Pyramid Barrier Layout / Over Crowding

[JamesU2002]

What was everyone's views on the new Pyramid barrier layout at the front? 

Perhaps it's just me but this year felt like the busiest around the Pyramid stage at all times. Very difficult to get a decent spot at any point during the day.

Particularly if you were at the front, the new barrier layout which sticks into the crowd seemed to have made things worse, felt dangerously over crowded than previous years with the previous barrier layouts.

Is the festival simply selling too many tickets to be enjoyable?

Edited June 27, 2016 by JamesU2002

[CaledonianGonzo]

Didn't really notice any difference this year.....

New barriers at the Other Stage, though.

[Nobody Interesting]

No difference at the Pyramid I don't think.

We found it far easier than normal to get right to the front and on exit most times it was also easy.

Didn't notice barrier at Other, we were there for James so maybe they went up later?

[Lucy92]

The barrier layout is designed to prevent crushes and allows security to get better access to the crowds. May seem busier but I guess it helps in the long run 

[MoilyX]

23 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

No difference at the Pyramid I don't think.

We found it far easier than normal to get right to the front and on exit most times it was also easy.

Didn't notice barrier at Other, we were there for James so maybe they went up later?

It was there for James. It's a straight one running parallel to the stage rather than a 'V' shape that the Pyramid has, though.

[Amii]

Never mind the front, the back by Row Mead was chaos. If I didn't leave my tent by 9pm, that was me there for the night.

[Lubic]

The new barrier on the pyramid right  (JP side) didn't seem to help. I'm sure its designed to prevent surges, but it just made getting in/out a nightmare. In fact that side of the field is a complete write off for me now. If you want to get in to the front, just hang around near the wateraid tent on the left, and cut in at changover time.

[kaytee...]

21 minutes ago, Lubic87 said:

The new barrier on the pyramid right  (JP side) didn't seem to help. I'm sure its designed to prevent surges, but it just made getting in/out a nightmare. In fact that side of the field is a complete write off for me now. If you want to get in to the front, just hang around near the wateraid tent on the left, and cut in at changover time.

That fence and the stupidly positioned ice cream van ended up in me getting stuck in a crush leaving halfway through the Madness set. At one point so many people were pushing forward that I didn't have anywhere to put my feet. Someone ended uo climbing the ice cream van to get out.

[a6l6e6x]

15 minutes ago, kaytee... said:

That fence and the stupidly positioned ice cream van ended up in me getting stuck in a crush leaving halfway through the Madness set. At one point so many people were pushing forward that I didn't have anywhere to put my feet. Someone ended uo climbing the ice cream van to get out.

I was in the same situation for this. Horrendous placement of the van, took ages to get out

[joelovesleeds!]

36 minutes ago, Lubic87 said:

The new barrier on the pyramid right  (JP side) didn't seem to help. I'm sure its designed to prevent surges, but it just made getting in/out a nightmare. In fact that side of the field is a complete write off for me now. If you want to get in to the front, just hang around near the wateraid tent on the left, and cut in at changover time.

 We found this. Got a great spot from the left on Sat right through from Squeeze-TLSP, in front of the barrier, space for chairs and dancing.

I thought the crowd at Coldplay overstepped the line from busy to dangerous personally. We were in front of the barrier and with 40 mins before they began had to leave as it was so busy it got really claustrophobic with people leaning into us from all sides and people continuing to force their way in, in big numbers. We decided to walk through the campsite on the right to stand at the very back and get a view of the whole field rather than the band and that was even worse. Ended up watching from in front of the bar in the field to the right of the stage and even that was chaos with 6-7 people watching from the top of the wateraid hut! I'm no health and safety expert but thought that must have pushed it to the very limit.

[kidpresentable]

The barrier set up at the front is horrendous. Just awful for getting in and out. No wonder people piss on the ground.

[kevbizarre]

Was at the front for Coldplay but more and more people kept squeezing in and it got so horrible 30min before they were due to start me and my friend had to escape to the edge half way up on left side to get breathing room. Getting out then was tough as going against more trying to get in. Was fine for Foals and Muse at front though so guess just bad for really popular acts 

[shoptildrop]

On 27/06/2016 at 9:01 PM, Amii said:

Never mind the front, the back by Row Mead was chaos. If I didn't leave my tent by 9pm, that was me there for the night.

tbh the pyramid was chaos to get round to the point I didn't even bother to go and see Beck as couldn't face the crowds

[Sidasta]

I was in the bit at the front for Ellie and Beck, waiting for Coldplay, but my girlfriend went to see Of Monsters and Men. She came back a good 30 mins before Beck finished but she couldn't get back in to meet me.

