Reading stops the riots

This year's control measures employed by Reading Festival 2010 created a much better atmosphere both in the arena and in the campsite areas, and totally transformed the Sunday night experience.

After nearly a decade of what's been officially described as 'high-jinx' in the campsites on Sunday night, Reading Festival organisers have finally put an end to the anti-social behaviour using the new measures it introduced this year.

The change in behaviour wasn't just reserved to the campsite, this year fires in the arena were banned, with groups of Oxfam stewards with fire extinguishers on hand to combat any festival goers attempts to light fires. With the wind blowing across the Thames the temperatures were chilling especially on the last night and yet it was a much nicer atmosphere, without inhaling fumes of burning plastic.

In the campsites only small, clean, campfires were allowed which had to be kept below knee height and less than one pace wide. Festival organisers had said they would be monitored and were true to their word with flame retardant suit wearing 'Ghostbusters' with barrels of extinguisher on their back and large hose nozzles to enforce the rule.

The success of the control measures in the campsite made for a much more pleasant night for all those staying overnight in the campsite, although it didn't completely stop the liveliness it did at least put an end to the physically threatening behaviour of recent years. Fans were still able to enjoy their crazy campsite antics, with the biggest complaint now being that neighbours were noisy until long into the night.

Reading Festival's measures were five fold. Firstly, a much higher police presence in the campsites and access routes through the festival site (although their presence was hardly noticeable in the arena itself). Combined with a more visible police presence near the festival site around Reading itself.

Secondly the implementation of new policy in the campsites. This year there were conditions on bringing alcohol in on the Sunday, the amount of alcohol allowed to be brought into the campsite was a maximum of two cases per person until 6pm, and then after 6pm, alcohol was not be allowed through the entrance gates at all. There didn't seem to be much point to this restriction. On Sunday morning as droves packed up and stowed their tents to leave that night, there were huge quantities of slabs of alcohol going the other way, whilst the alcohol sellers on the main roads in broadcasted cheap deals on cans. So much alcohol in fact it seemed unlikely it could all be drunk in the next 24 hours.

Thirdly aerosols (over 250ml) and gas canisters were banned this year. Those wanting to cook had to bring disposable BBQs, trangias or solid fuel stoves. Over the weekend this made a huge difference with the large explosions at night now a thing of the past. There were a couple of exceptions over the first two nights but it was a huge improvement.

The biggest new policy was the blanket ban on all campfires after 8pm on Sunday. A policy which many expected to be hard to uphold but the 'Ghostbuster' fire extinguishers and a higher level of monitoring meant that fires were rapidly dealt with, although there were reports of a few tents still going up in flames.

This morning festival goers who stayed in Purple Camping said that "the same old trouble" did flare up briefly but he said it was rapidly dealt with by a rapid response armoured police team.

Despite the lack of serious trouble, it was still a noisy final night, and there was still an element of mindless "prattish" behaviour. The police, and festival security were both happy with way last night's operation went and said that there was "nothing much" to report. At the time eFestivals was speaking to police, it was noticeable that the most recent arrests had involved young drunk abusive women and medical services had been dealing mainly with alcohol related incidents.

Talking to Reading locals and marshals at the event it was clear that they felt that what really turned the violent behaviour of previous years around was the new Sunday Pass-out System. This meant that there would be no re-entry to the festival after 8pm unless festival goers were UV stamped on the way out of the festival. They felt the trouble makers were not in fact festival attendees, but "Reading low-life" who usually picked up wristbands from those leaving the event and entered the festival intent on causing trouble as a gang with no interest in the music. Perhaps a few gained entry to cause the high levels of tent theft prevalent over the weekend, with the police reporting an increase in thefts this year.

Perhaps Reading audiences are growing up, there wasn't the usual bottling of acts on stage either this year. The strength of the line-up on offer on Sunday also helped giving music fans a chance to enjoy themselves and have fun rather than being motivated to find other outlets for their frustration.

eFestivals has galleries of the weekend's acts online (click here), (more still to come). The eFestivals reviews of Reading Festival 2010 will be online shortly - don't forget to check back and check them out!

Tickets for Reading and Leeds go on sale tomorrow and eFestivals will have links to buy them then.

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