American with Questions

[AmericanAdam]

Hello everyone, and thank you so much for your time. My cousin and I are very excited about being able to go to glastonbury next year (pending us getting the tickets, we are already registered). We are staying for a week in London before the festival and are going to camp during the festival. I was wondering about prices of camping gear (a tent and air mattress) in London so I can gauge whether it is worth it to bring my own from the U.S. or just purchase it there. Also I am wondering about getting to the festival as well as having a place to keep my other nonfestival luggage while at the festival (like my suits and clothes).

Thank you so much, I know it is a lot of questions, I have just never been to England and I am very excited!

Adam

[TheNewUnion]

Take a look here http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/camping Go Outdoors are probably the biggest camping chain in the UK. When summer rolls around though, every large supermarket (Tesco, ASDA-Walmart) have camping gear too. Could also check out the likes of Halfords http://www.halfords.com/camping-car-seats/camping-caravanning/all-tents Halfords is a big car spares place but it carries camping gear in season (you'd probably get a tent for about £35-£40 which is about $55-$60 I suppose).

The supermarkets and Halfords are normally a bit out of town but pretty easy to get to.

You can get a National Express coach, or the train from London to the festival - I think ticket and coach packages go on sale before the full official ticket sale but I could be wrong. Ticket & Coach might be easier for you - door to door service (as it were).

Edited August 25, 2014 by TheNewUnion

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Hello Adam

I don't live in London, so am unable to directly answer your questions. However, I'd like to say that I hope you and your cousin get tickets, and have a great time over here.

[Time Being]

Coach or train as someone else said to get to the festival.

As far as your other clothes and things that you won't need during the festival itself, you can use the property lockups which are in every campsite, open 24 hours, and generally a life saver.

[incident]

Getting to the festival from London is easy - the tickets that include coach travel are traditionally the less popular option and so in the past have been slightly easier to get hold of, but in your case they'd be ideal. If you do end up with regular tickets, there's still plenty of coaches available to the site that drop you off right at one of the main entrances. As long as you book more than a few weeks in advance, you should have no issues with transportation.

Camping Gear - you'll easily get a competent 2 man tent for £40/$60, or 3 man tent for £50/$80. A sleeping bag should set you back £20/$30 - you can of course pay more or less for these depending on quality. Remember that you'll need space to store luggage so realistically a "2 man" tent is only big enough for 1 person + luggage.

My suggestion would be to get the bulky stuff in the UK, bring the rest with you. You'll be able to get competent versions of the core items (tent, sleeping bag, airbed, pillow, and a bag to put your stuff in) for less than £80 / $120 total.

There's a million places to go in London to buy the stuff you need - my suggestion would be Decathlon next door to Canada Water station. Alternatively, Cosy Camper will let you order online in advance and collect your kit on site at Glastonbury - however you'll pay a much higher cost for this.

Left Luggage is the only difficult part. I doubt you want to drag all your non festival gear to the site, it might be worth checking whether the hotels/hostels your staying in will hold on to your kit for a few days as some will offer this service.

[AmericanAdam]

I will most likely buy the gear in London then. I'll check with my hotel if I can keep my extra luggage there.

Yall have been very helpful! I am very excited to be going to London for the first time ever!

Hope I can get tickets.

Have a great day everybody

Adam

[glasto-worker]

I will most likely buy the gear in London then. I'll check with my hotel if I can keep my extra luggage there.

Yall have been very helpful! I am very excited to be going to London for the first time ever!

Hope I can get tickets.

Have a great day everybody

Adam

Hi - when you think about it - it makes no sense at all trying to bring your own Camping gear as the excess baggage charge would be far more than any possible saving.

Two on my WBC Team live in Iceland { its a long story - WBC runs some of the bars at Glasto using Volunteers } - they plot out their trip so Glasto will be the first part of their trip - they leave their Business bags at their Hotel Storage area { they are not charged for this as they stay at the same hotel a lot } and they will meet me and pick up their camping gear { I have a spare tent and two sleeping bags + self inflating camping mats }

If they did not know me then they could easily just ' Click and collect '

see http://www.millets.co.uk/delivery-to-store

This year only one could make it and just to complicate things further ' he was at the end of a Round the World Trip ' so he flew direct from Australia and amazingly he landed in the UK on time - he dumped his stuff and picked up his gear and we caught the Crew Coach on the Tuesday.

in your situation going for the combined entry and coach tickets make sense - all you have to do is store your gear - ' click and collect ' and then show up at the pick up point.

