91 replies to this topic

[Truthbetold]

Ok, been to the festival as a tent camper since 99 and accepted various situations regarding toilets etc but . . .

First year in a caravan this year and I'm utterly startled.  £75, nowhere to wash hands at the toilets, toilets haven't been emptied since Tuesday, 2 water taps for what, at a guess must be around a 1000 campers / caravans. And let's not even mention the fire safety infringements regarding spacing and access.

And before anyone starts, yes, greatest festival in the world, yes I'm thankful for being lucky enough to get a ticket, however, the festival CAN'T be beyond reproach when it comes to basic / safety needs.

Rant over, off to watch some random stuff

[mooro]

Definately  not as well organized as previous years. No seperation of family/general. And completely agree re fire safety - got several tents within a few feet of my camper - this has not happened before....

[mooro]

Oh, and no way to leave when I would like too, so crammed in are we...

[FunkyChunkyMonkey]

This may well have put me off the camper van option. Was considering it for 2013

[ferraristu]

Its a farm in Somerset - not the caravan club  

[mooro]

Yeah and previously it was a farm in somerset with much better organisation than this year.

[dr monkey]

I thought one of the good things about taking a caravan is that you have your own toilets and wash facilities

Edited by dr monkey, 25 June 2011 - 02:07 PM.

[Flange Basket]

How incredibly terrible!!  If I were you I'd definitely protest and go for boutique camping next year, that'll show 'em!!

[mirandamayhem]

To be honest I can see the problem here.  If some extra facilities aren't provided for campers, then the £65 camper fee is unjust.  We don't have a toilet in our little T25.  We could get a tent for a portaloo, but for £75 i would expect a toilet nearby, and the ability to come and go.  That said, I did notice a caravanning and camping site on the road between glastonbury and the festival.  Might be worth looking to use that next time?

[mooro]

People can take the piss all they want, I couldn't really give a shit as I'm on site most of the time, but the fire officer will definately have something to say about the licence after this.

It is this inverse snobbery that lead to deaths in fires and crushes at football matches - I hope nothing catches fire invthe fields this year is all I can say - but given the weather that is pretty unlikely.

[Ommadawn]

I'm camped in a muddy field with tents all around me this year. It's never been like that before.

Disgusted of Shepton Mallet

[Josie's Cat]

It's not just a farm in Somerset though is it,otherwise you wouldn't be paying nearly £300 for the pleasure of parking up for a week.

I doubt the performers expect shoddy facilities because it's a farm, why should the punters?

No-one is expecting five star luxury, but basic toilets and taps seem reasonable expectations.

[strudders]

We are in disabled and half the toilets are broken. They did replace some but they seem to have broken as well. However from my perspective this year the toilets on site do seem to be better. Not had any issues except at dance stage where there was no disabled toilet.

[pmpants]

strudders, on 26 June 2011 - 11:02 AM, said:

We are in disabled and half the toilets are broken. They did replace some but they seem to have broken as well. However from my perspective this year the toilets on site do seem to be better. Not had any issues except at dance stage where there was no disabled toilet.

I have to agree with Strudders, there's lots of disabled people here, some (like me last year) have just had surgery so need good hygiene even more than most, the site is incredibly tough as it is, everyone's exhausted and in pain alot of the time, after paying extra to stay in a camper van either here or in the campervan fields I feel the least you could hope for is a loo! Claire (the disabled ops manager) and her team are amazing in our eyes especially considering the conditions and pressure they're under but they're efforts just seem to be undermined by the rest of the infrastructure.

[Octave Doctor]

Have been in camper fields for last few years and it comes down to stewarding re the safety IMHO - the same students who you can easily convince to give you more space are also the ones who have no idea on spacing / fire lanes etc - even tho I am sure they are trained? As for toilets / water etc I kind of agree - but I go every year expecting nothing and am then not too disappointed. Porta potti / shower tent has been a great investment for my T25

[Late]

I am typical british and usually put up with things rather than complaining. But i did feel a bit let down by the facilities in the CV West Field this year considering the extra £75. (Although the rest of the festival was amazing).

1. People were emptying their toilet onto the floor because neither toilets nor toilet emptying tanks were emptied enough.
2. Not enough bins to put our waste so left it bagged where we were.
3. I would still have been there if it had not been so hot on Sunday as no tracks were layed to assist in getting back to the road.
4. Fire safety rules were ignored as vans were far too close together.

My only objection is the value for money aspect of the CV fields. If they were £5 a night then i would expect very little (as i would in a camp site of that price) but paying £15 a night should at least cover basic facilities. Which were in place, but not in enough quantity and not maintained during our stay.

[Flip]

The way that the festival treats campervan / caravan people in general is one of the main reasons we gave up going to Glastonbury.

Facilities are rubbish and the fields are outside of the festival so are even more unsecure. Surely if your outside the security fence, you are less protected and should get a discount not a further £75 fee!!??

Being outside the festival also means you have to queue up, get searched every time you want to enter or leave..

[Flip]

Bearded Theory festival messed up the overall organisation of the campervan field this year, it ended up being a mix of tent and campervans..

..there will be a campervan amnesty at next years Bearded Theory where you will be charged £5, same as bringing a car...take note Glasto!!

[austingz]

Truthbetold, on 24 June 2011 - 08:03 PM, said:

Ok, been to the festival as a tent camper since 99 and accepted various situations regarding toilets etc but . . .

First year in a caravan this year and I'm utterly startled.  £75, nowhere to wash hands at the toilets, toilets haven't been emptied since Tuesday, 2 water taps for what, at a guess must be around a 1000 campers / caravans. And let's not even mention the fire safety infringements regarding spacing and access.

And before anyone starts, yes, greatest festival in the world, yes I'm thankful for being lucky enough to get a ticket, however, the festival CAN'T be beyond reproach when it comes to basic / safety needs.

Rant over, off to watch some random stuff

The camper van sites are out of sight and out of mind as far as the organisers are concerned, especially on the West side where people are not having to pass through. The minimum for the £75 ought to be toilets which are emptied as often as the others on site, and some washing facilities.

However, it would probably help if people just used their van for its intended purpose, instead of turning it into a "mother ship" for a community of tents, gazebos and the rest. This has got out of hand, unnoticed by the Festival organisers. For some of us, the campervan is just somewhere to retreat to at the end of the day. I don't understand why people buy tickets for the festival and the campervan fields and then build an empire to sit in where they are not seeing or doing anything! Last year a neighbouring van (which built stuff right across onto ours) berated us for not being at the van in the afternoons anyway! Staggering.

[Breeze]

Late, on 27 June 2011 - 11:12 AM, said:

1. People were emptying their toilet onto the floor because neither toilets nor toilet emptying tanks were emptied enough.

Had to read that twice - the limitless depths of people's stupidity never cease to amaze me - a bit like going into the urinals and then pissing on the wall rather than into a urinal.