Security

[Migraine]

Two members of the security staff from Brownstock have been jailed for kidnap. Hopefully at the start of the festival season the prison sentences will act as a reminder to security that they are not above the law. Security at festivals are ultimately their for the safety of those attending and you should be able to expect that if you get yourself in a bad way that you will be looked after, not handcuffed and dumped on a dangerous road.

I could never see anything like this happening at Glastonbury hopefully I am not being naive.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-32930833

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

Poor lad I hope they get bummed in prison.

[frostypaw]

That's awful... security does seem to attract the worst sorts

I'd imagine there's a lot more focus on what happens at GFL than at a small festival like that, but there are always stories

[Titters2]

Appalled by this. Unbelievable behaviour for anyone, in any circumstance, to consider as acceptable.

[Wanderlei]

Not all security people are bad, but there's a lot of them at these sorts of eventgs who I wouldn't trust. Glasto is no exception.

[Harry3]

Poor lad I hope they get bummed in prison.

Rape: only OK when it happens in prison?

[Spindles]

I've got mates who work security at UK festivals who are sound, I've met their mates who work with them and they have been nothing like the stereotype that people like to sling about. By the same token, that stereotype only exists because of the nasty little scrotes who see a little bit of power as being license to behave as they see fit and get off on intimidation.

I'm sort of with Harry3 about that comment though, the harm I wish on them is that they are fucking miserable inside and have no prospect of being in a position of authority ever again. I very much doubt this will be the case, my experience is that thugs like this prosper inside and it is more like a training camp for these people to come out worse than they went in. That's our prison system though,

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

Rape: only OK when it happens in prison?

It was a daft thing to type, out of anger, in the heat of the moment. I would never wish rape on anyone.

I'm sorry if I have caused anyone offence.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

It was a daft thing to type, out of anger, in the heat of the moment. I would never wish rape on anyone.

I'm sorry if I have caused anyone offence.

That's a fair enough apology. I could so easily have written the same thing with the flurry of anger I felt initially against these two twats. I just can't comprehend what they would have got out of carrying out such an action. The poor lad was obviously well off his head and needed help.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Yoghurt on a Stick

[HotChipWillBreakYourLegs]

Security will steal your ting and re-sell it.

[mungo57]

My top tip is to ask the security for ID ifyou get approached, if they don't have it and you aren't alone vs a few then tell them to jog on. Security must have valid ID on them usual an SIA badge.

[StoneCircle]

My husband (aged 55 at the time) was evicted from the (thankfully no longer operating) Big Chill in 2009. He was at the front and others were trying to push in, bouncers wrongly dragged him out, took him for questioning, scuffed his knuckles to make it look like he had hit someone, removed his wristband and drove him 3 miles from the site. He had no money or phone as these were with me further back in the crowd.

I was left unaware where he was, the security staff didn't give a damn about my obvious distress that he was missing.

Thankfully he was able to get back to me at our caravan 6 hours later by dodging security, this was not easy though. We packed and left straight away as he feared for his safety if caught.

I personally took the matter up with Katrina Larkin who ran the festival and was eventually given 4 tickets for the following years festival as an apology. Too little too late to be honest. I sold these at less than face value as I would never attend a festival run by her ever again. Management are also accountable if security abuse their position IMHO.

[Migraine]

My husband (aged 55 at the time) was evicted from the (thankfully no longer operating) Big Chill in 2009. He was at the front and others were trying to push in, bouncers wrongly dragged him out, took him for questioning, scuffed his knuckles to make it look like he had hit someone, removed his wristband and drove him 3 miles from the site. He had no money or phone as these were with me further back in the crowd.

I was left unaware where he was, the security staff didn't give a damn about my obvious distress that he was missing.

Thankfully he was able to get back to me at our caravan 6 hours later by dodging security, this was not easy though. We packed and left straight away as he feared for his safety if caught.

I personally took the matter up with Katrina Larkin who ran the festival and was eventually given 4 tickets for the following years festival as an apology. Too little too late to be honest. I sold these at less than face value as I would never attend a festival run by her ever again. Management are also accountable if security abuse their position IMHO.

That's horrendous, I don't get the idea of throwing you off site without an opportunity to get your stuff what do they expect you to do. I don't blame you for not going back.