After Beck finished, I gave her five minutes to try and get back to me, but she was trapped just at the edge of the area. I came out to meet her under the right screen and it took me about 25 minutes to walk/stumble essentially 20 feet. One security guy was lifting some people out and ordering people to make a path so people could leave, and audience members were helping by pulling us all in the right direction.

My girlfriend suffered a "mild" panic attack trying to get out herself, ended up with the same security guy shouting at people to let her out and pushing people aside to help her (she was essentially being crushed against the barrier). It took her an extra 20 mins to travel the same distance. This was a good 30 mins before Coldplay even started.

Absolutely horrible. We watched from the "edge", about ten feet from where the screens were no longer visible, and even there, it was completely rammed and we could barely lift our arms.

I completely detest those who set up camp in that front area with their camping chairs and blankets. Whilst not the main problem here (that being bad crowd management by GFL in that area - don't know how to fix that other than maybe having a "no standing" area that can be used for exiting, or a one-way system at peak times, I dunno, not an expert), I do not think anything is helped by people blocking off a significant area which could be used by many more people. I also don't see how it's safe to block off an area that could be used to remove people in need of rescue - for example, saw another girl hyperventilating because she was trapped just five feet from the rear barrier because of those dickheads with their picnics.

In my opinion, no camping equipment should be allowed near the front of any main stage, and this should be immediately enforced. If someone wants to see a band that badly that they want to spend the entire day at that stage missing so many other great acts and probably seeing a load of stuff they don't even like in a PRIME location that would be really appreciated by true fans, then they can stand like the rest of us.

Not bitter at all, obviously.

[MrZigster]

1 hour ago, kevbizarre said:

Was fine for Foals and Muse at front though so guess just bad for really popular acts 

Approaching getting into "the pit" from JP side after Foals for Muse was a daft situation. Just a shoving match (that's an understatement) between those trying to leave and those trying to get in. It was worse than for The Rolling Stones. I've always found it fine once you are "in" though. You can always tell when you've made it inside the barriers because the shoving stops.

Totally would also like to see chairs banned from inside the barriers (and flags). Hard to see how to do it though. Not really fair on people who just want too see say one act at Pyramid but find it hard going and need to carry a chair around all day.

[gizmoman]

14 minutes ago, Sidasta said:

I was in the bit at the front for Ellie and Beck, waiting for Coldplay, but my girlfriend went to see Of Monsters and Men. She came back a good 30 mins before Beck finished but she couldn't get back in to meet me.

After Beck finished, I gave her five minutes to try and get back to me, but she was trapped just at the edge of the area. I came out to meet her under the right screen and it took me about 25 minutes to walk/stumble essentially 20 feet. One security guy was lifting some people out and ordering people to make a path so people could leave, and audience members were helping by pulling us all in the right direction.

My girlfriend suffered a "mild" panic attack trying to get out herself, ended up with the same security guy shouting at people to let her out and pushing people aside to help her (she was essentially being crushed against the barrier). It took her an extra 20 mins to travel the same distance. This was a good 30 mins before Coldplay even started.

Absolutely horrible. We watched from the "edge", about ten feet from where the screens were no longer visible, and even there, it was completely rammed and we could barely lift our arms.

I completely detest those who set up camp in that front area with their camping chairs and blankets. Whilst not the main problem here (that being bad crowd management by GFL in that area - don't know how to fix that other than maybe having a "no standing" area that can be used for exiting, or a one-way system at peak times, I dunno, not an expert), I do not think anything is helped by people blocking off a significant area which could be used by many more people. I also don't see how it's safe to block off an area that could be used to remove people in need of rescue - for example, saw another girl hyperventilating because she was trapped just five feet from the rear barrier because of those dickheads with their picnics.

In my opinion, no camping equipment should be allowed near the front of any main stage, and this should be immediately enforced. If someone wants to see a band that badly that they want to spend the entire day at that stage missing so many other great acts and probably seeing a load of stuff they don't even like in a PRIME location that would be really appreciated by true fans, then they can stand like the rest of us.

