Crew Bars

[OBface]

We'll have SE corner crew bands this year - stupid question but I guess this will guarantee us entry to Maceos etc even though we're not officially working?

[Lucy92]

10 hours ago, giantkatestacks said:

I dont think so as you will have a normal wristband and not a crew one.

I think we also get a worthy warrior one  

[rottencrotch]

Last year the crew bars were an absolute godsend with the mud.  

Most of the bars were open to all crew (with the exception of the Park one IIRC) - certainly Maceo's (Block 9), Wally's, West Holts and Acoustic. Arcadia's bar previously was only Arc staff but is now all crew - if you are working and get the chance I'd head there as it's open v.v.v late and you have the viewing platform as well. 

Am I missing any? 

Edit - The Unfairground has one too that's open for all crew.

Edited May 22, 2017 by rottencrotch

[glasto-worker]

On 2017-5-19 at 2:15 PM, Lucy92 said:

Does anyone know if the worthy warriors get crew bar access? (I know not technically crew but wasn't sure if they would) 

 

On 2017-5-21 at 8:53 PM, giantkatestacks said:

I dont think so as you will have a normal wristband and not a crew one.

 

On 2017-5-21 at 9:02 PM, OBface said:

We'll have SE corner crew bands this year - stupid question but I guess this will guarantee us entry to Maceos etc even though we're not officially working?

it all depends when you arrive onsite - if you get in Tuesday { or before } then you will have access - Once you enter a Bar - have a word with someone behind the bar - most will issue a separate pass - once the gates are open to the public your separate pass will get you back into that area.

Once the Gates are Open to the Public things get far more tricky and even a GFL crew wrist band will not get you into many areas ' so you need to be onsite on the Tuesday.

one year I ran into a bunch of Traders on the Tuesday who were certainly not working for the festival and they had been busy with all sorts of passes from various bars .

Security or stewards are not checking if you have a GFL crew wrist band on the Tuesday but they will be checking Once the Gates are Open to the Public.

so the key is ' when you can get onsite ' 

[devonhammer]

On 2017-5-13 at 6:32 PM, Tommy101 said:

What the consensus on punters blagging their way into crew bars? Just because it's on the bucket list of, you know, a friend...

Edit: I understand why they are restricted and who they are for but like many on this forum I love to hear about the behind the scenes stuff and this would feel a bit like looking behind the curtain. Certainly wouldn't want to put anyone's nose out of joint for the sake of a quid cheaper beer...

Years ago we were in the old round Pussy Parlour and mistakenly left by the wrong door (which had no security at the time). We found ourselves in a backstage area and saw a bar. Went in and had a quiet pint and game of pool just for the fun of it. When we left we tried to get back in to the Pussy Parlour, but there was now security and he told us that we couldn't use that door. Had a surreal conversation where we had to persuade him to throw us out of the backstage area.

[OBface]

22 minutes ago, glasto-worker said:

 

 

it all depends when you arrive onsite - if you get in Tuesday { or before } then you will have access - Once you enter a Bar - have a word with someone behind the bar - most will issue a separate pass - once the gates are open to the public your separate pass will get you back into that area.

Once the Gates are Open to the Public things get far more tricky and even a GFL crew wrist band will not get you into many areas ' so you need to be onsite on the Tuesday.

one year I ran into a bunch of Traders on the Tuesday who were certainly not working for the festival and they had been busy with all sorts of passes from various bars .

Security or stewards are not checking if you have a GFL crew wrist band on the Tuesday but they will be checking Once the Gates are Open to the Public.

so the key is ' when you can get onsite ' 

Thanks glasto-worker. We won't be arriving til Thursday (coach ticket ) - I take it we still should get access to the SE corner crew bars with our bands? Not that I think we'll be using them much but good to know if it's an especially muddy one etc.

[Frangipan]

It's my first year volunteering this year - with WBC - any tips from you seasoned volunteers are being gratefully received. Thanks all.

