Another price hike

[Mollyanne&Mike]

Have just read my way through all ten pages of this thread, agreed with much, disagreed with some and wanted to reply or retort to plenty .. until seeing someone else's response say it so much better than I would have. 

As a middle aged (really?), privately educated, middle class person who has only recently started going to Glastonbury - plenty of stories and reasons why it was unattainable for 30 years, but much longed for, I'm slightly miffed by the assumption by many in this thread that I clearly want posh camping, beauty parlours etc. I've only been three times, so far, but have loved every minute of mixing in with everyone regardless of age, upbringing or circumstance.

... but my main reason for writing this was to thank all for giving me a fairly good history of much that I missed in terms of who, what, why and cost!  I would have loved to have joined all the other old farts so I too could be reminiscent .

[ericlered]

I don't  think lowering the price is realistic, it costs what it costs to put on the festival and lowering the charity contributions just to make tickets cheaper is morally reprehensible and account for only about £15 of the ticket price anyway.

subsidised tickets is unfair and an admin nightmare and would cause a sharp increase in normal prices.

what they need to do is introduce a payment plan like most other festivals do to spread the cost out. Ok some people will still not be able to afford it, but I'm afraid that's life. 

 

Why would a payment plan help? As it stands it's £50 in October and then 6 months to save the rest yourself.

[Smeble]

Why would a payment plan help? As it stands it's £50 in October and then 6 months to save the rest yourself.

because most people don't have the discipline to save the money and will get to April and struggle to pay it, a payment plan forces you to pay regularly and stops you dipping into any money saved.

if money is tight, any way to make things easier is surely a good idea.

Xmas won't help either

 I wonder what % of tickets in the resale are from people who didn't have the balance in April rather than people who decide they can't go. 

 

 

[ads1980]

I'm 35 now and in a position where the price of the ticket does not affect me too much. However, 10 years ago when I attended my first Glastonbury, I was well and truly skint and had to borrow the money of my mate to be able to go as it had to be paid all upfront (I think it was around £150 ish then?) it took me months to pay him back. So I've been on both ends of the spectrum. The deposit system works well I think although I also think it would be better if you could pay amounts off during the period of October to March so you could clear the balance. In terms of the ticket price, I also agree that it is gettin too much for everyone to be able to afford but I can't see it ever coming down in price. Over the last couple of years, I haven't been able to get round the whole site because it's too big and too busy. Part of the attraction for me is walking round the site and looking at things I would never normally choose to go and watch (circus fields, cabaret tents etc etc). Some of the things I have seen have been terrible in my opinion but they are far outweighed by some things that I have seen that are truly amazing! If you never explore the whole site, I urge you to go and check out some things that you would think aren't interesting. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised! 

[Razza_bezza]

I always aim to see as much of the site wed/thurs then aim to see on average 20 bands over the weekend (which I have done every year bar one) that is full start to finish sets! That works out between £10/15 per set, when you factor in some acts you pay in the region of £50/150 I would say you are getting very good value for money, just my opinion but the cost is still well within what I'd be willing to pay for a ticket 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

Why would a payment plan help? As it stands it's £50 in October and then 6 months to save the rest yourself.

I'm with you on this. People either want to go or they don't, yes in reality it might help people a bit to be forced to chip away at the balance rather than pay it all off in April, but why on earth should the Festival have to mother people who don't have the discipline to save up £180 over 6 months?

How much difference would it make to the dynamic of the festival crowd to have a few extra people there who if they didn't have a payment plan option would have had to let their ticket go in the resale because they didn't have the money? Precisely none.

[Smeble]

I'm with you on this. People either want to go or they don't, yes in reality it might help people a bit to be forced to chip away at the balance rather than pay it all off in April, but why on earth should the Festival have to mother people who don't have the discipline to save up £180 over 6 months?

How much difference would it make to the dynamic of the festival crowd to have a few extra people there who if they didn't have a payment plan option would have had to let their ticket go in the resale because they didn't have the money? Precisely none.

and with this attitude in 10 years time with the tickets at £500+ and still no payment plan who do you think will make up the bulk of the festival goers. Tarquin and Rupert with their backstage passes and glamping by veuve clicquot.

