a great look, not just at the SE corner either.

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, Nice hymer said:

I guess most local kids going out on Friday night are exposed to NOS and weed. Things more serious are happening out of sight. Some 13/14yr olds (yr 9) are certainly participating, all of their peer group will be aware, it's just part of life now. This is why I'm surprised that some teenagers are not being exposed to drugs, that's a pretty good place to be...

Agree that primary school kids being dragged around by wasted parents at 2.00am isn't a great look, not just at the SE corner either.

It was much the same round my way in the 90s.

[BambooShanks]

15 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

kids trying to sleep being dragged around by parents getting wasted

I think that's what I have the biggest misgivings about, along with prams/pushchairs and wagons being brought into the SEC after the headliners.

Supervised kids with responsible adults  is alright but with heavy emphasis on responsible.  As much as it would weird me out seeing a kid in the SEC 12am onwards, seeing one being 'supervised' by a parent very much off their face would do so even more.

That said, I don't ever recall seeing that happen.  I think the worst example I've got is once seeing a parent with a baby strapped to their chest wearing ear defenders in the early ish hours of the morning.  The baby appeared to be sleeping through the madness and the parent seemed fully in control but I guess it was more my concern for the child's safety and potential injury from getting stuck in a crush more than anything.

[philipsteak]

16 hours ago, Skip997 said:

This is still the case even now.

It's interesting from my point of view to see some of those "kids" growing up. Some I've known since they were babies.

Do they all become accountants and vote Tory? Parents keep saying 'it's just a phase, they'll grow out of it'. 

[Fred Zepplin]

I see this more of a safety precaution than we don't think its right kids are allowed in the area late with drinking and drug taking happening. A lot of us have been in the SEC caught up in a crush and it's scary for adults never mind children. Even if the kids are asleep in a pram all it takes is for a crush to happen and someone taking a tumble onto the pram. Imagine the outcry if a child got hurt, the media would be all over it and it would have severe consequences for the license 

[Nice hymer]

10 minutes ago, Fred Zepplin said:

I see this more of a safety precaution than we don't think its right kids are allowed in the area late with drinking and drug taking happening. A lot of us have been in the SEC caught up in a crush and it's scary for adults never mind children. Even if the kids are asleep in a pram all it takes is for a crush to happen and someone taking a tumble onto the pram. Imagine the outcry if a child got hurt, the media would be all over it and it would have severe consequences for the license 

That's the same across the site though, particularly after dark when ale consumption peaks.

Last year after Paul McCartney was the worst crush I've experienced in probably the last 20 years. Between Pyramid and Other, as the masses headed towards Arcadia/West of site. That was crowd control issue, I thought security and police were well off their game on a number of occasions tbh (Williams Green Thursday afternoon for example?)

[gfa]

the balance is just banning pushchairs, trolleys etc and seeing how that goes first i think. unless you get in before 1 way system surely you'd have to lift them over the high 5 section unless theres a side gate (there must be i guess haha)

[Bike_Like_A_Mum]

The rule is fair enough simply on the basis that its OK to have an adults only area and to reduce just a little bit of traffic over in the SE corner.

However, crushes, drug taking, adults being silly, is all apparent in the whole festival so they're nonsense reasons to judge parents for having a wander and a dance in there. Worst crush points were definitely elsewhere in the festival last year and sometimes in daylight. I'm going to do my best to forsee some of those this year to make sure I avoid with my two. Can't remember if I said but it's my first time bringing the children this year, they're 8 and 6 and can't wait.

When it comes to the trollies, personally I think some people take the absolutely piss with the size of some of things they bring!! I refuse to drag my kids around full stop but I know there's people who still use them for children as old as mine. Each to their own but mine are walking for sure!! There should be a size limit I think. Giving mine a rucksack each and they can carry their own stuff. We'll just have rests when we need to. Used one once at Latitude when they were tiny but I found it equal measures of being handy/ball ache!!! Latitude is of course much smaller and not so packed either! Just can't imagine taking one to glasto. Need guns of steel for that

[Wooderson]

I've long perceived a "problem with kids at the festival" bubbling under the surface on this forum - only to break through every couple of years. People with no / v little practical experience being most vocal of course.

Lovely to see some tolerant (and experienced!) voices amidst the noise however. Thank you! Don't post v often on 'ere anymore but here's my tuppenceworth. Soz.

As some might know, ive had kids with me at the fest for most years since 2011. As babies, toddlers and schoolkids. An exhausting and demoralising - if ultimately rewarding experience - coincidentally like most things about being a parent! To have areas on the farm formally off-limits would fly in the face of the ethos of the place to my mind.

Are similar limitations placed on attendees with physical challenges? What about those in a wheelchair? A scooter? Crutches? Those struggling with their mental health? Extreme examples sure but is that not where the perceived logic is tested? Bringing kids to the Pyramid for a headliner has proven a massive challenge for me - the timing of food+bathroom break+headliner+crowd of 100K is no joke but there are many other challenges the festival presents. Starting ball rolling here doesnt end brilliant for the culture of the place in a few years time.