[marathonsteve]

I am sure glasto-worker will be around for a chat

[glasto-worker]

2 hours ago, OBface said:

Thanks glasto-worker. We won't be arriving til Thursday (coach ticket ) - I take it we still should get access to the SE corner crew bars with our bands? Not that I think we'll be using them much but good to know if it's an especially muddy one etc.

yes that should not be a problem

[glasto-worker]

2 hours ago, Frangipan said:

It's my first year volunteering this year - with WBC - any tips from you seasoned volunteers are being gratefully received. Thanks all.

just listen to your Team Leader and you will be fine.

be sure you know ' what your group represents ' as the WBC Chairman { the guy on the far left holding the microphone - bottom image } has a habit of stopping people he does not recognise and asking them ' what group are you with ? and what does that group represent ? ' - apart from myself { on the far right } these are the key people within the WBC.

the top image is what it was like last year on the Tuesday evening within the crew bar. 

You will remain with your Team all weekend - if you have a problem ' tell your team Leader ' but once the shifts are posted - you are stuck with those shifts and your Team Leader will not be able to get them changed.

The WBC works on various shift patterns - most common is six hours but they can be longer depending on which bar they send you to - you can even end up with a shorter shift pattern - its all down to luck 

Now just because your Team is say working from 5pm to 11pm it does not mean that you can stroll in at 5pm as the Tent Manager will expect all Teams to show up at say 4.30pm

This is all dependant on how well your Team Leader knows the Tent Manager - if they know them they can relax when you need to be there.

But there is always some red tape so it means that everyone has to be in place before the hand over.

Your Team Leader will tell you when he expects to see you - 

what does not go down well is for people to be late as this hold up the shift that you are replacing.

The facilities within the WBC Crew camp are excellent and you will be able to charge your phone up but it helps if you can stick a name tag with your Group name on it.

I work in the crew bar so I deal with lost phones and every day there will be from two to five phones handed in so mark your phone.

and when you get your WBC Pass - take a photo of it as that will show your Volunteer number so it can quickly be returned to you.

also place a tag on any bag that you carry about - I don't know why but many people will just wander off and leave their bag within the crew bar.

The work is not difficult and your Team Leader will allocate various jobs within the bar your working at - some people prefer to serve all the time - some people prefer to work the MDU's { they pour out a dozen pints at a time }

Our Crew camp is next to Gate D so its a fair old walk to some of the Bars.

The crew coach will get to within a close distance to it - it all depends on the ground conditions - the crew camp fills up fast so its always best if you book a early Coach.

Now some people will pack up on the Sunday as they know there will be a party Sunday evening and the coaches can arrive dead early - last year there was coaches leaving at 4.30 am although the London coaches did not arrive until 6am - watch out - and be sure you get on the correct coach { yes I know it sounds daft but each year there will be a few who will catch the Glasgow coach by mistake when they were really after the London coach }

hope you enjoy it.

[Frangipan]

Wow, that's all really useful information - I was expecting to have to turn up in good time for shifts (only polite) and it be hard work, but fun I hope. We are on the early coach out of London (at least that is what we have asked for). I am very involved with the organisation that I am representing, so being stopped to chat won't be a problem.

Looking forward to meeting some new people and having a lot of fun.

[glasto-worker]

19 hours ago, Frangipan said:

Wow, that's all really useful information - I was expecting to have to turn up in good time for shifts (only polite) and it be hard work, but fun I hope. We are on the early coach out of London (at least that is what we have asked for). I am very involved with the organisation that I am representing, so being stopped to chat won't be a problem.

Looking forward to meeting some new people and having a lot of fun.

By the way the WBC will book so many coaches depending on how many bookings they have had ' for each time slot ' some years they may even use a minibus - it all depends on the number - its very rare that they would tell someone at this stage that their chosen time slot is not available.

This is the London WBC Coach pick up point - if you have booked the Noon coach then aim to get there by ' no later than 11am ' - it used to be a mad scramble but these days its very well Organised - they ' WBC Staffing ' will issue coach stickers as they divide up the queue into 50 people chunks - be aware that if they don't know you - they may ask for ID - If you are arriving by train ' leave by the St. John's Hill exit which is next to platform 17 use the tunnel and not the bridge - as you pass though the ticket exit ' keep to your left - now its dead easy to miss but within 50 feet you will see a sign saying ' car park ' - walk though that exit - don't panic as you will not be able to see anything - right hand dot is the doors from the station - left hand dot is the pick up point - just walk down the path and you will spot it on your right - many just fail to miss it and its a long walk around the outside - once you meet the rest of your team - you will find it handy as there is a large Asda very close - { see bottom image as you can see where Asda is } - do not all charge off at the same time as you need someone in the queue to pick up the coach stickers which is so important as there may be five or more departing from Noon - you will not spot any Coaches as they arrive just before Noon - each year I see people who just wander off - where I don't have a clue all I know is when they get back they may have missed their coach sticker - once I arrive I never wander off - get on Coach 1 and you will arrive { and go though the red tape } onsite a good 60 to 90 minuets before Coach 5 so its vital to get the coach stickers.

