Changes from 2023>2024

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

20 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Love to try to fix things that aren't broken. Famously, no unintended negative consequences can ever arise.

Except, the festival clearly did feel the crowd control, stewarding, schedule needed fixing from 2022>2023.

And the renaming of the JPT>Woodsies.

And the rearrangement/introduction of the Levels.

And the rejig of the walkways.

And adding CarHenge.

And taking away Cinemarmaggeddon.

If the festival and it's public didn't think of things to tweak or change, the festival would have stood still and lost it's edge a long long time ago. In other words; there has been a net positive from change/progress at Glasto (as well as in society as a whole).

[incident]

On 9/1/2023 at 7:44 PM, Leyrulion said:

F) New licence (I think that's up this year), which allows more flexibility in them using the big 8 stages on a Thursday. 

They just got a new, permanent, licence approved earlier this year so there's unlikely to be any changes of substance for a while.

Having seen the kerfuffle over this licence application and also previous ones, I think it's safe to say that there's no likely scenario under which the bigger stages are allowed to open unless it's with the volume turned down so low as to be unworkable.

[Leyrulion]

11 hours ago, incident said:

They just got a new, permanent, licence approved earlier this year so there's unlikely to be any changes of substance for a while.

Having seen the kerfuffle over this licence application and also previous ones, I think it's safe to say that there's no likely scenario under which the bigger stages are allowed to open unless it's with the volume turned down so low as to be unworkable.

That was planning permission not the premises licence. It allowed them to keep the pyramid stage and storage barn permanently and host an event every year rather than keep applying for temporary permission. Before they had to tear the pyramid down by 2024 (but had kept applying for permission to extend that).

I'm talking about the specifics of which stages can operate on which days and where they can do late night entertainment etc. 

This thing here: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/community-leisure-and-tourism/glastonbury-festival/

 

Edit:and just to add I actually think the planning application went pretty smoothly for something so high profile. Shows they have very good contacts locally and support vastly outweighs objectors. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Leyrulion

[incident]

2 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

That was planning permission not the premises licence. It allowed them to keep the pyramid stage and storage barn permanently and host an event every year rather than keep applying for temporary permission. Before they had to tear the pyramid down by 2024 (but had kept applying for permission to extend that).

I'm talking about the specifics of which stages can operate on which days and where they can do late night entertainment etc. 

This thing here: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/community-leisure-and-tourism/glastonbury-festival/

 

Edit:and just to add I actually think the planning application went pretty smoothly for something so high profile. Shows they have very good contacts locally and support vastly outweighs objectors. 

Either way, still no realistic scenario under which the festival are allowed to open the big stages on the Thursday, unless (and this is still very unlikely) it's in exchange for something else we'd consider detrimental. Kinda like when they agreed to move the curfew half an hour earlier in exchange for a few extra decibels.

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, incident said:

Either way, still no realistic scenario under which the festival are allowed to open the big stages on the Thursday, unless (and this is still very unlikely) it's in exchange for something else we'd consider detrimental. Kinda like when they agreed to move the curfew half an hour earlier in exchange for a few extra decibels.

I disagree, they ran Park stage on Thursday briefly this year. I think there's definitely a high chance that the timings and schedule could be looked at and changed this year if the premises licence is actually being look at as a whole. 

I'll agree with your point that some might not like the changes (shorter hours on Monday morning?) But overall I'd hope negatives would be outweighed by positives. 

 

Edit:  not quite sure how they ran Park stage this year because it's definitely one of the main stages that can't run until Friday. Any ideas?

Edited September 3, 2023 by Leyrulion

[incident]

Just now, Leyrulion said:

I disagree, they ran Park stage on Thursday briefly this year. I think there's definitely a high chance that the timings and schedule could be looked at and changed this year if the premises licence is actually being look at as a whole. 

I'll agree with your point that some might not like the changes (shorter hours on Monday morning?) But overall I'd hope negatives would be outweighed by positives. 

I've not heard anything about The Park being run on Thursday, other than the usual and accounted for (up to 2 hour) soundcheck. Pyramid/Other/WH did the same if you want to invoke that.

If they had run it any more than that - it'd be a significant licence violation and based on past experience it's likely the council would be extremely pissed off.

Once upon a time, I think the last instance being approx 2007-2009 (not certain exactly), the JazzWorld stage as was used to take the piss somewhat with their "soundcheck" and use the window to put on a live band or two. I know one year I saw Lamb play JW on the Thursday. Reportedly, MDC made it very clear to the Festival that this was not ok, and the stage management got a significant telling off.

