UK Security in the Avalon Bar - were they legit?

[windy_miller]

So I was in the Avalon Bar (the big wooden one) on Friday night after Arcade Fire, and decided to roll a spliff. Within seconds, some guy in light blue polo neck shirt with "UK Security" on it loomed in... "What's going on here guys?... Give me the weed" At which point he just took it off me and started a massive lecture about how weed was illegal, blah, blah, how he could get the police called over, etc etc. He wasn't aggressive, but very patronizing, condescending and self important.

My mate asked him if the weed was going to go in the bin. He replied "No I'm going to smoke it all myself... do I look like I fucking smoke weed?!" I was never sure if the first statement was a joke or not.

Stupidly, I did not ask to see his ID. I also don't ever recall seeing any other security guard from UK Security all weekend. Does anyone know if this guy was legit?

Luckily I managed to score some more on the Saturday, but this twat put me in a mood for Friday night. Until Aphex Twin came on anyway.

[whisty]

They should have an armband on with an SIA licence number displayed.

[windy_miller]

They should have an armband on with an SIA licence number displayed.

[Slugworth]

Me and my brother were seen by a police officer doing drugs of a higher class than weed. He just smiled and walked on by. Surreal really.

[windy_miller]

Yeah I'm sure most of the police don't give a shit about most of the drug taking going on. I'm sure they have much more important things to be worrying about.

Which is another thing that makes me think this guy was on the make.

[DeanoL]

I'd imagine security are told to ignore people smoking weed, but they'll certainly be stopping people from smoking inside the bars or tents (they fall under the smoking ban) regardless of what you're inhaling. So probably saw a legitimate chance to score some weed for himself.

[CCCheese]

I'd imagine security are told to ignore people smoking weed, but they'll certainly be stopping people from smoking inside the bars or tents (they fall under the smoking ban) regardless of what you're inhaling. So probably saw a legitimate chance to score some weed for himself.

[showmethestones]

Sorry mate but what type of bellend rolls a joint inside a bar where you cannot even smoke a normal cig, you got what you deserved, legit security or not

Edited July 1, 2014 by showmethestones

[DeanoL]

The official/corporate line is that the drugs laws and enforcement at Glastonbury are the same as outside.

That's all I'll say....

[windy_miller]

Sorry mate but what type of bellend rolls a joint inside a bar where you cannot even smoke a normal cig, you got what you deserved, legit security or not

[gizmoman]

I'm not a smoker, tobacco or otherwise, but why roll joints in public? surely it makes sense to roll a few in your tent and keep them in a cig packet then smoke them like a regular cig, no one would know they weren't regular roll ups (other than the smell of course!). i'm guessing the rolling is part of the ritual but if it was me i'd want to be as discreet as possible.

[windy_miller]

I'm not a smoker, tobacco or otherwise, but why roll joints in public? surely it makes sense to roll a few in your tent and keep them in a cig packet then smoke them like a regular cig, no one would know they weren't regular roll ups (other than the smell of course!). i'm guessing the rolling is part of the ritual but if it was me i'd want to be as discreet as possible.

[Divein]

Someone in our group was told to beware of people pretending to be security in either blue or black jumpers.

This was brought up when we walked past 3 blokes in blue jumpers with 'uk event security' on them (I think) but nothing else to suggest who they were. No badges or numbers. One of then could barely walk in a straight line

[StaggerLAH]

Saw someone thrown out of The Kasbah bar for drinking their own drink and not buying from the bar.

[glasto-worker]

Saw someone thrown out of The Kasbah bar for drinking their own drink and not buying from the bar.

[Divein]

My friend got told, quite rightly, to stop drinking in the Kasbah, to which promptly did and then went to the bar.

[DeanoL]

Which is the same thing that would happen to me if I pulled out a can of Beer inside my local Pub - yes I know people will claim it should not matter but they are not paying the high trading fees to GFL.

[progue]

Which is the same thing that would happen to me if I pulled out a can of Beer inside my local Pub - yes I know people will claim it should not matter but they are not paying the high trading fees to GFL.

That one is a joint venture between Arribar and Avalon Bars & Events and like every other Bar Operator will discourage people from bringing in their own drink as they have to reserve space for paying Customers.

In my experience most people fully understand where the boundaries are but there will always be some people who want to push their luck.

I am sure that Security would have pointed out that if they wanted to drink their own drink they could do so outside the Bar premises but they refused to leave so leaving Security no option but to eject them.

[DeanoL]

What next? Cafe's refusing seats to people who have purchased food from elsewhere? Stalls refusing temporary shelter from the rain?

[progue]

One stall had notices on the tables to just that effect.

I'm curious in this instance exactly who the security were working for though. Did the bar pay for them as part of their fee, and hence they were able to use them to enforce their own policies?

[DeanoL]

Yeah. Kasbah/Chameleon bar is an oddity as it's not in the programme, but did host live ents. I'd imagine they'd struggle to enforce such stuff in say Stonebridge Bar (festival programme says drinks are allowed on site and at the stages, Stonebridge is listed as a stage). Avalon Cafe had a sensible approach, with half the tent reserved for diners, and half just for people that wanted to see the acts.

Of course, none of the bars actually inform people of these rules beforehand with signs or anything, because it's better business for them to sell drinks to some of a party, then eject someone with their own booze forcing the entire party to leave after they've made the sale.

And it is entirely different to a pub in a town, as Glastonbury makes a point of saying that unlike other festivals, alcohol is allowed anywhere on site. If there are exceptions to this, they should be clearly marked as such.

[glasto-worker]

One stall had notices on the tables to just that effect.

I'm curious in this instance exactly who the security were working for though. Did the bar pay for them as part of their fee, and hence they were able to use them to enforce their own policies?

[DeanoL]

Its a Business - it has to make money and no bar would last long if they allowed the place to be filled up with people drinking their own drink.

By the way GFL does not claim alcohol is allowed anywhere on site - they mean on the Outside once you enter a bar its just like walking into a Pub who can impose any rule they wish - sure most are not imposed but they can be.

[glasto-worker]

Of course it would still make money - many of the bars do not have an 'inside', Brothers', Cider Bus, most of the stage bars. It's only a few that do. Do none of them ever make any money because people can stand outside of them and drink?

And maybe there is signage, but I never saw any, so it's not clear, and it's not obvious. And that's because most of the time they don't want to enforce it, as a table of six with two people buying from them makes more money that no-one buying beer from them.

You can shout as much as you like about it being just like the real world and it should be obvious, but it's not. For a start, in the real world one would expect to not be allowed to take drinks into venues at all, but obviously Glastonbury operates a different policy where you explicitly can take your own drinks into, eg. John Peel Tent. The bars are generally just big tents, just like the venues. And then Stonebridge Bar *is* a venue, and in the programme as such, and Chameleon and Kasbah blur the lines by being both venues and bars.

That's the crucial bit. GFL do say alcohol is allowed at all the venues and stages. You say your own drink is not allowed in the bars. For the average punter, telling the difference between a bar and a venue is not easy. They are all just big tents. Especially when some are quite obviously both, and it's not clear which policy would be in force even if you were aware of them.

[Cooter]

Well if that's the case and what is going on now then GF needs to reaccess what's going on with the renting out of pitches and what they are used for. We don't want it like the 02 or our local high st, we want it like Glastonbury should be. Glastoworker is saying that the festival is enforcing all the rules that our local high street imposes every weekend.