One of the key aspects of the fest is "once youre in, youre in". To see this diluted or embellished depending on kids is not ideal to my mind and in my experience. To say you know better about what a parent decides for their kids is no different to the fest deciding they know better about your drug use. For a young couple at their first Glastonbury taking their sleeping baby in a sling with ear defenders on to be banned from walking around the SEC taking in the sights/atmos would seem to me a big step back. It'd be rubbish.

The aforementioned SEC drug use that is provoking such a strong response on here is of course also a massive inherent risk. Is it not greater? A risk to crowd control, patron health and safety and all associated licensing criteria. The handwavy response here comes across as grim. "Beat it parents! Let us do our drugs in peace ffs."

This year limits on kids in the SEC. Next would be logical limits on kids in any crowd like the Pyramid. Following that a site-wide curfew. After that? Apolz, Glasters just not for kids anymore.

Live and let live people. Parents bringing their kids are probably having a total mare. Lol.

/fin

 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Wooderson

[DeanoL]

1 hour ago, Wooderson said:

I've long perceived a "problem with kids at the festival" bubbling under the surface on this forum - only to break through every couple of years. People with no / v little practical experience being most vocal of course.

Lovely to see some tolerant (and experienced!) voices amidst the noise however. Thank you! Don't post v often on 'ere anymore but here's my tuppenceworth. Soz.

As some might know, ive had kids with me at the fest for most years since 2011. As babies, toddlers and schoolkids. An exhausting and demoralising - if ultimately rewarding experience - coincidentally like most things about being a parent! To have areas on the farm formally off-limits would fly in the face of the ethos of the place to my mind.

Are similar limitations placed on attendees with physical challenges? What about those in a wheelchair? A scooter? Crutches? Those struggling with their mental health? Extreme examples sure but is that not where the perceived logic is tested? Bringing kids to the Pyramid for a headliner has proven a massive challenge for me - the timing of food+bathroom break+headliner+crowd of 100K is no joke but there are many other challenges the festival presents. Starting ball rolling here doesnt end brilliant for the culture of the place in a few years time.

One of the key aspects of the fest is "once youre in, youre in". To see this diluted or embellished depending on kids is not ideal to my mind and in my experience. To say you know better about what a parent decides for their kids is no different to the fest deciding they know better about your drug use. For a young couple at their first Glastonbury taking their sleeping baby in a sling with ear defenders on to be banned from walking around the SEC taking in the sights/atmos would seem to me a big step back. It'd be rubbish.

The aforementioned SEC drug use that is provoking such a strong response on here is of course also a massive inherent risk. Is it not greater? A risk to crowd control, patron health and safety and all associated licensing criteria. The handwavy response here comes across as grim. "Beat it parents! Let us do our drugs in peace ffs."

This year limits on kids in the SEC. Next would be logical limits on kids in any crowd like the Pyramid. Following that a site-wide curfew. After that? Apolz, Glasters just not for kids anymore.

Live and let live people. Parents bringing their kids are probably having a total mare. Lol.

/fin

 

Are you similarly bothered by the kids field not letting adults in without kids?

[Wooderson]

7 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

Are you similarly bothered by the kids field not letting adults in without kids?

Is this policy enforced or encouraged? Similar to pissing in the bushes?

I say this as an adult that has walked in on my own many times to meet family. At no point have I ever been stopped "Oh c**ts like you arent allowed in chief soz."

Incidentally a mate of mine only shites in the Kids Field jaxx when he's there. "Spotless" says he. Needless to say he has no kids.

[DeanoL]

39 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

Is this policy enforced or encouraged? Similar to pissing in the bushes?

I say this as an adult that has walked in on my own many times to meet family. At no point have I ever been stopped "Oh c**ts like you arent allowed in chief soz."

Incidentally a mate of mine only shites in the Kids Field jaxx when he's there. "Spotless" says he. Needless to say he has no kids.

Someone mentioned they were stopped earlier in the thread, so the answer is "yes" I guess.

Honestly I think the  "once youre in, youre in" thing is overstated - the festival mostly works that way but not entirely. Restrictions exist. Certainly there are age restrictions on certain venues in the SE corner, there's the women-only venue, NYC-Downlow has the moustache thing, once the SE corner is full then no-one can get in, places like the piano bar have their own door policy, kids field has its own thing...

None of them really matter (and I'm not complaining about them) because they all make sense and I think kids in the SE corner after 10pm makes a similar amount of sense.

And there's a huge difference with the crowding in the SE corner and that in the Pyramid or between stages after acts, which is that if you have little ones, or even if you're just not comfortable in a big crush like that, you can just wait, and let it pass. Go stand off to the side. You turn round go back the way you came where there is space. Or out to the side where there is space. 

In the SE corner, it's a one-way system, and it's enclosed. There's no reasonable way to avoid the crowding if you go there when it's busy. Nor are there easy spots to retreat to if you feel uncomfortable or are worried about your kid. But as a first-timer, you may not be prepared for that.

