MP, Police, and Council comment on meeting with Reading Festival bosses

MP Martin Salter, Police chiefs, and Reading Council have all commented on their recent meeting about the Sunday night trouble at Reading Festival with festival organiser Melvin Benn.

A news article on local news website getreading, (here), Martin Salter speaks about his meeting with Police, council staff, councillors and festival organiser Melvin Benn on Friday. Mr Salter says, "The festival organiser and the police did recognise at the meeting that there was an element of nastiness that has crept into the Sunday night at the festival and that action will be taken as part of the normal debriefing that occurs after each event to tackle any attempts to repeat this behaviour next year."

The MP reveals in the article what measures could be implemented to combat the behaviour of a minority of fans, saying "I suspect these could include beefing up the security on Sunday nights as well as trying to clamp down on people trying to re-enter the festival site after the acts have finished by swapping wrist bands with fans who were leaving. These were people who were clearly not interested in the music and in all probability included elements looking for trouble on the last night."

The MP who called the meeting to make it clear that he wants the festival organisers to stop the marauding mobs and fires blazing unchecked in the campsites before there were serious injuries, reveals, "It was a frank and forthright discussion of my concerns over the scenes which took place on some of the campsites on the last night of the festival."

"I was angered by the official apparent denials of the problems in the media immediately after the event which were at odds with everything I had both seen on video and which had been brought to my attention. However, I am satisfied now there is an acceptance of the very real problems that need to be addressed."

Leader of Reading Borough Council Councillor Jo Lovelock also speaks about the meeting in the article, saying "I think it was accepted that there had been issues on the Sunday night that had not been experienced before and that we need to get together and have a plan to deal with it to see it does not occur again in the future."

Chief Inspector Dave Parker, the night time commander at this year's festival, is quoted as saying, "Mr Salter listened to the views offered by Reading Borough Council, Festival Republic and Thames Valley Police and I believe that he left the meeting reassured that any required lessons would be learned from the debrief which had already been planned."

"It was apparent that right up to the Sunday evening that the event had been probably the best run ever from feedback that had been received. However, despite our best efforts, the last night was particularly busy and some of the activities that took place need to be addressed."

"It is too early to say how the policing operation will be amended to prevent and resolve the Sunday night antics of the few that appeared to ruin what had been a most enjoyable festival, but rest assured all the partners are keen to prevent a repeat in 2010."

Mr Salter, who campaigned for the festival to return to Reading in 1986, is also quoted in the Reading Chronicle, (here), as saying, "I want the festival to succeed. But I want it to be not just a great festival but a safe festival... There was a genuine recognition at the meeting that the Sunday night has now become a serious problem and that a specific plan will have to be put in place to clamp down on dangerous anti-social behaviour on this particular night."

Mr Salter reveals that he would suggest a ban on campfires on the last night or only a few designated fires, as well as tighter controls on underage drinking, and entry to the campsite.

Festival Republic, which runs Reading Festival, declined to comment on the meeting.

eFestivals would like to point out that whilst the behaviour of festival goers was distressing to some campers on the Sunday, the trouble only occurred after the last night of the festival. The atmosphere in the arena and during the festival weekend was very positive this year, and there was only a small area of the campsites which saw trouble.

Reading Festival takes place on the bank holiday weekend, from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th August at Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, with the sister event, Leeds Festival, taking place the same wekend at Bramham Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Early bird tickets are on sale priced at £175 for a weekend ticket, £70 a day ticket, and £9.50 for an early bird Thursday entry ticket. Campervan and Caravan permits cost £19.50 in advance and £30 on the gate. Car park passes are £4.50 in advance this year, or £10 on arrival. Over 18's wristband will be optional, but allow those that look young to not have to carry ID around all the time. Day tickets will be available at a later date.

To buy tickets for Reading, click here.

To buy tickets for Leeds, click here.

To comment on this news story, or see what's being said about both festivals, why not check out the Reading & Leeds forums?

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