Site quieter?

[HH46810]

2 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

We were in the Wishing Well when that was on and it was by no means full. Then we bought food from a stall with no queue, sat on an empty picnic table to eat it and then we watched a bit of it from the environs of the Stonebridge tent.  It really wasn't that busy.

 

It 100% was busier compared to the same time last year. Walked past the Wishing Well and it looked packed - i.e. on the outer bits there were people everywhere. Frustrating to hear there was space inside but we made an assumption it wouldn't be given how busy the festival had been over the previous 2 days.

 

Don't think an empty picnic bench and no queue for food really says much - at least 90% of people there at that time will be not be doing that.

[HH46810]

2 hours ago, Andeeroo said:

 

f**k that. It's already too expensive and exclusionary for a lot of people.

 

I'd rather go 3 out of 4 years, miss 1 and it be quieter than go every year with the current prices

[Skip997]

2 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

I agree on both points, especially as it still looked great on the BBC.

 

Just an idle thought but one I keep coming back to is that they increase the amount of off site camping and start selling packages, possibly along with coach travel as well. This would allow them to justify (as they’ve moved a few thousand tents out of the main site itself) taking space out of Oxlyers/Pennards for a new entertainment area and possibly an extension of the Other Stage field.

And take people out of the festival?

[MindTheLongdrop]

35 minutes ago, Talcroft said:

 

It was really astounding working in Stonebridge on Sat night once Idris Elba arrived to DJ and the tent was immediately filled with an entourage and everyone who'd ever worked at the BBC. Meanwhile punters are 30 deep being held outside the tent and the volunteer bar staff are working til 5am. That felt a bit grating, to be honest - you do notice it more in the Park though as it's so close to the beeb camp. I dunno where the other sleb camping is. 

 

I always considered Glastonbury the great leveller but this year it did not feel that way. Would really like to see some influencers put a volunteer shift in for their ticket and us public sector workers can have a gifted weekend off instead. 

Stonebridge for Shy Fx on Thursday was grim. Stuck outside the tent with people pushing through and downhill only to realise the entrance was elsewhere, then pushing across. 

 

Was keen for Idris but knew there was no point even trying. In fact I was quite sick of the Park by Friday, didn't set foot there again after Barry Can't Swim (which we arrived v early for)

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

55 minutes ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

 

Maybe, but I wonder how many who left early felt a bit ripped off? Ie. Only got 4 days instead of 5? (Clutching at straws)

 

Based upon non-coach tickets (they could remain unchanged), I'm spit-balling on the numbers here, but something like:

 

Wednesday-entry: £375 (60% capacity)

 

Thursday-entry: £360 (80% capacity)

 

Friday-entry: £350 (100% capacity)

 

Not only would it regulate capacity when there's less on but it would also spread traffic flow, too. 

 

As I said before, it could get confusing and there's bound to be people who take the piss and purposely turn up early in the hope they are let in. A flawed idea, but an idea nonetheless.

 

[Memory Man]

Have people considered the larger number of non public tickets in hospitality at £900 are keeping the regular punter ticket prices down as much as possible?

 

Whilst its annoying to think that some influencers and celebs have tickets, they are (or a business is) paying substantially more for their ticket.

 

what special access they get, eg the idris elba entourage example above, depends on who they know and what wristbands for what areas they can get.

 

at the end of the day its always been an event with music industry people at its heart a lot of whom know each other and they are greatly needed to be kept on side for discount labour and in the case of the bbc the media coverage that keeps acts being able to be booked for a fee that would be derisory elsewhere.

 

TLDR? There are necessary evils required to keep the event going in letting certain people have a higher level of access, sadly.

[lukemack]

4 hours ago, kemosabe said:

 

I can only speak for myself and my group on this one. But the discussion we had, there were plenty in my group who would happily take 10% extra cost for a reduction of 10% of people. The fact is that the crowds are the biggest hindrance to fun at the moment and becoming tiring really quickly. It might price some out. But is an extra £30/40 going to stop more people then the crowds all weekend everywhere they go, I doubt it. 

 

As for missing out on tickets, so be it. That's life and we can't have everything. There's already a fair chance you miss out every year, and I'll happily volunteer if needs be. The years I do get tickets will be far better with less crowds. 

 

 

 

Can't see the council allowing the festival the extra 7k capacity after the review after next year's festival, imagine Glasto to cry poverty though.

 

They could charge a small price for kids tickets though to make up the loss in revenue £35-50

 

Charging for programs/lanyards could up the revenue if needed aswell, unnecessary things but alot of people would still buy them. Saves hiking the ticket price up year om year and making it more and more exclusive 

Edited July 2 by lukemack

[Memory Man]

1 hour ago, BookAngel said:

 

Or, get rid of the Acoustic field, which can suffer badly with sound crossover from the Pyramid- put the bands on other stages, and the Pilton Palais in T&C somewhere?

this idea i’d certainly get behind, but i dont think those who are into the acoustic field offering would be happy about it! Palais could be moved easily.

what would you then suggest goes in the blank field you created? Curious

[irnkrtn]

6 hours ago, mufcok said:

 

Past Leftfield - blocked off. Then tried the next way down from that (forget what's on that walkway) - same again. Eventually managed it walking even further down

It did seem shut for a very long time after as well. Once those routes are gone it’s a pretty big walk round! 

