So anyone adamant they are not going next year ?

[Gnomicide]

Also, can someone please change the title of the thread to "So anyone adament adamant they are not going next year". It makes my teeth itch every time I see it. 

[Mardy]

4 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Also, can someone please change the title of the thread to "So anyone adament adamant they are not going next year". It makes my teeth itch every time I see it. 

Make a wish, Gnomi

 

[Sundance]

11 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Isn't the average age now 39? Pretty sure I read that somewhere.

Of our usual group of around 30+ people we have at least 6 who went this year but aren't trying for 2024 tickets for various reasons with a few more still to confirm. However, we already have 2 who haven't been involved since 2019 back in and a request to add a few more. 

Ah yeah it might well be! I was only really mentioning it as we've got a big group of diehard festival goers and so far have had at least 7 drop out

[Crazyfool01]

15 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Also, can someone please change the title of the thread to "So anyone adament adamant they are not going next year". It makes my teeth itch every time I see it. 

done 

[The Nal]

£360 x 2, £300 flights, maybe £100-£150 for a hotel, £100 for transport etc. Pushing £1200 now for me and Mrs Nal before we've even got wristbands and had a booze.

Booked return flights to Washington and a few night hotel for that for next year. 

Dua Lipa, huge food queues and Rick Astley as the highlight isn't cutting it anymore.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

5 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

done 

You'll have to change it again on January 1st

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

You'll have to change it again on January 1st

ill set a reminder now to do it promptly at midnight 🙂 so I can keep the masses happy ..... and Gnomicide 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Crazyfool01

[Stanton]

7 in our group last year (4 regular attendees, 2 newbies and 1 returning after 20 years).

None of us are trying this year. Mixture of cost and a couple heading to Germany for the euros. 

 

[stuie]

Also anecdotal but out large group only has a few remaining now. I think it’s mostly experience led though, rather than cost. Those with kids that can only do one festival a year are opting for smaller, arguably better experiences. 

More concerning, 3 of my friends in their 20’s went last year for the first time and aren’t interested in going back next year.  They said maybe the following year, but want to try other festivals and said that the crowd bottlenecks and queues were the thing that’s put them off. 

[Crazyfool01]

our group of 6 are now a group of 4 . 

[Skip997]

3 minutes ago, stuie said:

 They said maybe the following year, but want to try other festivals and said that the crowd bottlenecks and queues were the thing that’s put them off. 

Not surprised.

There are far too many people on site.

[The Nal]

4 minutes ago, stuie said:

They said maybe the following year, but want to try other festivals and said that the crowd bottlenecks and queues were the thing that’s put them off. 

I'm amazed there isn't more noise about the overcrowding. Its baffling. 

I'd love to see a statement from the festival about exactly how many tickets are on sale before TDay.

[sfroml]

Regarding overcrowding..... I went this year and this was the first time since 2008. But, I seem to remember back then and previously when I'd been that you could happily have a wander across to the Pyramid Stage at any point and watch a band sitting down somewhere etc.

But this year each every time I went near that part of the festival it was ram packed up to the top of the field, no where to sit, everyone stood up. Maybe I just went at the wrong time but the size of the crowds was just way too big. Popped up to Woodsies, think Sparklehorse were on (I knew nothing of them) but the crowd bled out to back/sides of the tents. 

Not sure what point (if any) I'm trying to make but the size of the crowds just seemed way too big in most of the places I ventured too. (I won't get started on the Truth Stage experience for Skindred).

[Crazyfool01]

I thought the General feeling was that it was far better this year after being a sh*t show the year before , that said maybe some didn't attend the year before so weren't able to compare the two and thought it still busy 

[stuie]

8 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I thought the General feeling was that it was far better this year after being a sh*t show the year before , that said maybe some didn't attend the year before so weren't able to compare the two and thought it still busy 

It was definitely better than last year, but I don't think it's anywhere back to normal.

I'm not sure it's due to too many tickets being sold.  I suspect some break-in do actually take place. 

Edited October 18, 2023 by stuie

[CaledonianGonzo]

Doesn't matter if they sell 125k tickets or 140k tickets. If there are 100k people wanting to see a certain act then it's still going to feel busy.

[Skip997]

5 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I thought the General feeling was that it was far better this year after being a sh*t show the year before , that said maybe some didn't attend the year before so weren't able to compare the two and thought it still busy 

It was definitely better than last year, but there are still far too many people on site.

[CaledonianGonzo]

If they reduce the number of tickets they sell the price will have to rise.

But, again, that doesn't necessarily eliminate over-crowding. 

600 people trying to get into a tent that holds 400 people creates over-crowding.  Likewise it only takes 20 people simultaneously deciding that they fancy a Goan fish curry to create a long queue.

[Avalon_Fields]

34 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I thought the General feeling was that it was far better this year after being a sh*t show the year before , that said maybe some didn't attend the year before so weren't able to compare the two and thought it still busy 

Certainly better, but I was missed most big crowds (Elton was the exception) by deliberately adjusting how I do Glastonbury. I'll do the same next year, but of course it shouldn't be forced upon me in an ideal festival.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

29 minutes ago, stuie said:

I suspect some break-in do actually take place. 

I'm confident that this number is higher than we think. I have had discussions with numerous security and stewarding friends from different areas across the site since the summer and I'm amazed at the stories of those who get in without a ticket, predominantly either by blagging it (the number who get through just by wearing a hi-vis looking like they "belong" there is surprisingly high), an opportunistically-timed sprint through a gate or by knowing people already on the inside (wristband exchanges, etc). Some attempts are foiled (although I'm told they just try again at a different gate) but a lot get through. 

Stories of getting in without a ticket do get romanticised, but the numbers have to contribute to the overcrowding. Probably not the thread to deep dive into but it relates to what's putting people off returning.

[Skip997]

8 minutes ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I'm confident that this number is higher than we think.

It is.

There used to be a "security sweep" on the Wednesday. I've not been aware of it happening for the last two.

I also believe that there is an acceptance that this will happen, in fact I know that in some specific cases it is knowingly ignored.

[Crazyfool01]

14 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

It is.

There used to be a "security sweep" on the Wednesday. I've not been aware of it happening for the last two.

I also believe that there is an acceptance that this will happen, in fact I know that in some specific cases it is knowingly ignored.

would imagine this becomes less accepted with Melvin onboard 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Feels like it would be an easy thing to reinstate and a win win for everyone (except for those who get bankaxed by it)

[Blisterpack]

Four of our group are definitely not going due to the crowding issues. Feel it’s more faff than it’s worth to keep moving around (even on the Wednesday and Thursday) and few stages having enough on offer to just stick around. Fair comments I thought, next few years will be interesting to see how many regulars spew it. 

[amfy]

1 hour ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Doesn't matter if they sell 125k tickets or 140k tickets. If there are 100k people wanting to see a certain act then it's still going to feel busy.

Which in a nutshell is why you can’t keep increasing capacity just by expanding the site.