Not bitter at all, obviously.

I've made many of the same points on here before, the barrier is necessary but is not managed properly, I rarely go down the front nowadays because of the potential crushing, some festivals empty the pit totally after each band, this would stop the present free for all which is the main cause of the crushes. there needs to be better control before someone gets hurt.

[Sidasta]

5 minutes ago, MrZigster said:

Totally would also like to see chairs banned from inside the barriers (and flags). Hard to see how to do it though. Not really fair on people who just want too see say one act at Pyramid but find it hard going and need to carry a chair around all day.

Those who want to see one act at the Pyramid stage don't have to clog up the pit with their chairs though. It's a big field.

Previous two years, I took a chair with me, but never approached the front/busy areas with it, and always folded it up and packed it away when the act started or if it started to get crowded.

[CHRLY]

Only two bands I saw there were ZZ Top and ELO. Very easy to get in from the water aid side; I always take that route. Imagine it was much different for Adele and Coldplay though.

[MrZigster]

Just now, Sidasta said:

Those who want to see one act at the Pyramid stage don't have to clog up the pit with their chairs though. It's a big field.

Previous two years, I took a chair with me, but never approached the front/busy areas with it, and always folded it up and packed it away when the act started or if it started to get crowded.

Yeah. I wasn't sure how to put it. I always leave bag and chair in lock up if I'm heading pitward. Bogroll in one inside pocket. Bottle of decanted spirits in the other. Smokes pre made. Extra top tied 'round waist if it might get cold. It's an effort getting to and back to the lock ups mind. I'm sure they used to be much closer to the stages.

[Mouseboy11]

Leaving Tame Impala and Beck before the headliners came on was very dangerous, just mass pushing from both sides with people trying to get in and out. Not really sure what could have been done though outside of people using common sense and letting us out before trying to rush in.

[mynameismatt]

It was my first year and managed to make it into the pit every time we tried, ended up being easier than I thought it'd be but maybe it was down to the bands were we going to (Two Door, Foals, Last Shadow Puppets, Tame Impala and adele) or were just early

Only problem was after Tame Impala where half the crowd were going in and half were leaving at the same time and refusing to wait.

Edited June 28, 2016 by mynameismatt

[The Nal]

The chairs are the issue. Simple as. Crowd looks much bigger than it is. People standing up for the headliners but leaving their chairs like a stadium seat open behind them. Row after row. The crowd at Adele was unbelievable for it. Trying to make our way in from the path up on the right. Fold up your fucking chairs! 

Saw a big gap in the crowd between the viewing platform the right sound stage and went to stand there only to find that one group had a huge picnic blanket laid out and over a dozen chairs around it, bags etc all on the ground and were guarding it like a newborn baby was lying there. Yet they were all standing up. This was 10pm. 

The most annoying thing about the festival by a mile. Some people etc. 

Edited July 1, 2016 by The Nal

[CaledonianGonzo]

Watching TV footage, was the walkway inbetween the Pyramid barriers far wider this year.,?

Or does it just look like it due to odd placement / gaps in the crowd due to areas of standing water?

[djdavejohnson]

On 01/07/2016 at 9:33 AM, The Nal said:

The chairs are the issue. Simple as. Crowd looks much bigger than it is. People standing up for the headliners but leaving their chairs like a stadium seat open behind them. Row after row. The crowd at Adele was unbelievable for it. Trying to make our way in from the path up on the right. Fold up your fucking chairs! 

Saw a big gap in the crowd between the viewing platform the right sound stage and went to stand there only to find that one group had a huge picnic blanket laid out and over a dozen chairs around it, bags etc all on the ground and were guarding it like a newborn baby was lying there. Yet they were all standing up. This was 10pm. 

The most annoying thing about the festival by a mile. Some people etc. 

Couldn't agree more with everything you have said there, they're fucking annoying. Had to take a youngen to the loo during Adele, went to those near the top of the field on the water aid side. Trying to make way back into the centre was a bit of a nightmare, especially when the lights at that time from the stage were quite minimal. Walked into at least 3 lots of chairs. One group even had the cheek to tut! Unbelievable.

[swede]

Maybe I'm getting old before my years but my days of watching anyone on the pyramid in the pit are long gone.

Much rather be further back, especially the headliners as the views of that field full of life and energy are just breathtaking.