152 replies to this topic

[swede]

John92, on 17 February 2011 - 12:03 PM, said:

Fires are part of the festival for me. I know why they would ban them from the sunday night, and agree that they shhould be banned on the sunday, but I dont think they should be banned completely. After the music had finished, I enjoyed sitting around the fire for a bit before going for a wander.

I also enjoy sitting round my camp with a nice fire going having a chill after the bands. The problem is always the sunday were pricks think they have a divine right to take and burn other peoples property, so I think any type of fire should be banned on a Sunday night and if you are seen starting a fire on a Sunday you should be escorted off the site by security.

[amnesiac-kid]

This year will be my first year. Not looking forward to the Sunday night at all from what I can see in this thread, although none of my friends have ever experienced trouble.

[Banana Co]

amnesiac-kid, on 07 April 2011 - 07:20 AM, said:

This year will be my first year. Not looking forward to the Sunday night at all from what I can see in this thread, although none of my friends have ever experienced trouble.

Sunday night last year was kept under control, more of a police presence. I wouldn't be too worried mate. I was in green.

[Mega Ross]

I think it's digusting they banned fires. Small kneeheight fires.
They won't even let you have bbqs.

Not being funny but it's f**king freezing when you're trying to have a social after the bands, not to mention dark. Last year we split off into groups and huddled together in tents for warmth.

Edited by Mega Ross, 07 April 2011 - 05:02 PM.

[Banana Co]

Mega Ross, on 07 April 2011 - 05:00 PM, said:

I think it's digusting they banned fires. Small kneeheight fires.
They won't even let you have bbqs.

Not being funny but it's f**king freezing when you're trying to have a social after the bands, not to mention dark. Last year we split off into groups and huddled together in tents for warmth.

Yeah we had a fire going from 12 to 6 on Saturday night last year at reading and that was fine. On Sunday night we had a small fire (very small) going, it was me and 3 of my mates cause the others were somewhere else, 2 lads came over and gathered round with and we got chatting to them. After a few minutes the security came over, put the fire out and then started to squirt us with water. I was so f**ked off. It's a good way to socialise.

Edited by ellibob198, 07 April 2011 - 06:42 PM.

[rexclark]

Mega Ross, on 07 April 2011 - 05:00 PM, said:

I think it's digusting they banned fires. Small kneeheight fires.
They won't even let you have bbqs.

Not being funny but it's f**king freezing when you're trying to have a social after the bands, not to mention dark. Last year we split off into groups and huddled together in tents for warmth.

I'd rather have no fires than have fires and then they get out of control and you risk losing your tent or getting injured. Yes it is unfair on those who do have a fire and behave but it's a small price to pay for piece of mind really.

If your cold at night I'd advise going to the Oxfam tent, you can pick yourself up a cracking fur coat for about a fiver!

[Couchy]

Apart from the palm trees, this reminds me of Reading/Leeds on a Sunday evening...

[Mega Ross]

rexclark, on 07 April 2011 - 07:00 PM, said:

I'd rather have no fires than have fires and then they get out of control and you risk losing your tent or getting injured. Yes it is unfair on those who do have a fire and behave but it's a small price to pay for piece of mind really.

If your cold at night I'd advise going to the Oxfam tent, you can pick yourself up a cracking fur coat for about a fiver!

Unless you are retarded or trying to make your fire out of control, it will be fine. Last year we had a fire going every single night until the early hours and every morning. As well as barbecues.
Not being funny but a group of 20+ people will want to be warm and socialise after the festival.
Would you seriously want to freeze your balls off in the dark or go straight to bed? The fire ban ruins the entire night, it's not difficult to spot out of control fires, let sensible people have theirs.

And the worst of it was, a lot of my group couldn't eat after a long day in the arena, because they had put our bbq out, it was impossible to heat up water. Stupid.

Edited by Mega Ross, 08 April 2011 - 11:07 AM.

[The Mean Bean]

Any newbies shouldn't be put off by stuff on here, I;d heard horror stories after my first time last year and I was bricking it when I left the arena on sunday. I was expecting Mad Max scenes in the campsite and for my tent to be an inferno, in reality we sat there through the night with absolutely no trouble, a few cans, a small fire, a good time. Sure there's crap that goes on, but on the whole, you're fine.

[rexclark]

Mega Ross, on 08 April 2011 - 11:02 AM, said:

Unless you are retarded or trying to make your fire out of control, it will be fine. Last year we had a fire going every single night until the early hours and every morning. As well as barbecues.
Not being funny but a group of 20+ people will want to be warm and socialise after the festival.
Would you seriously want to freeze your balls off in the dark or go straight to bed? The fire ban ruins the entire night, it's not difficult to spot out of control fires, let sensible people have theirs.

And the worst of it was, a lot of my group couldn't eat after a long day in the arena, because they had put our bbq out, it was impossible to heat up water. Stupid.