[Wooderson]

11 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

<snip>

In the SE corner, it's a one-way system, and it's enclosed. There's no reasonable way to avoid the crowding if you go there when it's busy.

I presume you would forbid people with physical challenges (visually impaired, wheelchair user/someone requiring an assistant) from accessing? Nice.

[DeanoL]

2 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

I presume you would forbid people with physical challenges (visually impaired, wheelchair user/someone requiring an assistant) from accessing? Nice.

You'd presume wrong then. Not very nice. 

I also wouldn't forbid people with mental challenges from accessing either so good news is you'd still be alright.

Edited March 7, 2023 by DeanoL

[Wooderson]

5 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

You'd presume wrong then. Not very nice. 

I also wouldn't forbid people with mental challenges from accessing either so good news is you'd still be alright.

Cogent understanding of the risks.

[homesick]

Do people who think little children should be allowed in the SE corner after 10am also think there should be no age-restrictions on nightclubs in other parts of the country for the rest of the year? Or is it different just because it's Glastonbury?

 

Clearly some places are suitable for young children for a variety of reasons, others aren't

[DeanoL]

9 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

Cogent understanding of the risks.

Yeah, it's almost like there's a difference between kids and adults.

[Wooderson]

7 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

Yeah, it's almost like there's a difference between kids and adults.

Okidoki.

Youre not the first on here to display a lack of tolerance and/or understanding regarding parenting at a festival. Take comfort from that.

[tarw]

1 hour ago, DeanoL said:

Yeah, it's almost like there's a difference between kids and adults.

I wouldn’t make generalisations like that. 
 

There are plenty of children who are more “adult” than quite a few people I know. 
 

Maybe we should have an IQ requirement to access the SE corner?

[Wooderson]

1 hour ago, tarw said:

Maybe we should have an IQ requirement to access the SE corner?

And this website.

[tigger123]

4 hours ago, Wooderson said:

Is this policy enforced or encouraged? Similar to pissing in the bushes?

I say this as an adult that has walked in on my own many times to meet family. At no point have I ever been stopped "Oh c**ts like you arent allowed in chief soz."

Incidentally a mate of mine only shites in the Kids Field jaxx when he's there. "Spotless" says he. Needless to say he has no kids.

Well maybe they will enforce the SEC kids ban as loosely as you say they enforce the kids field adults with no kids ban so let’s not get too worked up about it just yet.

FWIW I have been stopped from entering the kids field before when going to meet a friend in there, most times it’s been fine but I was stopped once 

[LeeHC]

12 hours ago, Nice hymer said:

That's the same across the site though, particularly after dark when ale consumption peaks.

Last year after Paul McCartney was the worst crush I've experienced in probably the last 20 years. Between Pyramid and Other, as the masses headed towards Arcadia/West of site. That was crowd control issue, I thought security and police were well off their game on a number of occasions tbh (Williams Green Thursday afternoon for example?)

Seemed like there was a lot less security last year with stewards filling in some gaps - on the entrance to the SEC for example. (Cost saving I guess?) That made the atmosphere nicer in the main but could easily go tits up with crushes etc.. 

Williams Green is a mess for crushes though - one miss-booking jams up so much of the site...

 

[LeeHC]

6 hours ago, Wooderson said:

Okidoki.

Youre not the first on here to display a lack of tolerance and/or understanding regarding parenting at a festival. Take comfort from that.

You're just fishing for offence to take here. I think kids at the festival is great, an enriching experience for all.

But clearly some areas are less suitable, especially for young children. Why is this even controversial?

Would NYC downlow be suitable for children? Clearly not.

The crushes there _are_ different and the proportion of total wreck heads is much higher.

[MrZigster]

9 hours ago, DeanoL said:

Are you similarly bothered by the kids field not letting adults in without kids?

9 hours ago, Wooderson said:

I say this as an adult that has walked in on my own many times to meet family. At no point have I ever been stopped "Oh c**ts like you arent allowed in chief soz."

8 hours ago, DeanoL said:

Someone mentioned they were stopped earlier in the thread, so the answer is "yes" I guess.

Think that was my post. It was the Greenpeace kids bit rather than the actual "The Kids Field" or "Family Camping" bits (which I don't think I've ever had the need set foot in). Didn't make a fuss, but slightly affronted I was, given the obvious implication. Like I posted, I'm sure I've regularly used that route in the past just to get from A to B. Hadn't even realised it was a kidcentric area. If I'd stopped and loitered and stared then fair enough, move me on.

7 hours ago, DeanoL said:

Yeah, it's almost like there's a difference between kids and adults.

There's also a difference between adults and adults. And parents and parents. And babies and toddlers and primary school kids etc,,. 

And awareness, responsibility and then, out and out obvious selfish decadance.

It's complicated isn't it.

___

It's been observed that given the two years off there were probably instances of people who'd secured tickets in '19 who didn't think they'd be going with babies in '22. Last year was maybe an anomaly and a bit of a glitch in baby bringing stats terms.

___

Apparently this post may be totally invalid to some. Purely on the basis that I don't have any sprogs myself.

Hey. I was one myself once. I have personal experience.