Challenge 21

[John K]

It looks like Challenge 21 is going to be enforced quite rigorously this year, even at the dodgier looking bars in the late night areas. A pretty stern letter from Melvin Benn has gone out to all bar operators, and trading standards will be doing test purchases.

If you look under 21 it would definitely be a good idea to bring some ID.

[Alcatraz]

Wouldn't it be worth introducing some kind of wristband like they do at some over festivals?

[LondonTom]

Fairplay I was quite surprised not to be last year for ID at any bars as everywhere else I am asked all the time!

[outlinereality]

Fairplay I was quite surprised not to be last year for ID at any bars as everywhere else I am asked all the time!

Edited May 22, 2011 by outlinereality

[saratink]

I never get asked for Id in glasto, even when I was underage.

Although in Asda I usually have it out of my purse before they ask because I always get asked there

[onemangang]

challenge 21 will be enforced at nearly open air gig/festival this year. V,reading/Leeds, T in the park, the big chill and the isle of Wright. that i no of

[LusciousLucy]

18 is the legal drinking age...why Challenge 21? I have never got that and as for Challenge 25 which you see in bars in towns...

[Gregcharlie]

18 is the legal drinking age...why Challenge 21? I have never got that and as for Challenge 25 which you see in bars in towns...

[saratink]

18 is the legal drinking age...why Challenge 21? I have never got that and as for Challenge 25 which you see in bars in towns...

[rexclark]

I'm 29 but I'll still be carrying my ID. Damn my youthfull good looks.

[markeee]

18 is the legal drinking age...why Challenge 21? I have never got that and as for Challenge 25 which you see in bars in towns...

[JiltedJames]

I'm 29 but I'll still be carrying my ID. Damn my youthfull good looks.

[glasto-worker]

trading standards normally test Glastonbury anyway although one year due to the rain they abandoned the idea.

At some events I work at its Challenge 25 and some its Challenge 21 so really for England it would make sense using the same age.

18 wristbands is a gray area as they tend to hand them out to anyone - I was working at latitude and there was a mix up so there was 10 and 12 year olds walking about with 18+ wristbands - not trying to buy drinks but as soon as they were spotted we started asking for ID even if they had a wristband.

By the way none of the WBC Bars will accept Student ID as they can be bought over the Internet.

UK photo card driving licence issued by the DVLA { no Photocopies }

Current Passport { no Photocopies }

Citizen Card { with the PASS hologram - older versions don't have a hologram }

Validate { with the PASS hologram - older versions don't have a hologram }

Portman Proof of Age card { with the PASS hologram - older versions don't have a hologram }

It really does not matter what age you really are ' its what age you look ' staff tend to be cautious so some who may be far older than 18 may be asked.

So if I was under 30 I would cover my back and carry ID .

[markeee]

I understand why bars and bar staff employ these policies and it does make sense for anyone young looking to take ID

my only concern is that passports, driving licenses and the like are important documents, losing them means hassle and cost..cost of getting a new one and the hassle of applying again/reporting old one as lost etc

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

Reading done well with the 18 wristbands. Had to go into a tent, get id'd and answer a question about it regardless. Then I got the band, so I could then put my driving licence in a lock up.

[markeee]

Reading done well with the 18 wristbands. Had to go into a tent, get id'd and answer a question about it regardless. Then I got the band, so I could then put my driving licence in a lock up.

[caroldecker]

Ive been asked once and that was last year. But I always take my ID anyway, having been IDed for paracetamol in the past...

[indisguise]

It really does not matter what age you really are ' its what age you look ' staff tend to be cautious so some who may be far older than 18 may be asked.

So if I was under 30 I would cover my back and carry ID .

[Alcatraz]

Ive been asked once and that was last year. But I always take my ID anyway, having been IDed for paracetamol in the past...

Edited May 22, 2011 by Alcatraz

[CitizenErased]

I'm liking the arm band idea, I think they should do that. It seems pretty careless at a festival insisting that people carry sensitive id docs around with them, they're the sort of thing that can cause at least serious inconvenience or possibly worse(id theft etc.) if lost. That said, I wouldn't mind being asked for ID, not all the time, but maybe just once, just so I could feel young and pwitty again.

@Glasto-worker, that's pretty outrageous about the wrist bands at latitude, hard to imagine what kind of "mix up" could've occured that would lead to non-id producing 11 and 12 year old kids being banded as 18+. Surely, just employing semi-intelligent people with half a mind or more to take care of it would be the solution to that one.

If they were really smart in future, they could probably take care of it at entry with minimum increase in time spent getting into the festival, maybe sticking date of birth on the tickets, request ID as required for people who look under 21/25(they've obviously got to do it on occasion for under 12s anyway) and then band people as appropriate at the gates. Or just go the whole hog and embed biometric data in the tickets, then you could even have red lights flashing in the food areas if somebody walks in with an allergy to nuts, makes me wonder what Glasto 2050 is gonna be like.

[fur_q]

Problem I see with the wristband idea is that AFAIK it is still ultimately the responibilty of the person selling the alcohol to ensure a customer is over 18 therefore do the people selling trust the people doing the wristbanding enough to risk the potential massive fine (and the fines can and are given to the person selling not the licencee or company responsible) for getting caught selling to someone underage

[caroldecker]

The paracetamol age is like, 12!

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

She said it was 16, I was 22 at the time, Id never been asked before and never been asked since so maybe it is 12! Maybe she just wanted to laugh at my picture...

[fur_q]

She said it was 16, I was 22 at the time, Id never been asked before and never been asked since so maybe it is 12! Maybe she just wanted to laugh at my picture...

Edited May 22, 2011 by fur_q

[River]

Sometimes the Sunday papers with free DVDs in, are age restricted if the film is a PG or 12. It'll pop up on the cashiers till to do an age check.

I also had to have a parent with me to take a PG film (including cartoons) out the library until I turned 16.

I still get IDed for lotto despite being in my 20's, its no problem flashing my drivers licence. At the end of the day its potentially the bar staff job/criminal record / large fine on the line.

I like being told I look young for my age