Do not waste your time buying loads of drink because Security may prevent you from loading it onto the coach - most people will not even bother but anyone who shows up with lots risk not getting a seat.  

While you will have booked the Noon coach some people may have booked the 14.30 coach but if they arrive before Noon ' they will try to get on the Noon coach ' WBC Staffing should spot this but sometimes they don't and all of a sudden there can be some people who miss the Noon coach just because they did not pick up their coach sticker   quickly enough.

Now I don't know how many is in your team ' but split them up ' - lets say its 6 - as soon as they announce load Coach 1 - 3 of your lot should board the coach and take over 6 seats and 3 should stick with the bags and load them in the luggage hold.

they should stay outside until the coach is ready to leave and then take their seats - at times someone may push a bag not appreciating that they have just pushed off a bag on the other side - I have seen that happen loads of times.

Now this may sound daft - the coach will stop for a break - make a note of the reg number - one year I spotted the deputy Chairman of the WBC frantically looking about  for his coach ' that had driven off and left him ' - anyway I pointed out there was a spare seat on my coach - have not a clue why he was delayed all I know he had missed his coach.

One famous year a few people who I know { but who are not on my team } did not pay attention and the just got back on what they thought was their coach - they never spotted anything was wrong until they spotted Blackpool tower { I kid you not } - they had walked on a Coach trip full of OAP's - I still cant my head round that one but I know it did happen.   

as you enter Glastonbury - trust me there can be a lot of hanging about # but stay on the Coach # - The WBC will be waiting with a official from GFL { as they will be called so they know the arrival time }

Some years its a quick entry and some years its not - its at that stage that you will be handed your ticket and then your  GFL wrist band - Security may come on and check up to three times that everyone has a wrist band on.

if its dry the coach can get very close to the crew site - the WBC will ask you to go in to collect your WBC Pass although I never bother with that stage - My team will pitch their tents first - as you enter the crew bar - STOP - do not queue up as there is a 50% chance your in the wrong queue - there will be various queue's some will be for Volunteers and some will be for Managers - have all the Team with you as it cuts down time - its all in Group alphabetic order - I am team leader of the BWTUC Team { BWTUC are the people who own the WBC } and I crack up some years when the person handing out the passes will say ' are you sure its the BWTUC group ? as I have never heard that name before - most times I just pick someone I know and they will sort us out.

Once all the red tape is sorted out you can sit back and watch the crew site fill up - although they will stagger the coaches some years some can get delayed so its common for coaches to arrive late in the evening 

You will meet loads of new people - its a secure site and theft is very rare - be sure to wear your WBC photo ID Pass within the Crew Camp ' at all times ' but when your out onsite Hide it - each year a few will be snatched in a crowd and the WBC will not be pleased if you lose it.

The WBC use many ' Counter bars ' and they will be busy - A ' walk in bar ' may have tables and chairs and they will be less busy - its just your luck where you will end up - because of my long service I am allowed to pick which bar My team will be working in and that has already been sorted out and we will be working in the Crew Bar .

By the way on the Tuesday your GFL wrist band will get you Backstage of the Pyramid { not directly Backstage but close enough in the interstage area } - I have worked in the Guest Bar loads of times { mainly in the 90's } but these days prefer the Crew Bar  as its all the same Managers each year and there is far less walking involved.

Although a Tent Manager will run every bar the key person is the ' Deputy tent Manager ' who will spend more time within the bar - some are very experienced and some are not { the wbc tends to rotate them about } - they will deal with breaks etc etc so its important on your briefing day to spot who is the Deputy.

If you get one who is very experienced then it is possible to get permission to slip out when the bar is not busy although whatever time you agree to return - make sure your not late - if you are late then that offer will not be available again 

If you get a very inexperienced one then your chances are zilch

so it pays to find out how long a Deputy tent Manager has been with the WBC for and if they were a Volunteer before.

Some have worked their way up from being a Volunteer and others its a ' friend of a friend ' and they have never worked as a Volunteer.