[russycarps]

I'm with you on this. People either want to go or they don't, yes in reality it might help people a bit to be forced to chip away at the balance rather than pay it all off in April, but why on earth should the Festival have to mother people who don't have the discipline to save up £180 over 6 months?

How much difference would it make to the dynamic of the festival crowd to have a few extra people there who if they didn't have a payment plan option would have had to let their ticket go in the resale because they didn't have the money? Precisely none.

 you seem nice

[6t6o6m]

I'm getting use to life being expensive. 

[Terence Fletcher]

I'm with you on this. People either want to go or they don't, yes in reality it might help people a bit to be forced to chip away at the balance rather than pay it all off in April, but why on earth should the Festival have to mother people who don't have the discipline to save up £180 over 6 months?

How much difference would it make to the dynamic of the festival crowd to have a few extra people there who if they didn't have a payment plan option would have had to let their ticket go in the resale because they didn't have the money? Precisely none.

I pretty much agree with this.

If someone wants to go to Glasto they will make it happen if they are determined enough, £225 is 1 less pint of beer a week when saved up over a year, unless someone is so skint they are relying on a foodbank to survive then Glasto is affordable, and people who are using foodbanks should be worrying about eating not going to Glasto anyway.

If someone can't save up £225 over a year it is not unreasonable to question whether they are trying hard enough.

 

[russycarps]

Yes. Glastonbury should be full of well organised, disciplined people. 

They are always the best people to party with.

It's certainly no place for chaos and disorder.

 

[dentalplan]

A payment plan isn't really necessary when they've already got the deposits in October; it's just the alternative for other festivals to let people reserve a place without having to have the entire ticket price saved up beforehand. And I would consider Glastonbury's method to be much preferable as with a payment plan you have to save by their rules or lose your ticket and your money down regardless of how money is coming in for you, whereas you've got a much larger window to prepare for Glastonbury. But that's completely beside the point as it doesn't make the product cheaper, it just gives you the impression that it's cheaper because you're not paying as much all at once.

Anyway, as much as it is a problem that there will be people who love the festival that have genuinely been priced out by the increasing ticket prices - and are now being told they shouldn't be thinking about going in the first place for not being able to afford it, very classy - I think a bigger issue (around these parts, certainly) would be for people that can afford it but it's just getting steep for what they value the festival at. Being able to afford it doesn't mean you have to agree with how much they increase the price for certain different things.

[Smeble]

I dare say a family with a couple of 13 year olds would welcome a payment plan, that's a grand before you even think about spending money or camping equipment.

realistly the festival isn't going to come down in price, all that can be done is make paying for it easier

[dentalplan]

I dare say a family with a couple of 13 year olds would welcome a payment plan, that's a grand before you even think about spending money or camping equipment.

realistly the festival isn't going to come down in price, all that can be done is make paying for it easier

As I've said, a deposit followed by six months where you can budget to save up for your ticket is much easier than paying a certain amount at separate points stated by the festival at the risk of losing your ticket and money.

[Smeble]

As I've said, a deposit followed by six months where you can budget to save up for your ticket is much easier than paying a certain amount at separate points stated by the festival at the risk of losing your ticket and money.

and as I have said, it's much easier to pay in instalments where there is no temptation to dip into any saved money.

 I really  don't understand your opposition to it, I'm not advocating it as a replacement to the current system but as another option.

other festivals seem to do it without issue

[TomViolence]

Hard to please everyone I guess. My mate (who's coming for the first time next year) messaged me yesterday worried that the next instalment was November. He feels much more comfortable knowing it's April as his pub shifts have dried up this month

[Terence Fletcher]

and as I have said, it's much easier to pay in instalments where there is no temptation to dip into any saved money.

