WOMAD may use security instead of local police force

WOMAD festival organisers have told the BBC (here) that they may use security companies to police the event held at Charlton Park, near Malmesbury, in Wiltshire if an agreement is not reached with the the local Wiltshire Police.

As eFestivals reported last month, (here), the festival and Wiltshire Police have not reached an agreement in relation to special policing services for the 2012 WOMAD event. Currently there's a stand off, with the local police force saying they will not be attending the peaceful family friendly event.

Now organisers have confirmed that this year's event will still go ahead even if an agreement over policing is not reached with WOMAD director Chris Smith telling the BBC the event are considering the use private security. He is quoted as saying, "We don't want to go ahead without the police, but where we are at the moment is the police have said they are not coming, so we are now revising our plans to present to the licensing authority to show that we can run the event without the police. It's not where we want to be, but it's currently where we're heading."

Earlier today eFestivals published an interview with Fiona Stewart the Managing Director of The Green Man Festival, (here), where we asked her for her take on WOMAD's problem with it's policing arrangements, and she revealed that they don't actually have the expenses of policing at Green Man. She said, "I don't have any police costs. Because I've kept a record of how we manage the event to a standard it doesn't require a police presence. They are there, and we have a good relationship with them, and they monitor what we do, and we have to get the licence through them. We have a lot of security (instead) at Green Man."

It would appear that WOMAD are seeking to employ a similar model with the organisers of WOMAD feeling that perhaps they do not need Wiltshire police to cover their event which is considered one of the safest festivals in the country. Conversely the event does pay high levels of policing costs compared with similar events nationally.

Although part of the reason that WOMAD has such a low level of crime is thanks to a heavy police operation, using expensive face recognition technology, caught a known gang who were targeting festivals back in 2008 and took out a six man crime wave at that year's festival. Since then, eFestivals feels that crime at the festival has been drastically lower than when it was when it was located at Reading and had an annual problem with thieving from tents.

Policing costs may also be high due to the kind of festival goers the festival attracts with high profile guests such as Prince Harry who was seen wandering around the festival a few years ago.

The line-up includes Linton Kwesi Johnson & The Dennis Bovell Dub Band, Patrick Wolf, Robert Plant's new project Sensational Space Shifters, Hugh Masekela, Jimmy Cliff, The Manganiyar Seduction by Roysten Abel, Femi Kuti, Khaled, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Toddla T & MC Serocee, DJ Yoda & The Transiberian Marching Band, Balkan Beat Box, The Correspondents, NZShapeShifter, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Peatbog Faeries, Raghu Dixit, Mama Rosin, Ben l'Oncle Soul, Balkan Alien Sound, Alaev Family, Ane Brun, Boubacar Traore, Buena Vista Social Club, Dizraeli and the Small Gods, Kimmo Pohjonen and DakhaBrakha, Marewrew, Secousse DJs featuring Etienne Tron and Mo Laudi, Jupiter Okwess International, Ballet Nimba, Keb' Mo', The Wilderness of Manitoba, Grupo Fantasma, Lo'Jo, Joe Driscoll & Seckou Kouyate, Narasirato, Spiro, Terem Quartet, Vadoinmessico, Pine Leaf Boys, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Portico Quartet, Jamie Catto, Revere, Damien Dempsey, Spoek Mathambo, Kareyce Fotso, Batida, Omar Pene, Carlou D, Blick Bassy, Hot Water, Urbain Phileas, Owiny Sigoma Band Soundsystem, Maga Bo, Deolinda, Nuba Nour, Apsilies, Chet Nuneta, The Malmesbury Schools Project and Youth Music Voices, The Barons Of Tang, and Lions Of Africa. With many more to be announced. For the line-up details as available please click here.

Tickets have already been selling fast with the full allocation to people living in the Malmesbury already sold out along with the option to park and camp next to your vehicle, and Meadow Park & Camp are disappearing fast.

A weekend ticket - which are valid from the Friday until Sunday are priced at £135 (Thursday arrivals will also need a Thursday camping ticket costing £25).

WOMAD will also be offering a family friendly 4 monthly payment plan so that WOMAD festival goers can spread their total payments over a longer period of time.

Other ticket prices & options available will include:
Teenage Weekend Ticket (aged 14-17) - £70
Early Bird Disabled Weekend Ticket - £135
A campervan ticket is priced at £40

Children 13 and under can come free with each adult ticket holder, but need a free child ticket. All children must hold their own ticket and must be accompanied by a ticket holding parent or guardian over the age of 21. One ticket holding parent or guardian can only accompany up to 4 people under the age of 18. Thursday tickets do not need to be purchased for children aged 13 and under.

To buy tickets, click here.

Latest Updates