23 replies to this topic

[Gothenburg83]

Quote

RockNess
We're really excited to announce that Creative Scotland are supporting RockNess to help launch the “RockNess Express” train service, which will take 600 people to the festival in June 2012. The train will leave London and make a stop in the midlands and the north of England before speeding directly up to Inverness. The journey will be one heck of a party, not to mention one of the greenest and most comfortable ways to travel to the festival. More details and ways to get tickets to follow in January..

From the RockNess Facebook.

Brilliant idea! Surprised there isnt any stops for the Scottish. Trains are alot better than buses!

[wayupnorth]

I saw this on the news today. I cant believe there's not a single Scottish stop on this train (bar Inversneckie)

[Kyelo]

wayupnorth, on 13 December 2011 - 10:41 PM, said:

I saw this on the news today. I cant believe there's not a single Scottish stop on this train (bar Inversneckie)

I think that's the point, to try and get non Scots there.

[tolywoly]

Not too impressed with the line-up, but I like this idea. Surprised no one's done it before.

Hope there's ample provision of toilet facilities.

[worthyraver]

I too hope there are toliets aplenty, especially as I have just booked myself and my mate onboard.

Oh yes getting the party started early.

[Lor1]

Why don't they do a separate one from Glasgow or Edinburgh,shit  going up there on a bus

[rexclark]

worthyraver, on 28 January 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

I too hope there are toliets aplenty, especially as I have just booked myself and my mate onboard.

Oh yes getting the party started early.

Nice one! There should be an efest meet arranged nearer the time if you fancy popping along.

[worthyraver]

rexclark, on 28 January 2012 - 06:57 PM, said:

Nice one! There should be an efest meet arranged nearer the time if you fancy popping along.

Sounds good, what about a meet on the train?

[DrWackadoodle]

Train meat .... mmmmm.

[DrWackadoodle]

... gravy train .... ha ha ... geddit?

... jeez, tough crowd.

[Eh Ah Ken]

^^^
10 POINTS

[punkincowcat]

I am outraged that there are no stops in Scotland. We travel from Edinburgh and the bus journey is really long and the idea of this Rockness Express sounds brilliant.

Also, I am really angry that the organisers have decided to give these passengers exclusive access to the festival site a day before the rest of us! It is a kick in the teeth for loyal Rockness fans who have been supporting the festival since the beginning. Giving a select group of people benefits over the rest of us is a total joke! We had hopeful that in the future the organisers would decide to open the gates a day earlier (like other main stream festivals) but unfortunately they have decided to use this idea for profit by hoping people will pay the extra to use the Express Train and gain these benefits instead of rewarding ALL Rockness fans.

Very disappointed indeed

[Paul ™]

punkincowcat, on 02 February 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:

I am outraged that there are no stops in Scotland. We travel from Edinburgh and the bus journey is really long and the idea of this Rockness Express sounds brilliant.

Also, I am really angry that the organisers have decided to give these passengers exclusive access to the festival site a day before the rest of us! It is a kick in the teeth for loyal Rockness fans who have been supporting the festival since the beginning. Giving a select group of people benefits over the rest of us is a total joke! We had hopeful that in the future the organisers would decide to open the gates a day earlier (like other main stream festivals) but unfortunately they have decided to use this idea for profit by hoping people will pay the extra to use the Express Train and gain these benefits instead of rewarding ALL Rockness fans.

Very disappointed indeed

The train has been specially chartered, which is expensive. To offer people from Edinburgh/Glasgow the same deal would mean paying about the same price as those from London, and I don't think many festival goers from Scotland would stump up the cash tbh.

And to be honest, the train journey to Inverness from either Edinburgh or Glasgow is not much quicker than the bus...

But yeah I agree on the early entry on the Thursday, maybe they might release some Thursday entry tickets nearer the time? I guess this all depends on licencing etc and am sure there won't really be much on the Thursday night.. probably just a burger van and perhaps a bar?

But with regards to profiting by letting these people in early, I very much doubt they will be making a profit of this service.. You take the normal cost of a VIP ticket, travel from London, and you ain't far off the cost of this package anyway.
And that's not including the staffing costs they will need to have available on site on the Thursday i.e Security, Medical etc

Remember its only for 600 people, so not as if they are selling thousands of these tickets...

[punkincowcat]

Paul ™, on 02 February 2012 - 06:16 PM, said:

The train has been specially chartered, which is expensive. To offer people from Edinburgh/Glasgow the same deal would mean paying about the same price as those from London, and I don't think many festival goers from Scotland would stump up the cash tbh.

And to be honest, the train journey to Inverness from either Edinburgh or Glasgow is not much quicker than the bus...

But yeah I agree on the early entry on the Thursday, maybe they might release some Thursday entry tickets nearer the time? I guess this all depends on licencing etc and am sure there won't really be much on the Thursday night.. probably just a burger van and perhaps a bar?

