What's wrong with Glastonbury?

[grumpyhack]

Back to the police for a moment. I've had nothing but pleasant chats with the police at Glasto. I think they regard it as a chance for positive PR and generally are well briefed to take a 'realistic' view of things.

I remember talking to one cop on Saturday night last year and I asked him what he'd be doing if he wasn't at Glastonbury and he said: "Dealing with the drunks at chucking out time in Frome. This is much more fun. Really nice people." And he meant it.

I think we all have to remember that they're there just in case. Should some disaster occur, and I hope it never does, I find it quite reassuring to know that well thought through contingency plans are in place.

Can't comment on the Security staff at Glasto, luckily I've never had much contact with them. But I work at a couple of other medium sized festivals where the security teams have been really superb - professional, sensible and well-trained. It may be that Glasto is so big that that they have to use some of the lower division security firms to make up numbers.

[ivan]

Back to the police for a moment. I've had nothing but pleasant chats with the police at Glasto. I think they regard it as a chance for positive PR and generally are well briefed to take a 'realistic' view of things.

I remember talking to one cop on Saturday night last year and I asked him what he'd be doing if he wasn't at Glastonbury and he said: "Dealing with the drunks at chucking out time in Frome. This is much more fun. Really nice people." And he meant it.

I think we all have to remember that they're there just in case. Should some disaster occur, and I hope it never does, I find it quite reassuring to know that well thought through contingency plans are in place.

Can't comment on the Security staff at Glasto, luckily I've never had much contact with them. But I work at a couple of other medium sized festivals where the security teams have been really superb - professional, sensible and well-trained. It may be that Glasto is so big that that they have to use some of the lower division security firms to make up numbers.

[pman]

Brilliant Post !

I know a guy that does video for West Yorkshire Police in case its needed for court stuff etc.

As well as doing Wakey on a Weekend he has done the odd Leeds Festival.

He much prefers wandering round a camp site with people sat around smoking dope and just

chilling and playing Pink Floyd on the accoustic than having numpites done 10 pints of stella and it kicking off outside the kebab shop

[ivan]

Whilst on subject of Police at Glasto

Few years back Polic Land Rover full of unformed coppers races past me throwing up dust heading

down towards Pyramid Field.

I thought "Bloody Hell there is trouble somewhere on site ! "

Land Rover pulls up at side of Pyramid Field and a few of the coppers with guides round their neck

climb onto land rover rood and start watching Black Eyed Peas I think it was.

As I walked past I heard one of them say

"My daughter willl kill me if I do not get some good photo's ! "

[spiky_simon]

Toilets.

[possum]

Let's be honest, there are some things that can be improved to an extent, but most of the common gripes - toilets, drainage, etc - can only be managed to a certain extent when this huge festival is taking place on a dairy farm. People who seem to hanker after a festival without security or police probably didn't live through the Glastonbury experience of the late 80s or 90s when getting the tent robbed or harassed & intimidated by dealers was the norm.

[APC]

RE: the dance music stages....

Not really that much underground stuff. Majority of acts are readily available at brand-name clubs. Not that any of them are actually rubbish, they're all guarenteed to bring in big crowds. But would be good to see different types of dance music played out by people who don't play back2back anthems. Also, a lot of the acts, especially in the dance village, seem to be mainstream pop acts.

C'mon, let's have more thump-thump-thump and tearing basslines.

[Derby_Dave]

Last year it took over 2.5 hours to get out of the car park w22 i believe. Some trackway at the exit would have cured this problem easily.

Oh yes and the knob goblins with the flags.

[J1mbo]

To the OP...

the issue with the drainage is more down to the Somerset geology my friend. If the underlying soil layers were sand or gravel then there wouldnt BE a problem with drainage but unfortunately Worthy Farm is sat on top of a rather large amount of clay that once waterlogged means the water has only one way to go and that is up, sideways and flowing everywhere and definitly not down. The drainage tunnels added post 05 have made a shit ton of difference to the site and anyone who happilly hacked 2007 and returned the following year and ever after knows...there is no such thing as bad weather at a festival but bad clothing and footwear!

Simples

My What's Wrong with Glasto gripes are the numbers these days...a lot of folk with the wrong approach, idea and understanding of what Glasto is about and come along cos it's THE place to be and the event to be seen at and wave a flag cos they'll get on tv. (Blame the BBC for this occurrence...see the Caitlin Moran Times article post 09 for full explanation...hits the nail on the head!) Oh and blame V for getting totally totally shit that people have finally realised which festy they should be attending instead! Its still a lovely place but the Noughties have created a monster which at times isnt such a fun place to be unlike the 90s festy...YES I am a Glasto snob and proud of it

And the soundsystems...or lack of. Much missed and makes for a very different evening experience these days. SL is fun but too much of a tourist trap.

Edited March 23, 2010 by J1mbo

[Frenchie1973]

Actually, I know a couple of people who work for the Somerset police there and generally there is still far more acceptance about the illegal substances that they come across within the site than outside (even if they don't outwardly state this!!) Plus there are some positives that the police are geared up for too and these shouldn't be forgotten. They have a drug-testing lab set-up nearby to analyze the contents of drugs distributed on site aswell as an emergency contact plan in conjunction with medical staff in the event they come across any truly rogue batches because the risk is so big as they know there is more than average usage at the festival. As a person who has had a couple of mates die from rogues I can't really find an argument with that aspect of what they do....

[J1mbo]

Whilst on subject of Police at Glasto

Few years back Polic Land Rover full of unformed coppers races past me throwing up dust heading

down towards Pyramid Field.

I thought "Bloody Hell there is trouble somewhere on site ! "

Land Rover pulls up at side of Pyramid Field and a few of the coppers with guides round their neck

climb onto land rover rood and start watching Black Eyed Peas I think it was.

As I walked past I heard one of them say

"My daughter willl kill me if I do not get some good photo's ! "