After the festival just drop your camping gear into a charity shop so its not going to waste.

By the way I would forget the air mattress and just go for self inflating camping mats.

So its all perfectly possible - all you need now is the tickets. - Good luck

----------

if I was in your situation - I would just buy two of this

http://www.millets.co.uk/tents-camping/003420-eurohike-pop-200-2-man-tent-black-pattern.html

£20 each { although its likely they will not be so cheap next year }

[gmb1992]

I will most likely buy the gear in London then. I'll check with my hotel if I can keep my extra luggage there.

Yall have been very helpful! I am very excited to be going to London for the first time ever!

Hope I can get tickets.

Have a great day everybody

Adam

Hope you get tickets Adam

Don't stress the other stuff, worst case you can buy everything in London

[Mardy]

For a few years, we flew direct in from Moscow and brought cheap disposable camping stuff. It's a lot less hassle than trying to fly with it unless, fir example, you've got a superduper inflatable camping mattress or other specialist gear.

My biggest tip would be don't buy a sleeping bag, go to Argos and get a double/kingsize duvet for less than a tenner. Way better

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

For a few years, we flew direct in from Moscow and brought cheap disposable camping stuff. It's a lot less hassle than trying to fly with it unless, fir example, you've got a superduper inflatable camping mattress or other specialist gear.

My biggest tip would be don't buy a sleeping bag, go to Argos and get a double/kingsize duvet for less than a tenner. Way better

I used to bring a double duvet to Glastonbury. Absolute heaven on a double air bed complete with pillow. As an abundance of time isn't given over to sleeping at the festival, it's nice to feel real snug when actually doing so. I can't for the life of me remember how I carried all that and my other kit and booze in one journey from the car. I think it was possibly the combination of youth and stubbornness. It would appear that only one of those traits remains.

[yellowsnow]

I definitely agree with the others, the coach package will be easier for you. Then all you need to worry about is getting to the coach station then. The coach will pick you up and drop you at the festival as well as giving you your ticket on the coach - easy peasy. No worrying about leaving your ticket behind!

Some train stations have locker type facilities to hold your luggage in, maybe worth looking into?

Theres also camping stalls at the festival for things you might forget to bring so just remember to buy the essentials in London (tent, sleeping bag, wellies) and you should be good!

[KryziF]

If your hotel won't hold your luggage, all the major London stations have left luggage places including Paddington where the trains to Glastonbury leave from. I've used them in the past but they aren't cheap. www.left-baggage.co.uk

[AmericanAdam]

Thanks again. Great info. As a virgin to the festival all information helps. Also, that pop up tent seems quite cool.

I really hope I get tickets and if the folks there are half as nice as yall, I know it will be a great week!

One last question, how much is liquor there? (vodka, bourbon?)

I can only bring 1L through customs. (unfortunately, because 1L of Skyy Vodka is $12 and Jim Beam is $9 for a liter where I live)

Thanks

[eFestivals]

we sell 'liquor' in the UK too, you know.

The bars have a selection of the more common spirits, tho it's possible that not all options will be available at all bars (I don't drink enough spirits to know for sure).

(PS: glass is not allowed on site. Decant your drinks into plastic bottles before you set off for the site as there won't be the option to do it at the gate)

[glasto-worker]

Thanks again. Great info. As a virgin to the festival all information helps. Also, that pop up tent seems quite cool.

I really hope I get tickets and if the folks there are half as nice as yall, I know it will be a great week!

One last question, how much is liquor there? (vodka, bourbon?)

I can only bring 1L through customs. (unfortunately, because 1L of Skyy Vodka is $12 and Jim Beam is $9 for a liter where I live)

Thanks

Vodka - Bourbon - Whisky is sold in 25ml measures and prices in 2013 at the main bars was £4.50 { so about $8 or more for 2015 }

Note none of the bars will accept a American driving licence

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/advice/drink/

as advised its cheaper just bringing your own in a plastic bottle.

[dixietheduck]

Thanks again. Great info. As a virgin to the festival all information helps. Also, that pop up tent seems quite cool.

I really hope I get tickets and if the folks there are half as nice as yall, I know it will be a great week!

One last question, how much is liquor there? (vodka, bourbon?)