But with regards to profiting by letting these people in early, I very much doubt they will be making a profit of this service.. You take the normal cost of a VIP ticket, travel from London, and you ain't far off the cost of this package anyway.
And that's not including the staffing costs they will need to have available on site on the Thursday i.e Security, Medical etc

Remember its only for 600 people, so not as if they are selling thousands of these tickets...

I understand and accept that to offer a similar journey from Edinburgh and Glasgow would be quite expensive, but I am pretty sure there would be a great interest among Scottish residents who would be willing to stump up the cash, even just for the novelty.

With regards to the idea of Thursday entry tickets, this would still be just as unfair because it would mean that people would have to pay for the privilege to arrive a day early. Many other festivals include the day before as standard even when there is no entertainment provided and this attracts many people to similar events each year.

I just think that for the price of the ticket we could at least be able to gain entry to the site on the Thursday... maybe not this year but perhaps in the near future

[Paul ™]

punkincowcat, on 02 February 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:

With regards to the idea of Thursday entry tickets, this would still be just as unfair because it would mean that people would have to pay for the privilege to arrive a day early. Many other festivals include the day before as standard even when there is no entertainment provided and this attracts many people to similar events each year.

I just think that for the price of the ticket we could at least be able to gain entry to the site on the Thursday... maybe not this year but perhaps in the near future

I think if Rockness was ever to go to a full 3 day festival then Thursday opening might well happen. I don't think it will though tbh.

However as it stands, there is little point in allowing everyone in early as this would cause issues with the locals who have been very tolerant of the festival and Jim has been on here himself and said it's something that is unlikely to change due to the location of the festival and the good relationship they have with the residents of Dores.

But perhaps this initiative is a small test to see how well it works, and we might well see something happen on Thursdays but to be honest I can't see the format of the festival changing any time soon.

And yes a lot of festivals allow access as standard the day before, but a lot of festivals also charge for early entry as any costs need to be covered somehow.  So this would most likely see an increase in general admission tickets if they allowed free access on the night before.

[rexclark]

Personally I'd pay an extra £10 - £15 tro get in on the Thursday night. But as you've explained Paul, I doubt we'll see it happening anytime soon.

[punkincowcat]

Paul ™, on 02 February 2012 - 06:58 PM, said:

I think if Rockness was ever to go to a full 3 day festival then Thursday opening might well happen. I don't think it will though tbh.

However as it stands, there is little point in allowing everyone in early as this would cause issues with the locals who have been very tolerant of the festival and Jim has been on here himself and said it's something that is unlikely to change due to the location of the festival and the good relationship they have with the residents of Dores.

But perhaps this initiative is a small test to see how well it works, and we might well see something happen on Thursdays but to be honest I can't see the format of the festival changing any time soon.

And yes a lot of festivals allow access as standard the day before, but a lot of festivals also charge for early entry as any costs need to be covered somehow.  So this would most likely see an increase in general admission tickets if they allowed free access on the night before.

I understand your comment regarding the increased cost associated with opening the festival for a longer period. Rockness ticket prices are coming in line with festivals such as Glastonbury therefore Rockness would do well to raise the bar in order to compete with its 'brother and sister' festivals. Glastonbury offers far more for money and it not much more expensive. I just think that the decision to open the gates to an exclusive group is a bad decision because it is sure to anger a lot of regular and new customers especially when people pay good money to come to Rockness. I understand that staffing cost etc come into play but many other festivals seem to have the same issues, and as I have already said, provide a much better deal.

Saying that, I do love Rockness and will continue to go as long as it continues. I just am quite disappointed with some decisions

[Paul ™]

You really can't compare costs with Glastonbury and Rockness am afraid.

Rockness offered £99 tickets (5000 I believe this year) and then an unlimited offer of £140 a ticket until the full price were on sale for £159.

They have a capacity of around 35k so even if all the tickets were sold at full price (ignoring day tickets and non-camping), this would bring in £5,565,000.

Glastonbury sell around 137,500 tickets at £195, this would bring in £26,812,500.

Vast difference in budgets, style of festival and there is no comparison what so ever. Even TITP has 90,000 people attending so can't be compared with Rockness.

For a festival the size of Rockness, pricing is in line with similar sized events but also do tickets at £99 which many others do not. What you are wanting is more value for money. Jim am sure would love to offer better value, but considering the event has never even sold out, I doubt any more value can be added to the product nor the budget increased for the size of acts that Glastonbury and TITP can book.

[Gothenburg83]

I also think these people coming up on the RN express will all have VIP tickets meaning they will all be kept in a small tight area (too keep costs down) I doubt they will let others camp on the Thursday night. I think the simple fact is that the train will arrive on Thursday and they cant expect people to find other accommodation the night before the fest.

[_rachelbon]

Wee bit gutted that the campsite will be open on the thursday night but isn't available to everyone.

I would pay extra to camp on the thursday night.