[Leyrulion]

15 minutes ago, incident said:

I've not heard anything about The Park being run on Thursday, other than the usual and accounted for (up to 2 hour) soundcheck. Pyramid/Other/WH did the same if you want to invoke that.

If they had run it any more than that - it'd be a significant licence violation and based on past experience it's likely the council would be extremely pissed off.

Once upon a time, I think the last instance being approx 2007-2009 (not certain exactly), the JazzWorld stage as was used to take the piss somewhat with their "soundcheck" and use the window to put on a live band or two. I know one year I saw Lamb play JW on the Thursday. Reportedly, MDC made it very clear to the Festival that this was not ok, and the stage management got a significant telling off.

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-06-22/founder-michael-eavis-gets-back-on-stage-at-glastonbury-festival-2023

 

22nd June was a Thursday. I wonder if it's being looked at the same way Paul McCartney went 20 mins past curfew, e.g. they're ignoring it. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Leyrulion

[incident]

Fair enough. Yeah, I'd say that was during the Soundcheck Window and because it's ME the council have chosen for it not to be an issue (and possibly even gave the nod ahead of time).

Don't think for a second they'd have turned a blind eye if a "proper" band had turned up and done a full set, and can't see it being a gateway to wider opening in the future.

[El Weirdo]

On 9/1/2023 at 8:02 PM, bob323 said:

...and obviosly play kylie minogue / SAW music 🐵

Don't you threaten me with a good time.

[balti-pie]

i think it was 2010 when there was a football tournament on, and the fixtures fell so that England were playing Slovakia (i think? mightve been Slovenia) on the wednesday at about 4pm -  would they have needed to have amended the licence application to be able to show that?

cos if not, then it seems like an absolute shoo-in to just show some classic old sets on the weds and thurs daytime (or old England tournament matches, and send everyone off to a blissful sleep!) 

[DeanoL]

There absolutely is space for renegotiating around curfew times and what runs when. At some point Silver Hayes went from running until 1am to 3am. And Arcadia used to be *in* the SE corner before it got moved out by The Park. This notion that the festival has zero leeway in noise issues can't be true because they've absolutely changed it over the years.

[stuie]

14 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

There absolutely is space for renegotiating around curfew times and what runs when. At some point Silver Hayes went from running until 1am to 3am. And Arcadia used to be *in* the SE corner before it got moved out by The Park. This notion that the festival has zero leeway in noise issues can't be true because they've absolutely changed it over the years.

None of that is main stages operating on Thursday though. 

It's not going to happen. 

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, DeanoL said:

There absolutely is space for renegotiating around curfew times and what runs when. At some point Silver Hayes went from running until 1am to 3am. And Arcadia used to be *in* the SE corner before it got moved out by The Park. This notion that the festival has zero leeway in noise issues can't be true because they've absolutely changed it over the years.

The licence categorises the stages in groups from A-D and specifically lets them move groups B-D and swap them. Which is how they move and orient stages. 

(Category A probably being Pyramid, Other, West Holt's). 

For noise purposes Stages 1-9 in category A-C they can't alter currently. Category D "venues" (not stages) they can run on Thursday. 

Interestingly from having another look I think Left field is category C and IIcon and Levels are category D which is why they can run on Thursday and Left field doesn't. 

Another reason why it's be great if they could freshen it up.

[DeanoL]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

None of that is main stages operating on Thursday though. 

Indeed. Most local residents would be far more bothered by noise going on an extra two hours when they're in bed than they would be by a couple of extra hours of noise during the day. It'd likely be much easier.

(My understanding the primary objective of not having stuff running on Thursday is to spread out the arrivals across Wed-Fri thus reducing traffic issues. I think it's fair to say at this point, that has failed!)

[danbailey80]

The Other stage needs a rethink.

It's consistently a poor place to watch an act that draws a big crowd. 

Get rid of that camping area that gets trampled on and push it further back up the hill, along with the metal trackway.

Add some proper speakers half way back. 

At the moment if you stand further back behind the sound desk it's just a poor/ too quiet sound and people talking or you're squashed next to the walkway track by the camping area meaning no character or atmosphere. 

It's a weak area of the festival compared to other second stages (even went to Victorious and their second stage is better).

Never liked the name either.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by danbailey80

[sedra]

The removal of Williams Green tent which for years has been used to “start off “ the festival on Thursday with well known secret bands was inevitable given the crowd issues in 2022 although it was always overcrowded. As most people are now onsite Weds it does feel like there  could be more bands on Thursday somewhere- it doesn’t have to be major acts though. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

12 minutes ago, danbailey80 said:

Add some proper speakers half way back. 