[Memory Man]

11 minutes ago, lukemack said:

 

Can't see the council allowing the festival the extra 7k capacity after the review after next year's festival, imagine Glasto to cry poverty though.

 

They could charge a small price for kids tickets though to make up the loss in revenue £35-50

 

Charging for programs/lanyards could up the revenue if needed aswell, unnecessary things but alot of people would still buy them. Saves hiking the ticket price up year om year and making it more and more exclusive 

I dont think this is likely altho is feasible.

 

they love claiming theyre the biggest free childrens festival in europe

 

very anti glasto to change tack and charge for a programme. Its built into the price already.j

 

Just about every other festival charges for kids and has a finite supply of kids tickets.

Edited July 2 by Memory Man

[4AssedMonkey]

Interesting read this. Think I was fairly lucky in that my taste in music meant I only saw one overly busy area (Holts/Sugababes) and decided not to bother. My experience is therefore that it felt less busy overall -  thinking queues for food/thoroughfares etc. -  but by the sound of it, more “hot spots” than before. It’s therefore clearly a booking issue.

 

Next thought is, are they doing this on purpose? The Glasto setup cannot be so naive after recent years as to not see where act (a) + stage (b) = carnage. So is this to entice certain acts in an attempt to massage ego? Is it to make the festival look better on TV coverage? Is it to generate FOMO in the punters?

 

Truth is we will never know. But I’d bet it’s not an accident. After 15 years of secret sets and big acts on smaller stages causing crowd problems, they’ve chosen to persist with it. I just wonder what benefit they gain from it.

[StuwieG]

Defo noticed a lot less Northern accents this year, and replaced by a southern Oxfordshire/Home counties accent. 
 

This isn’t me saying North = poor, South = Rich (I’m from Liverpool) but I think the increase in ticket prices and the cost of living is going to continue to price out the working class. Easily costs £1000+ with everything included.  

[irnkrtn]

6 hours ago, DeanoL said:

 

But you could probably fit them all on the Pyramid. So then the question is, should you? 

No 😂

[irnkrtn]

2 minutes ago, StuwieG said:

Defo noticed a lot less Northern accents this year, and replaced by a southern Oxfordshire/Home counties accent. 
 

This isn’t me saying North = poor, South = Rich (I’m from Liverpool) but I think the increase in ticket prices and the cost of living is going to continue to price out the working class. Easily costs £1000+ with everything included.  

Really? The overwhelming accent I heard was Scouse - which delighted me may I add. 

[4AssedMonkey]

1 minute ago, irnkrtn said:

Really? The overwhelming accent I heard was Scouse - which delighted me may I add. 

Same. Like every other year.

[Badlands]

Not sure those shouting for a reduced capacity would he saying the same thing if they’re sitting without tickets come T Day.

[Memory Man]

I also have another theory that has been discussed on “the other place” - we all know there was a back door hack on tickets that was taken advantage of. To what extent has never been known but i would wager heavily that people who mainly got access to this and used it are in the age group profile that are into the likes of bicep, barry cant swim and charli 

 

put them on stages that are too small and have an audience that is skewed towards that age range is having a problem from both sides

 

plus these are folks who will want to be out up and raving till 5am too

 

the late night areas have become so good / well known that they’ve become the central attraction for a lot of people, not just stuff to do post headliners

[Helsbels]

This year was a bit of a weird one crowd wise. Got stuck in a crush on the railway track on Thursday night so ended up just going back to the tent. My other half went to San Remo for Job Jobse and said I would have hated it as it was so busy. I'm not a fan at all now of Thursday night as the past few years have been ridiculous crowd wise and an accident waiting to happen.

We managed to get on the barrier for Barry Can't Swim, Orbital, Paloma Faith/Shania and Justice by making sure we arrived towards the end of the act before but had to plan things a lot more than in the past. My mates who arrived later to The Park couldn't get in for Barry Can't Swim as it was too busy by the time they arrived. I wanted to see The Sugababes but also wanted to see Confidence Man so had to make a choice there.

Saturday night the Other Stage and West Holts were only half full for Disclosure and Jessie Ware (who was fab). Arcadia was really busy on Saturday night as well so we gave it a swerve but had been there Friday night so wasn't the end of the world.

I do definitely feel there are too many people on site these days and some of the programming needs to be addressed as coming on here you can tell in advance what is going to be rammed so surely the festival themselves know

 

[Spindles]

15 minutes ago, StuwieG said:

Defo noticed a lot less Northern accents this year, and replaced by a southern Oxfordshire/Home counties accent. 

 

I mentioned this elsewhere and someone who was wristbanding said they barely came across a northern accent in 24 hours of shifts.  I was on a coach to Brum leaving, less than 1/3 coach full going out and a 90 minute wait, next to the gate queueing for Manchester which wasn't much more full or moving any faster, probably a dozen or more London bound coaches left from their gate, completely full in the time I was waiting.

