Banning Picnic Chairs

[simian_mobile_mushrooms]

Although I understand what you mean - at one point during the Chic/Biffy changeover an entire group of 30-40 yr olds had pitched themselves in a line and linked armrests making it extra extra hard for people to file out - I don't know if it would really do anything. There were plenty of people sitting at entrances to tents in the way on the floor, even some idiots sitting in the middle of walkways trying to roll spliffs or cigs and complaining when they got their elbows hit. These people are idiots, but you can't really ban that unfortunately

[SighMo]

I leant on the back of a chair and brushed against the occupants leg during the melee to get in the JP tent for Killers. I light heartedly with a smile asked if I could sit on the 50/55 year old blokes knee (I'm 51) and he said 'if you do it's the last thing you'll do at Glastonbury'. I carried on smiling and moving forward, telling him to chill the fuck out as we're at Glastonbury finishing off with blowing him a nice kiss; he looked fuming :-)

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

I don't know how well it's observed but they are banned at BST:

http://www.bst-hydepark.com/event-info/faqs/general-info-faqs

I don't agree with a ban, but I think the Festival need to take a similar line as the leave no trace and don't pee on the land campaigns with them. They need to publicise the fact people should be considerate and be prepared to fold them up or move away when things get busy. 

[Chawk]

 the Flares not Chairs better atmosphere for Glastonbury campaign 

[Sack truck]

There are enough video slots between acts at the main stages to drum in some etiquette to people on all the issues raised, not just chairs but stuff in general. Plus the bonus of an additional couple of tunes rather than the same few!

[Junglist1981]

48 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

And look how well it's observed.

[JoBalls]

I think it's inconsiderate/idiotic people that need banning!! Both before Radiohead and Foos there were groups of people sitting on the floor in the area between the stage and the sound stages whilst people were trying to move in an out of the crowd - one girl complained loudly that people kept banging into her and I think about six people turned to her at the same time and told her to "fucking stand up then!"

During the whole Rag & Bone Man melee there were thousands of people sat on chairs or on the floor even though there were people stood around them. There was no way any of them could see and a real risk of being trod on but they all stubbornly refused to move! 

[char90]

41 minutes ago, scaryclaireyfairy said:

Some sort of pa announcement at busy times (headliners, legends etc) that you should put your chair down if you're able to would do me.

To quote my mate on the Sunday afternoon at the back of the Pyramid "It's like a bloody branch of DFS up here!"

That's just properly made me chuckle! 

[Lionel Ritchie]

I had really bad blisters off Friday night and ended up with a bandage and anti biotics if it wasn't for my stool I wouldn't of enjoyed the rest of the festival! I wasn't in anybody's way and remained at the back during acts but I really don't think the chairs are an issue! I think it's quite a petty issue when some people actually need them.

[oneeye]

There was a marked increase in chairs on Sunday (and picnic blankets)

 

[Cuzzy]

At the foos stood on the left by the t shirt tent a woman was sat on one of those really low chairs she eventually stood up them buggered off but could of got dangerous if there was a bit of a surge, chairs are ok round the edges or in areas not so busy. 

[Smeble]

Chairs actually take up less space than people sitting/lying on the floor and far less than the picnic blanket brigade however they are more of a hazard in large crowds, I'd ban them in front of surge barriers at all times and encourage people to fold them up once it's dark.

also a major hazard after dark are buggies and trolleys people push their kids around in, however a ban on those would be just as unfair as telling people they can sit down at a festival.

[Mouseboy11]

2 hours ago, Lionel Ritchie said:

I had really bad blisters off Friday night and ended up with a bandage and anti biotics if it wasn't for my stool I wouldn't of enjoyed the rest of the festival! I wasn't in anybody's way and remained at the back during acts but I really don't think the chairs are an issue! I think it's quite a petty issue when some people actually need them.

Nothing wrong with them at the back of crowds in my opinion, as has been said it's when they're taken into busy crowds it becomes an issue.

[Titters]

Who was there for the Great Chair Influx at Springsteen in 2008. 

Trying to leave was like taking on the Grand National. 