 

Were you there this year / last year?  They've fixed the sound and it's brilliant.

[stuie]

42 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

Indeed. Most local residents would be far more bothered by noise going on an extra two hours when they're in bed than they would be by a couple of extra hours of noise during the day. It'd likely be much easier.

(My understanding the primary objective of not having stuff running on Thursday is to spread out the arrivals across Wed-Fri thus reducing traffic issues. I think it's fair to say at this point, that has failed!)

They do have stuff running  on Thursday though.  Quite a lot of stuff, at lower level sound and only in certain places on site, away from noise monitoring locations at nearby properties. The restrictions are to do with sound limitations, so Thursday main stages are a no-go.

Quote

PN2. No entertainment sound, such as vocals or instruments (live or recorded) occurring outside the periods between 1000 hours on the Friday and the Saturday and 0030 hours the following day and between 1000 hours and 0000 hours on the Sunday of the licensed period shall be audible and discernible when assessed in a “free field” location adjacent to any noise sensitive premises (as defined in Code of Practice on Environmental Noise Control at Concerts - Noise Council 1995). This condition shall not apply to the sound testing of stages carried out on the Thursday of the event period.

Once the main stages open the limit changes from effectively 0db (at the monitoring points) to 65db.

Glastonbury Premises Licence

[danbailey80]

30 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Were you there this year / last year?  They've fixed the sound and it's brilliant.

Weird. Maybe I was in between the speakers. I just remember being on the track area for Fred and all I could hear was talking. I’ll take another look next year

[DeanoL]

2 hours ago, stuie said:

They do have stuff running  on Thursday though.  Quite a lot of stuff, at lower level sound and only in certain places on site, away from noise monitoring locations at nearby properties. The restrictions are to do with sound limitations, so Thursday main stages are a no-go.

Once the main stages open the limit changes from effectively 0db (at the monitoring points) to 65db.

Glastonbury Premises Licence

I mean that's interesting, as it suggests they could certainly run Woodsies (if Silver Hayes is effectively 0 after midnight, with the volume that runs at (audible from over in Rivermead/Pylon) then they should be fine to run stuff in that part of the site.

But the point is this stuff can be renegotiated. If this hasn't changed over the past ten years then I suspect they got around it by paying to ensure that the residential areas near Silver Hayes were no longer "free fields" for their definition.

This isn't the early 2000s where the council were looking for any reason to shut the festival down. The relationship is a lot better and more constructive now. The license you link above was not handed down to Glastonbury Festival by the council - it was discussed and agreed and can be discussed and changed again. Indeed, it should be. Not just because we want the festival to change, but because the needs and concerns of residents will change a lot over the years, and that needs to be accounted for. 

[stuie]

41 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

I mean that's interesting, as it suggests they could certainly run Woodsies (if Silver Hayes is effectively 0 after midnight, with the volume that runs at (audible from over in Rivermead/Pylon) then they should be fine to run stuff in that part of the site.

But the point is this stuff can be renegotiated. If this hasn't changed over the past ten years then I suspect they got around it by paying to ensure that the residential areas near Silver Hayes were no longer "free fields" for their definition.

This isn't the early 2000s where the council were looking for any reason to shut the festival down. The relationship is a lot better and more constructive now. The license you link above was not handed down to Glastonbury Festival by the council - it was discussed and agreed and can be discussed and changed again. Indeed, it should be. Not just because we want the festival to change, but because the needs and concerns of residents will change a lot over the years, and that needs to be accounted for. 

Of course they can apply for changes but the main stages operating outside Fri-Sun is a well discussed red line. 

As an aside, when the line up for main stages has been reduced from 8 acts to 7 per day in some cases and the festival has frozen field budgets at the same time as making price increases, I wonder where the money for extra days would come from! 

[DeanoL]

5 minutes ago, stuie said:

Of course they can apply for changes but the main stages operating outside Fri-Sun is a well discussed red line. 

When was the last time they floated it and were knocked back then?

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, DeanoL said:

When was the last time they floated it and were knocked back then?

you could also ask why they haven't bothered in the years up till now ... if it were ever a possibility ? 

[stuie]

13 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

When was the last time they floated it and were knocked back then?

What makes you think they would even want to? 

Maybe they don't want to strain their budgets and upset their neighbours when everyone's happy with 3 days! 

[Leyrulion]

50 minutes ago, stuie said:

Of course they can apply for changes but the main stages operating outside Fri-Sun is a well discussed red line. 

 

I think for Pyramid, Other and West Holt's that's certainly still true. 

But for other "main stages" (specifically thinking of Park, Avalon and Left Field) do you think that's still a red line?