Fair enough you and your mates are being careful with your fire but how many fires get out of control? Itr happens every year, some dickheads take it upon themselves to chuch other peoples stuff on a fire for a laugh, or a gas cannister. In an ideal world the security could check every fire on a case by case business but that simply isn't possible. Thne only way to stop idiots torching things on the Sunday night is to ban fires. Yes it is a pain but it has to happen for the safety of everyone.

As for being cold, I've never had a fire at Leeds but I've never been too cold. If it's freezing just wear  more layers.

[Mega Ross]

Barbecues aren't even fires dude.

Out of control fires are easy to spot, why the f**k should I have to waste precious beer space bringing clothes?

[Banana Co]

Mega Ross, on 11 April 2011 - 12:50 PM, said:

Barbecues aren't even fires dude.

Out of control fires are easy to spot, why the f**k should I have to waste precious beer space bringing clothes?

Well said.

Edited by ellibob198, 11 April 2011 - 12:53 PM.

[farmer_andy]

Security shouldn't be putting out bbqs, its only fires over a certain size that were banned last year. I never personally had an issue with that, kept our fire at a reasonable size every night including sunday and never had it put out. I'm sure they will make mistakes i.e. put out fires quickly without checking very well, but at the end of the day security are messed around alot on sunday and its for everyones safety that large fires are tackled.

Edit - see you were at reading. they're banned there completely on sunday, not quite sure why when they're not at leeds. But yeah it is the rules so why would you not expect them to put it out?

Edited by farmer_andy, 11 April 2011 - 01:52 PM.

[rexclark]

Mega Ross, on 11 April 2011 - 12:50 PM, said:

Barbecues aren't even fires dude.

Out of control fires are easy to spot, why the f**k should I have to waste precious beer space bringing clothes?

But we're not talking about BBQs, we're talking about fires. Like I say I understand where you're coming from but you may well have a small fire, perfectly in control and safe but some f**king idiot could throw a gas cannister on it and bang, we're talking a whole different thing. It is sad that some dicks ruin it for good people who just want a fire to keep warm but it's been proven year after year that fires in the campsite just lead to trouble.

From what I hear the trouble at Reading on the Sunday night was far less than previous years after they brought in the no fires rule so surely for everyones safety this is a good thing even if it is a bit of a ballache?

[Mega Ross]

BBQ's are included in the rules apparently. 1 set of ghostbusters said it was fine then another set put it out.

If someone can get a gas cannister in the festival, decide to throw it on the fire purely so it blows up in our faces, weave through the tents with a gas cannister and throw it on the fire before I or one of my friends can stop them I'd be mightily impressed. Thats just not a realistic situation is it?

I didn't think it was much better last year, I actually felt it completely ruined the camp atmosphere on the sunday, everyone was pretty miserable, no one exactly felt like partying with the lack of heat/ light. In purple/ yellow there was still a bunch of 12 year old w*nkers causing unneccasary trouble because it's their first time away from mum and they've had half a shandy, really wasn't much better.

Edited by Mega Ross, 11 April 2011 - 04:49 PM.

[rexclark]

The fact of the matter is this is the rule they've brought in. We can argue all day if it's right or wrong butr they seem to think it works and It won't be getting changed anytime soon.

[Paul ™]

Mega Ross, on 11 April 2011 - 04:47 PM, said:

I didn't think it was much better last year, I actually felt it completely ruined the camp atmosphere on the sunday, everyone was pretty miserable, no one exactly felt like partying with the lack of heat/ light.

Well it was a lot better, safer and more enjoyable all round at Reading.. so if people can't enjoy themselves without fires then they should maybe question themselves, and not the rules enforced.
Plenty other festivals have no fires at them, does that mean everyone is miserable and not partying?

Edited by Paul ™, 11 April 2011 - 05:38 PM.

[Banana Co]

They can easily have people on patrol who can a tell the difference between quiet, under control fires and mad, out of control fires.

[Paul ™]

ellibob198, on 11 April 2011 - 08:01 PM, said:

They can easily have people on patrol who can a tell the difference between quiet, under control fires and mad, out of control fires.

And the quiet, under control fires can easily turn into mad, out of control fires.. it is far easier to spot a fire when there isn't many about.

I worked in Orange Campsite at Reading and it worked well.. the people working could focus on their roles properly and more effectively

[Banana Co]

Paul ™, on 11 April 2011 - 10:54 PM, said:

And the quiet, under control fires can easily turn into mad, out of control fires.. it is far easier to spot a fire when there isn't many about.

I worked in Orange Campsite at Reading and it worked well.. the people working could focus on their roles properly and more effectively

It's so, so easy to keep a fire under control. The fires that are out of control are started by people wanting to be reckless, a small fire is just for the warmth. Fair enough, the system works but my experience of it last year was that the security were completely over the top with the whole thing and seemed to be aggressive when people were not retaliating. I know they are just doing their job but they seemed extremely OTT. The fact that there was police around (not always in sight but everyone had heard and seen much more police than previous years) helped with keeping things under control in itself.