 I really  don't understand your opposition to it, I'm not advocating it as a replacement to the current system but as another option.

other festivals seem to do it without issue

With instalments you have to go or you lose your money

What happens if someone gets a Glasto ticket on instalment plan and 4 or 5 months in they break their leg and can't go, or get made redundant, or see the line up and decide its shit, they dont get their money back at Download if they bail out, and wouldnt at Glasto

At least with a £50 deposit the door is open to bail out if you want

Instalments would be bad thing

[russycarps]

With instalments you have to go or you lose your money

What happens if someone gets a Glasto ticket on instalment plan and 4 or 5 months in they break their leg and can't go, or get made redundant, or see the line up and decide its shit, they dont get their money back at Download if they bail out, and wouldnt at Glasto

At least with a £50 deposit the door is open to bail out if you want

Instalments would be bad thing

why wouldnt they get their money back if glastonbury had an installment plan? how do you come to that conclusion? glastonbury is not download.

How can having extra options be a bad thing?

[Terence Fletcher]

why wouldnt they get their money back if glastonbury had an installment plan? how do you come to that conclusion? glastonbury is not download.

How can having extra options be a bad thing?

If it ain't broke don't fix it imo.

If someone is so lacking in willpower that they dip into the Glasto pot then I question did they really want to go enough in the first place? 

The Eavii are there to run a festival not nanny people who can't manage their finances properly.

[russycarps]

If it ain't broke don't fix it imo.

If someone is so lacking in willpower that they dip into the Glasto pot then I question did they really want to go enough in the first place? 

The Eavii are there to run a festival not nanny people who can't manage their finances properly.

it is broke though, as the increasing lack of diversity at the festival is showing.

 

[Terence Fletcher]

 

it is broke though, as the increasing lack of diversity at the festival is showing.

 

I am at a disadvantage here as this is my first Glasto, but surely at least half of people who go to a Glasto have never been before, or maybe been once etc, the audience will change every year, so this years crowd may be more diverse than last years, I will certainly be keeping an eye on my fellow festival goers now.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Terence Fletcher

[russycarps]

I am at a disadvantage here as this is my first Glasto, but surely at least half of people who go to a Glasto have never been before, or maybe been once etc, the audience will change every year, so this years crowd may be more diverse than last years, I will certainly be keeping an eye on my fellow festival goers now.

 

The individuals will change, but they will be from the same pool of people. The high ticket price guarantees it.

A lower price (or a way to reduce the impact of the high price) will see the festival open up to a much wider range of people. Now it's just open to the well off.

When it's £300 a ticket the pool of potential attendees will shrink further. And so on and so on until there's just tarquin, pandora and cordelia left.

[stuwilky]

See tickets already do instalment schemes for other festivals.

 

I cant see it would be a huge technical or logistical problem to have the ticket scheme as it is now, running alongside a more rigid instalment scheme, or even a "pay what you can as long as its paid by 7th April" scheme.  The extra payment fees involved would only be slight.

Wasnt there some thoughts that they were tax reasons why they did a balance now and then the payment window in April?  I assume GFL wont actually pocket the cash until after the start of the tax year?

[Terence Fletcher]

 

The individuals will change, but they will be from the same pool of people. The high ticket price guarantees it.

A lower price (or a way to reduce the impact of the high price) will see the festival open up to a much wider range of people. Now it's just open to the well off.

When it's £300 a ticket the pool of potential attendees will shrink further. And so on and so on until there's just tarquin, pandora and cordelia left.

Not convinced by the last part if am totally honest.

Look at football, working class sport attended by predominantly working class people, a season ticket for a premiership team can cost the equivalent of 4 Glasto's yet the working class have not been priced out of football, I could not imagine Tarquin and Pandora going to the Emirates to see Arsenal 20 times a year, so working class football fans manage to save fine for their season tickets without the need for instalments.

A Glasto ticket is a fraction of the cost.

[russycarps]

Not convinced by the last part if am totally honest.

Look at football, working class sport attended by predominantly working class people, a season ticket for a premiership team can cost the equivalent of 4 Glasto's yet the working class have not been priced out of football, I could not imagine Tarquin and Pandora going to the Emirates to see Arsenal 20 times a year, so working class football fans manage to save fine for their season tickets without the need for instalments.

A Glasto ticket is a fraction of the cost.

 

I honestly know nothing about football so cant comment on that mate. I couldnt even begin to guess at how much a season ticket costs! how much are they out of interest?