strummer77

Yeah the hat isn't comparable to flags. The point is, tall people you can move away from. You could go a bit to the left or right, or slightly up the hill so you can see over them. But with the mass of flags at the front, there is no escape.

Such disingenuous shite from the flag shaggers

Not the case for me at all. I look at the screens to supplement, but have good eyesight and could watch a band if there weren't a load of flags in the way. Same for most of my group - some who could not for whatever reason deal with the crush down the front so on their chosen Pyramid acts, could not see them. Small tweaks could allow flags and sight lines to exist.

Regardless, all these stages also have a far more sensible distribution of flags than the Pyramid.

Yep, this photo here from the disabled stage where you see flags, when they occasionally had a gap you could see Elton. You knew who he was, could see his guest walk by and it was cool. But I reckon that happened for approximately two songs if that. Yes you couldn't see his exact facial expressions, but the screens are there to help compliment that - not to be your whole viewing experience (although as you see, those are beginning to be covered now too)

But even if they're small you can still see them and their interactions. Take Kendrick's set last year - wonderful show choreography that would mean something half way back - especially with the screen's to supplement it. But half of people couldn't see it. Lil Nas this year. And the comparison to tall people is disingenuous but... surely the slope should help negate that. Also I get some people like yourself don't mind flags, but shouldn't we really be letting people who are paying £500+ to watch artists actually see the bands/singers if they want to? There should be room for flags/decorations/hats - but only if you don't make a significant amount of people's experiences worse.

But that's sort of my point, I don't think the festival is more sanitised if flag numbers go down. It's not related. The West Holts has hardly any flags - enough further back for visuals but not enough to block sight lines - and the atmospheres are great.

Hear this sort of thing a lot, but is it really true? If anything the festival has become more sanitised as flags appeared. Was David Bowie's set in 2000 worse because everyone could see him? Did Radiohead 97 fall flat because they saw Thom Yorke instead of a bloke with a 6 foot 'Nando's Medium Spice' flag. There are a few flags in the photo below, but hardly any and not forming a wall down the front.

Nobody is being miserable, it’s just a forum where people discuss things.

Yeah and if you read the thread or the poll then you’ll see most people aren’t suggesting a situation where there are no flags at Glastonbury.

Well I think it’s easy enough to imagine a situation where they look to reduce the negative impact of them on others.

Why do you love flags so much? Genuinely interested why people wanting some rules to help others - including people with physical issues and disabilities - to see the stage has wound you up so much?

Telling that about 75% of people think there should be some restrictions.

We all went with the intention of leaving midway and really enjoyed it. As did everyone around us. Another group I know did exactly the same.

Everyone around me seemed to enjoy it. Echo the poster earlier - I thought the sound of Steve Jones’ guitar was fantastic. Agree tent probably works better!

People would just pay the small fee and the same people would face the same problems. You just tell people either to not have them/or to meet the restrictions. If a big deal is made out of the issue then most will probably comply when asked (many probably don't realise what's happening to those behind) and a lot will get peer pressured out of it. A few may remain for a while, but a few won't really cause the issues.

It was from the previous poll (and the words of a pro-flag user)... But also, a fair summary isn't it? If you are happy for flags everywhere, you don't care that people can't see.

Yeah although I couldn't see everything, being able to see Springsteen strut towards McCartney was magical for me. But had I been injured and maybe 20m further back, I probably wouldn't have seen it.

I think the council thing isn't the worst, especially if friendly. To be fair, I wonder if it is less about caring and about not really knowing/understanding. The flag density has increased a LOT in front of the stages, and a lot of those involved probably watch from up close/stage side. It isn't just the visible disabilities either. It is really rubbish that people that mentally can't or don't want to push through can't see anything.

Great imo. Great sound and great fun.

Edit: Wrong thread!

If they politely asked them not to be beyond x point, it would cut the numbers and that might be enough. Gazebo numbers dropped massively after they started asking!

I think it's one of those things, that when flags thin out, people would realise weren't half as important as they believed they were. If you go to West Holts or JP there's generally only a few dotted around and the gigs and atmosphere are brilliant. I think also that when it is a wall of flags they do get in the way of the audience engaging with the experience. Everyone is basically just listening to an expensive radio.

I don't think they will get banned as they have become part of the marketing. But I think the fact that the mass at the front has essentially become discriminatory means there could be some change.

Yeah you could actually put flag poles up with submitted designs at various points across the field.