13 - lucky number for an enlarged festival - an extra 20K?

[scorp]

In a pub at the weekend near the fest site...strong rumour had it that 2013 will see an extra 20,000. That's based on local farmers being sounded out on renting more land for the fest...enough to allow for that extra figure. i wonder if that was what the new road/access arrangements were about this year...a test to see if splitting incoming traffic into new routeon the approaches to pilton would work ok. they did as far as i could make out. 20,000 extra would bring the total to near 200,000...maybe what it was in 2000 with all the gate crashing going on then.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

20K more happy bunnies with their festival ticket in their hand. Get's my vote as long as they increase the size of the place. As you say, there was about 200k previously and the site / people coped. Thinking back, where did all them strange creatures come from that jumped the fence. Where are they now?

[danlen]

I hope so as i'm hoping that 2013 will be my first Glasto, at the young age of 33!

[scorp]

20K more happy bunnies with their festival ticket in their hand. Get's my vote as long as they increase the size of the place. As you say, there was about 200k previously and the site / people coped. Thinking back, where did all them strange creatures come from that jumped the fence. Where are they now?

Edited September 6, 2011 by scorp

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I hope so as i'm hoping that 2013 will be my first Glasto, at the young age of 33!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Some broke their ankles. Some stole from tents. I'm sure many had a good time. Perhaps all are cauight in an endless Leftfield loop. The Other Stage field was majorly jam packed for Leftfield. Would like to see Leftfield back in 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVIXv8VAODk

[Jackmypie]

Seriously 20,000 more people? Paul Simon this year was cramped enough at the pyramid stage, really can't see them fitting much more people in that field. Unless they move the stage altogether..

[Pinhead]

Dispite the greater number of tickets that would be available, not overly keen on the idea. Festival is already around 200K strong once all the performers, their mates, blaggers and locals have got in. Another wet year would see paths across the site overcrowded and to some extent any overcrowding and expansion could begin the negatively impact on the festival itself, perhaps seeing only campsites increase in area to the detriment of venues and attractions. Is it possible that local farmers might have been scoped out for a re-arrangement of the site, that might lead to camping encompassing more of their land to free up traffic movement and venue placement within the core?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Presumably any granting of an additional 20K would come with stipulations such as some re-configuration of the site. I agree that another muddy one would be mental, if not dangerous in parts, with that many extra.

[strummer77]

Only think that wou;d desperately be needed is that the Pyramid field needs more space to exit if 20,000 extra were on site. Can get proper rammed there.

[scorp]

Only think that wou;d desperately be needed is that the Pyramid field needs more space to exit if 20,000 extra were on site. Can get proper rammed there.

[chris northwest]

really think the the numbers need to be reduced if anything!the additional fields would surely only be used for camping/parking.

i cant see how the stage areas could cope with an extra 20,000 people and remain safe, the crowded areas at present are an accident waiting to happen!

although the addition of the one way system this year to shangri-la/arcadia/the common eased congestion, it was a pain in the arse!

there really is no need for another 20,000, the festival makes a fortune for charity as it is! so why make it more uncomfortable for the 137,500 paying punters?

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

Bad idea I think. As said, too cramped already. I know it would give more of a chance to people to get a ticket, but I'd be happy to sacrifice my ticket for more space.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

It can be very cramped as it is but if there was a radical alteration of layout as well as increased acreage for camping areas then I think it could be achieved. Nobody would just want an extra 20K added without there being some major change to accommodate.That would be a nightmare and would put people off attending in the future.

[amfy]

No - 20,000 more camping spaces doesn't make the path between The Pyramid and The Other Stage any easier to get along.

I'll be doing my best to avoid the main parts of the site in 2013 as it is, I found it far too busy this year to have any sense of the chilled out Glastonbury I have loved.

I too would rather lose out on a ticket than keep expanding it. It isn't Glastonbury when getting from anywhere to anywhere is a battle.

[scorp]

It can be very cramped as it is but if there was a radical alteration of layout as well as increased acreage for camping areas then I think it could be achieved. Nobody would just want an extra 20K added without there being some major change to accommodate.That would be a nightmare and would put people off attending in the future.

[fatyeti24]

never mind sounding out the farmers, how much will it cost to pay off the villagers so we can have late night areas in places other than just the SE corner?

essentially, i'd like anyone in Pilton who is bothered by the noise to be bought a weekend away!

i see only one winner there - everyone!

[markeee]

20,000 more? i cant see that going through..really?

The amount of extra space..for tents, for cars? new fields or something

and the increased traffic? more security and staff would be needed?!?!

[Alcatraz]

Its going to require a huge public transport operation to get it done. But I'm up for it. It's amazing to think it could get bigger!

[scorp]

20,000 more? i cant see that going through..really?

The amount of extra space..for tents, for cars? new fields or something

and the increased traffic? more security and staff would be needed?!?!

[markeee]

it's not gospel. i'm reporting what a very local landlord told me last saturday. so, what the farmers are saying is second hand, but the idea of a larger crowd size has been floated before, i believe. the landlord also said he'd heard there's to be no more free tickets for locals from now on, which might seem odd, considering their support might be needed to get permission from the council. or has the council already quietly given the nod...

[eFestivals]

Presumably any granting of an additional 20K would come with stipulations such as some re-configuration of the site. I agree that another muddy one would be mental, if not dangerous in parts, with that many extra.

the reality has things work differently.

When it's a muddy one, people spend a greater amount of time around their tents, and also tend to trapse around the site less. Less movement equals less chance of an incident related to crowd numbers.

Personally, I'm of the belief that the site could cope with many more people (as it has in the past) - the part that perhaps won't cope is people's desire for a modicum of personal space.

[AnnaGrant]

Nooooo. No more punters please (and I'm one who very nearly didn't get a ticket), but I would be up for increasing the camping space.

Like others have commented the main routes through the site were full, and the mud made it seem even more crowded, with everyone concentrated on the walkways or less muddy areas. Even going through the camping fields there were so many people on the tracks that folks were practically walking on the tents at the edges of the tracks.

My policy for 2013 (if I'm lucky enough to get a ticket, and a babysitter!) will be trying to keep away from the main stages and the crowds.

[rexclark]

Well I would say I'm all for it. The organisers (normally) know what they're doing and if they do decide to increase the capacity then I'm sure it'll been a well thought out decision and measures will be taken to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Anything that means more people can enjoy the magical place that is Glastonbury gets the thumbs up from me.

[fatyeti24]

hasn't the festival already secured it's license for the next 4 festivals based on it's current size? i'm happily corrected if wrong, but if they were to up the size of the place wouldn't that require a re-submission for a license?

and if that is the case would that risk the current status quo - ie it's a bit of a gamble and they may end up worse off than they presently are?