 

I swear it was middle class home counties accents everywhere, I heard a few scouse voices ring out don't get me wrong, and met people from all over and that included working class folks so it hasn't completely become the new ascot/wimbledon/whatever other events the privileged enjoy in an exclusionary manner.  I suspect eventually it will do though.

[tigger123]

28 minutes ago, irnkrtn said:

Really? The overwhelming accent I heard was Scouse - which delighted me may I add. 

Me too. We were camped next to a load of scousers who were perfectly friendly, but then proceeded to leave all their tents, chairs, airbeds and sleeping bags on the Monday morning in the field along with all their rubbish

[foolee]

7 minutes ago, Helsbels said:

This year was a bit of a weird one crowd wise. Got stuck in a crush on the railway track on Thursday night so ended up just going back to the tent. My other half went to San Remo for Job Jobse and said I would have hated it as it was so busy. I'm not a fan at all now of Thursday night as the past few years have been ridiculous crowd wise and an accident waiting to happen.

We managed to get on the barrier for Barry Can't Swim, Orbital, Paloma Faith/Shania and Justice by making sure we arrived towards the end of the act before but had to plan things a lot more than in the past. My mates who arrived later to The Park couldn't get in for Barry Can't Swim as it was too busy by the time they arrived. I wanted to see The Sugababes but also wanted to see Confidence Man so had to make a choice there.

Saturday night the Other Stage and West Holts were only half full for Disclosure and Jessie Ware (who was fab). Arcadia was really busy on Saturday night as well so we gave it a swerve but had been there Friday night so wasn't the end of the world.

I do definitely feel there are too many people on site these days and some of the programming needs to be addressed as coming on here you can tell in advance what is going to be rammed so surely the festival themselves know

 

This is spot on. Festival needs to just plan for the acts with bigger crowds and stick them somewhere suitable or have a clash that breaks up the crowd.

 

But it’s such a big festival that places will be busy so if you want to see someone you have to get there early or resign yourself to being at the back. 

[rebeccac]

55 minutes ago, Memory Man said:

Have people considered the larger number of non public tickets in hospitality at £900 are keeping the regular punter ticket prices down as much as possible?

 

Whilst its annoying to think that some influencers and celebs have tickets, they are (or a business is) paying substantially more for their ticket.

 

what special access they get, eg the idris elba entourage example above, depends on who they know and what wristbands for what areas they can get.

 

at the end of the day its always been an event with music industry people at its heart a lot of whom know each other and they are greatly needed to be kept on side for discount labour and in the case of the bbc the media coverage that keeps acts being able to be booked for a fee that would be derisory elsewhere.

 

TLDR? There are necessary evils required to keep the event going in letting certain people have a higher level of access, sadly.

But this doesn’t account for why it is so much busier in recent years. I went every year 2013-2019 and it wasn’t anything like the crowd crushes and overcrowding of recent years. 

[whateverworksout]

13 minutes ago, Memory Man said:

I also have another theory that has been discussed on “the other place” - we all know there was a back door hack on tickets that was taken advantage of. To what extent has never been known but i would wager heavily that people who mainly got access to this and used it are in the age group profile that are into the likes of bicep, barry cant swim and charli 

 

put them on stages that are too small and have an audience that is skewed towards that age range is having a problem from both sides

 

plus these are folks who will want to be out up and raving till 5am too

 

the late night areas have become so good / well known that they’ve become the central attraction for a lot of people, not just stuff to do post headliners

this actually might be a good theory, that’s how i got my ticket this year - a friend of a friend managed to get our group 12 tickets but apparently got over 100 tickets overall and everyone is in the 23-30 age range to my knowledge - my group of 12 was at charli/bicep/barry

[Memory Man]

38 minutes ago, whateverworksout said:

this actually might be a good theory, that’s how i got my ticket this year - a friend of a friend managed to get our group 12 tickets but apparently got over 100 tickets overall and everyone is in the 23-30 age range to my knowledge - my group of 12 was at charli/bicep/barry

There we are then!

[Talcroft]

46 minutes ago, Spindles said:

 

I mentioned this elsewhere and someone who was wristbanding said they barely came across a northern accent in 24 hours of shifts.  I was on a coach to Brum leaving, less than 1/3 coach full going out and a 90 minute wait, next to the gate queueing for Manchester which wasn't much more full or moving any faster, probably a dozen or more London bound coaches left from their gate, completely full in the time I was waiting.

 

I swear it was middle class home counties accents everywhere, I heard a few scouse voices ring out don't get me wrong, and met people from all over and that included working class folks so it hasn't completely become the new ascot/wimbledon/whatever other events the privileged enjoy in an exclusionary manner.  I suspect eventually it will do though.

Yeh I can agree with this. Heard as many Irish accents as I did scouse this year. Heard the poshest accent I've ever heard in real life (and gave him a bit of a ribbing, which I was sorry for). 

Actually said 3 times, "omg where are you from, you sound like me!" because there were so few non scouse north-west accents.