 

A request for chairs to be kept to outside the sound stages seems totally reasonable to me. Would definitely help the flow of people between acts 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

The problem is chairs can cause big issues at the edges too, I've mentioned it before but up at the top right entrance (as you look at it) to the Pyramid there was a huge crush of people flooding from London Grammar trying to get to Ed Sheeran (as well as people trying to leave) and once you got over the brow of the hill there wasn't literally nowhere for people to go as there were tons of people sitting on chairs. They should be at the back and at the edges too but equally not at busy junctions where people are trying to enter and exit the field at the same time.

[Spindles]

The thing is, not only can you not see when you are sat in a chair (or on the floor) but the sound is absolutely gash...muffled shit that can't be enjoyable.  I've occasionally had the shakey legs at the end of the day and had to sit for a minute or 3, why anyone would consider that a superior option to actually enjoying the music you've come all this distance to hear I can't fathom.

 

[brandycoke]

4 hours ago, Jobseeker said:

I saw that women on her chair in the pit for RTJ, she was promptly taken out during the BBNP1 moshpit..

What exactly do you mean by "Taken out" ?

[EasyUserName]

As usual mountains of chairs abandoned at the end of the festival. Everywhere you looked on Monday there were chairs left behind ...

[HalfAnIdiot]

20 minutes ago, EasyUserName said:

As usual mountains of chairs abandoned at the end of the festival. Everywhere you looked on Monday there were chairs left behind ...

Personally I don't see the need for chairs to be on sale at the festival, it just encourages the proliferation of them (largely at innapropriate places as highlighted in this thread.

I also take issue with the sales of blow up beds that are often left behind. Greenpeace have highlighted the issues with pvc including the dioxin by product (one of the most deadly man-made poisons that can accumulate in the body).

I really think a festival that supports Greenpeace could do a lot more to implement their green ethics.

 

Edited June 28, 2017 by HalfAnIdiot

[EasyUserName]

43 minutes ago, HalfAnIdiot said:

Personally I don't see the need for chairs to be on sale at the festival, it just encourages the proliferation of them (largely at innapropriate places as highlighted in this thread.

I also take issue with the sales of blow up beds that are often left behind. Greenpeace have highlighted the issues with pvc including the dioxin by product (one of the most deadly man-made poisons that can accumulate in the body).

I really think a festival that supports Greenpeace could do a lot more to implement their green ethics.

 

There were plenty of the beds left behind too. 

[Rubber Soldier]

They absolutely should be banned, at least from the half way point of a field. They're dangerous, not required by the majority who use them, and above all extremely selfish. 

[Jakeyboi135]

1 hour ago, HalfAnIdiot said:

Personally I don't see the need for chairs to be on sale at the festival, it just encourages the proliferation of them (largely at innapropriate places as highlighted in this thread.

I also take issue with the sales of blow up beds that are often left behind. Greenpeace have highlighted the issues with pvc including the dioxin by product (one of the most deadly man-made poisons that can accumulate in the body).

I really think a festival that supports Greenpeace could do a lot more to implement their green ethics.

 

I don't think it'd make much difference. The ones you buy at the festival are more expensive than what you would get beforehand so the same people would still leave them behind. Festival shops help those who travel light, usually those on public transport/coaches

[HalfAnIdiot]

9 minutes ago, Jakeyboi135 said:

I don't think it'd make much difference. The ones you buy at the festival are more expensive than what you would get beforehand so the same people would still leave them behind. Festival shops help those who travel light, usually those on public transport/coaches

But extending your arument, if that travel light to the festival they will travel light back home, ergo they will leave their onsite purchases behind.

Lets face it, peaple bring far too much crap, buy far too much crap and leave far too much crap behind them.

Glasonbury should be making a stand against todays 'consume all and fu*k the consequence' attitude of so many. It has a moral responsibility to educate and  lead by example once more.

 

Edited June 28, 2017 by HalfAnIdiot

[Bisque]

I'd like to use chair w*nkers at the front as eco fuel for the Arcadia flame throwers

[Spindles]

I reckon we are past peak chair w*nkers anyway.  In a few years they might just be a forgotten breed, I've always assumed that most of them are at their first Glastonbury and after one night of being broadly hated by everyone around them would have left the chairs at camp.  In years following you'd expect they'd know better than to turn up to a gig with a bunch of steel tube and some badly stitched canvas or otherwise be the kind of people that never return anyway.