Bestival capacity

[bexj]

Was there really only 55k people on site? All the camping areas were rammed, queues were massive and, for such a big site, it always felt very busy. Do many people jump over the fence? I guess no one really knows but I saw no evidence of the much publicised "extra space".

[smogo]

50,000 was the supposed numbers, although that may have been tickets sold, with another 5,000 staff, artists, etc on top.

There was definitely quite a bit more camping space than last year; you only have to compare the 2011 & 2012 maps (which are both to scale) to see that. The usual campsites were just as rammed as usual, so I imagine the new ones must've been pretty spacious... though I never ventured that far out.

[dacbo]

some friends were complaining that they thought there were more people there this year.

I've put this down to the scheduling of some bands against others and pinch points. Major Lazer for example, was rammed.

[When Jokers Attack]

When I arrived between 6pm and 7pm Red, Black, Green were all full.

[LEDZEP66]

I really didn't think it was that bad. Never had to queue for the toilet, maximum 10 minute queue at the bar. The stages were busy at times but that is the same at all festivals when certain bands are on. I always watch the headliners from towards the back so I can nip to the bar, I do the same at Glastonbury and it was no where near as bad. Stevie at Glastonbury was so busy, bestival I had space to dance. The campsites were rammed but its always the same, most people will camp as close to the arena as possible, so every close campsites will be busy. I thought the random wee walls were great. If there is a wall a lot of festival goes will piss on it rather than go to the urinal (not me) so to make those walls actual wee walls were brilliant

[smogo]

some friends were complaining that they thought there were more people there this year.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

it could definitely do with a little bit of expansion as the walking areas were always rammed and massive queues at all the stalls. I would guess that this is pretty much impossible to do without relocating though.

definitely ran out of room at the inn though.

[kaytee...]

When I finally got on site just after 5pm thursday there was only one patch left in blue nearest the hedge separating that and the family camping so we slept on a slope all weekend. The campsite areas definitely seemed too small for the amount of people there

[kaosmark2]

There was shedloads of space in Pink where I camped. About a 15 minute walk from the arena, but still not ridiculously far.

[gooner1990]

We arrived on Thurs afternoon (got to campsite about 4pm) and the first empty field having arrived through red gate was Pink where there was plenty of space.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Two of us got onto site about 3pm on the Thursday and were able to join friends in Black camping. I suppose we were lucky because we only had small'ish tents to put up.

[Bisque]

Perhaps the younger attendees going this year meant more people arrived earlier on the Thursday than normal. I didn't have any trouble for a 4 man tent at 5pm in Black. I wasn't camped with friends though.

[oebs]

Felt way over crowded on saturday. Getting there around 12 on friday, we ended up in white camping, whilst there was plenty of room, was an absolute trek getting to main arena.

[monkey1989]

They were still allowing people to come in during the festival even though tickets were listed as sold out , the head of security who worked there told me when I met him also working at festival no 6

[spacehopper75]

it did feel ramed, went to benicassim which i believe was about 80k? and i have no idea where the camping area was, was great, but true no real ques for toilets drinks and food. but the sea of tents jammed in with the stages was over whelming, the first noght i thought omg! glad i wasnt in one of them tents...people i was going to camp with couldnt camp togeather as they did previous years, and the ques i hear getting in were rather lenghlty in time

[kaytee...]

Apparently some European festivals have people on hand to find suitable camping spaces for the number of tents being pitched. I think I saw an aerial photo of Roskilde where all the tents seem to be in organised and not crammed together. Seems a better idea than turning up and squashing about five tents in the smallest space available on a slope like we had to.

[rug568]

Apparently some European festivals have people on hand to find suitable camping spaces for the number of tents being pitched. I think I saw an aerial photo of Roskilde where all the tents seem to be in organised and not crammed together. Seems a better idea than turning up and squashing about five tents in the smallest space available on a slope like we had to.

[LondonTom]

Yep that's right. It happens at Benicassim. It was pretty lame though. I really enjoy looking for a place to camp.

[rexclark]

Did we win the war through being told where to camp? No we didn't, we camped where we wanted and that is what makes Great Britain Great.

[Zacko]

Had a nightmare finding a place last year, turned up and pitched Thursday evening only to find we'd camped next to the worlds worst people. We're talking literally the complete opposite of what I imagine a Bestival goer to be. Imagine the type of person who would stab someone at Oxegen or burn a tent at Reading and multiply it by 5. They had to be at least 30 so they should know better...

Was told 'if you don't move that tent out of our fucking space we'll do it for you'.

Probably the most sketchy sleep I've ever had that night, needless to say we moved the tent ASAP the next morning only to be told to move it again by some very unhelpful stewards.

Ended up right at the furthest camping field which actually turned out to be amazing and full of awesome people who were probably in a similar situation to us and who decided to just go for it. Didn't really spoil the weekend at all but just one of those things that made me think perhaps they could do with some more organisation, had absolutely no problems in 2011 though so maybe it was just unlucky. .

[Bullet Tin]

You don't get a good night's sleep with it in the back of your mind that you're pitched netxt to the island equivalent of Dexter.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Bullet Tin

[spacehopper75]

i ended up staying in the tipis, was heaven, but this year they are charging extra for boutique camping which i think is a total rip off!