[StoneCircle]

That's horrendous, I don't get the idea of throwing you off site without an opportunity to get your stuff what do they expect you to do. I don't blame you for not going back.

And although I can drive, I can't tow a caravan, let alone hitch it! Katrina Larkin thought that it was acceptable festival policy to abandon people in the manner they did my husband ...

[rawaudioinput]

She isn't running anything right now is she? I'll make a note to avoid it

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

My husband (aged 55 at the time) was evicted from the (thankfully no longer operating) Big Chill in 2009. He was at the front and others were trying to push in, bouncers wrongly dragged him out, took him for questioning, scuffed his knuckles to make it look like he had hit someone, removed his wristband and drove him 3 miles from the site. He had no money or phone as these were with me further back in the crowd.

I was left unaware where he was, the security staff didn't give a damn about my obvious distress that he was missing.

Thankfully he was able to get back to me at our caravan 6 hours later by dodging security, this was not easy though. We packed and left straight away as he feared for his safety if caught.

I personally took the matter up with Katrina Larkin who ran the festival and was eventually given 4 tickets for the following years festival as an apology. Too little too late to be honest. I sold these at less than face value as I would never attend a festival run by her ever again. Management are also accountable if security abuse their position IMHO.

That is absolutely shocking. I don't blame you for leaving as soon as you could and not going back.

Here's an article from 2008 - you only need to read the first two paragraphs. Apparently she always put the customer first when it came to The Big Chill !!!

http://startups.co.uk/the-big-chill-katrina-larkin/

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

That's a fair enough apology. I could so easily have written the same thing with the flurry of anger I felt initially against these two twats. I just can't comprehend what they would have got out of carrying out such an action. The poor lad was obviously well off his head and needed help.

Thanks Yog, if everyone was as understanding as you and some of these guys are - the world would be a better place mate

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Thanks Yog, if everyone was as understanding as you and some of these guys are - the world would be a better place mate

No worries DAVA. I wouldn't use my level of understanding as a barometer of what's right though. I say this because I know deep deep down that had those blokes got raped in prison then I would have experienced a very brief, but somehow quantifiable, schadenfreude moment. Maybe I'm sick, maybe I do represent what the majority would also think but are too scared to say.

[MrZigster]

RIP the job title Steward.

They're all Security now.

[Spindles]

To be fair, my mates who work security seem to do nothing more than a steward's job. You are bang on there.

That Big chill story is a nasty one, got my sympathies. Thankfully I've never fallen foul of security and those I've chatted with have just been men and women like myself, there to make a few quid and get a few hours at a festival into the bargain.

[thehawk]

I would say that last year, and previous years too, I have found the security teams to be really helpful and friendly. It is the same where ever you look in life, some idiots spoil reputations for the majority of any group. But I'd say thanks to any security reading this, for looking after us and being generally nice chaps and chapetts.

Edited May 31, 2015 by thehawk

[StoneCircle]

That is absolutely shocking. I don't blame you for leaving as soon as you could and not going back.

Here's an article from 2008 - you only need to read the first two paragraphs. Apparently she always put the customer first when it came to The Big Chill !!!

http://startups.co.uk/the-big-chill-katrina-larkin/

The woman obviously lives in some fantasy land as this could not be further from the truth. It is be far the worst festival I have ever attended, and this decision was made prior to the incident I wrote about.

Thanks for sharing the link Yoghurt

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

It is the same where ever you look in life, some idiots spoil reputations for the majority of any group.

This.

If the security at Glastonbury were all bad then it would be more in the public realm by now.

[budvar]

RIP the job title Steward.

They're all Security now.

Oxfam security?

[MrZigster]

Oxfam security?

You possibly take me too literally. T'was an exaggeration to make a (intended humorously) point, dear budvar. It is a subject that has put a bee in my bonnet for a number of years.

I'm pretty sure when I first started going to gigs that "security" was not a job title.

You had "stewards" who would check your ticket, direct you appropriately, and generally be extremely polite & help you out. Would get assertive if needed.

Then "bouncers". Dressed similarly but slightly more aloof, self important and aggressive.

Now "security". Give certain personalities a hi-vis jacket and a radio and they think they can start acting like The Met or something.

Again, obviously I'm extremely over generalising/stereotyping but same point applies.

Maybe I should use more emoticons