I can only bring 1L through customs. (unfortunately, because 1L of Skyy Vodka is $12 and Jim Beam is $9 for a liter where I live)

Thanks

I come over from the US each year and bring my max 1L liquor over, as spirits are much pricier in the UK, even to buy at grocery stores (it'll be a bit over $30 for a liter of branded vodka if you don't have time to shop around for offers) - at bars it's sometimes cheaper than the US (esp. considering you don't tip), but there are measured pours..so you'll probably end up buying more mixed drinks than you usually would. To get it slightly cheaper sometimes I stop at the small duty free shop after I've been through customs, but before you're out into the main airport, it's not as cheap as America, but better than a supermarket.

My advice would be to try as much of the cider as you can while you're there if you are going to be buying drinks from bars. It's nothing like the American stuff, and is a bit more of a 'taste' of Glasto.

I would definitely echo everyone else's advice to decant any spirits into a plastic bottle. I usually bring a small mixer or just buy bottles of soft drinks at the festival.

[glasto-worker]

I come over from the US each year and bring my max 1L liquor over, as spirits are much pricier in the UK, even to buy at grocery stores (it'll be a bit over $30 for a liter of branded vodka if you don't have time to shop around for offers) - at bars it's sometimes cheaper than the US (esp. considering you don't tip)

Sorry I have to disagree with you - sure a tip is not added onto the price but many Customers do in fact tip as they appreciate that most of the bar staff are in fact Volunteers who may be earning money for various good causes - The bar staff at the WBC Bars will all be working in teams so its common that they share them out amongst their Team Mates.

As I don't work in any Public bar it does not affect me if a Customer tips or not but I know that tips are much appreciated by the ones who do.

[dixietheduck]

Sorry I have to disagree with you - sure a tip is not added onto the price but many Customers do in fact tip as they appreciate that most of the bar staff are in fact Volunteers who may be earning money for various good causes - The bar staff at the WBC Bars will all be working in teams so its common that they share them out amongst their Team Mates.

As I don't work in any Public bar it does not affect me if a Customer tips or not but I know that tips are much appreciated by the ones who do.

My mistake, I've never known it to be customary to tip in the UK, at Glasto or at public bars..maybe outside of offering the bartender a drink or maybe a 'keep the change'. I've also never seen tip jars or anything at Glasto that would indicate that a tip is appreciated..handing someone a pound coin (which would be broadly equivalent) feels much clunkier than just leaving a one dollar bill on the bar, or at festivals having a tip jar or something similar (most festivals have those as most people are also essentially volunteers). Truly didn't realize I'd been doing it wrong for many years!

[glasto-worker]

My mistake, I've never known it to be customary to tip in the UK, at Glasto or at public bars..maybe outside of offering the bartender a drink or maybe a 'keep the change'. I've also never seen tip jars or anything at Glasto that would indicate that a tip is appreciated..handing someone a pound coin (which would be broadly equivalent) feels much clunkier than just leaving a one dollar bill on the bar, or at festivals having a tip jar or something similar (most festivals have those as most people are also essentially volunteers). Truly didn't realize I'd been doing it wrong for many years!

The reason is dead simple - if there was tip jars at the bars that would be seen as begging - and that is why its not common to see them at any bar - festival or not. The next time you are in a UK pub have a look near the tills and you may spot a jar and that is where staff will leave tips - in some Pubs the actual owner will take a cut of those tips but certainly the WBC Bars { which are the main ones at Glastonbury } don't take any cut at all so it all goes to the volunteers.

While its true that many festivals hire volunteers most are only working for their ticket so the Operator keeps their pay - at Glastonbury and a few other festivals the volunteers do it to raise funds for their own good cause and over the years millions has gone back into the Community rather than into the back pocket of some shareholder.

Its not like America where tipping is nearly compulsory so no one is expecting you to tip but one is always appreciated.

People tend to tip more when its a walk in bar rather than a counter bar as there is more contact with the Customer and these days at some festivals some bars may have waiter/waitress service and that is where most people tip.

[AmericanAdam]

Thank you dixie!! I will definitely bring my 1L and transport all glass to plastic.

[greenchicken]

Thank you dixie!! I will definitely bring my 1L and transport all glass to plastic.

Have you thought about Camplight? They set up a load of tents and you just hire them per night, probably cheaper than buying a whole set of camping equipment if you won't be taking it anywhere else

[grumpyhack]

If you've anything valuable use the secure Property Lock Ups around the festival.

[-GlastoSpirit-]

So did you get tickets AmericanAdam?