You will spot Managers will work longer shifts { this is due to them being paid per Hour although they are allowed longer breaks }

depending where you end up it can be fun as you may get more of a chance to chat to some of the Customers but in a busy Counter bar the time will fly in as its wall to wall queues.

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by glasto-worker

[Doug85]

Is there really a viewing platform at the Arcadia crew bar? That sounds amazing if so. I'm hoping to arrive on the monday afternoon now that i have sorted leave with my work so i was hoping for a good look around the site whilst it's empty. Would be good to see the backstage area around the Pyramid too if thats possible.

[tullux]

am i wrong or was it possible ( in 2015) to get in the bars with

a WV wristband?

[incident]

5 minutes ago, tullux said:

am i wrong or was it possible ( in 2015) to get in the bars with

a WV wristband?

It would have been if they were accepting all crew wristbands and weren't paying close attention, yeah. The WV EPO wristbands were extremely similar to the standard staff EPO wristbands issued to general crew - from what I remember the design was exactly the same just with "WV" printed at one point.

I don't know whether that was also the case last year as I don't remember seeing a WV wristband.

[Frangipan]

I can't quite take in/picture all that information at the moment, but I will be sure to bring it with me as my 'bible' on the day. There are only 3 of us from our organisation going, so should be easy enough to stay together, I guess we will be paired with another small group to make a crew?

That station is Clapham Junction, right?

Again, thank you for taking the time to put all this down, it's really appreciated. And looking forward to a nosey 'behind the scenes!'.

[glasto-worker]

4 hours ago, Frangipan said:

I can't quite take in/picture all that information at the moment, but I will be sure to bring it with me as my 'bible' on the day. There are only 3 of us from our organisation going, so should be easy enough to stay together, I guess we will be paired with another small group to make a crew?

That station is Clapham Junction, right?

Again, thank you for taking the time to put all this down, it's really appreciated. And looking forward to a nosey 'behind the scenes!'.

No you will be kept as a Team - depending on the size of the bar there can be many Teams within that bar but each Counter bar bar is split up into stations 

with such a small Team you will not be allocated a station { if its a Counter bar } on your own so you will share this with others - its highly likely that each day you will meet other Teams

A walk in bar tends not to be split up into stations.

Don't worry the Deputy tent Manager will allocate you to a station but you have to keep in your head that the other Team { or Teams } may be on a different shift pattern as your Team so don't think when you see them pack up that you will be allowed away at the same time.

Its up to your Team Leader to remind your ' station Manager ' 30 minuets before the end of your shift - do not assume anything as trust me they wont have a clue.

When the WBC was set up Teams were far larger then - there would be 13 in a standard Team and that roughly is how they still think.

In the 90's I used to request 25 places at Glastonbury and we would take over two stations - the larger the Team the greater scope is to swap places but its a very long time since then and most teams will get allocate 6 to 8 places.

Sadly when your sharing a station its easy for experienced Team Leaders to ' bags all the good jobs ' so if that happens your team Leader should have a word with the station Manager although they may be good mates with the Station Manager.

Just like everywhere there is Good Teams and there is Lazy Teams and I would make bloody sure we were not working beside a Lazy Team

if its a well experienced Deputy tent Manager they should spot this fairly quickly and they will have a word with the Team Leader,

One year we were working in a Guest bar and there was a Team { of 8 } that would rush about for 15 minuets and then ' they would all Vanish ' 7 1/2 hours later { shifts used to be for 8 hours } they would reappear and then dash about for the last 15 minuets 

They can get away with it once but I pulled up that team Leader and told him if they tried that again I would make a formal complaint - amazingly the Tent Manager thanked them for their hard work even although they had only worked for 30 minuets 

Now over time they will get caught out and the WBC will drop them but there is still a few jokers who will Vanish as soon as they can - none of them will ever be allocated the Crew Bar that's for sure.

The WBC used to pick up from Clapham South Tube Station but they moved it to Clapham Junction 15+ years ago.

if you are coming from Victoria catch a train that is due to stop at Balham because that is the nearest platform at Clapham Junction  to the pick up point - I used to live near and that is how I know but if you live close to the Northern line - change at Balham as all the trains that stop there will stop at Clapham Junction { heading towards Victoria }

Victoria used to be a right nightmare due to the rebuilding work hence why we favour changing at Balham 

if you are dead lucky you may end up in the Mandela Bar - where the old stage used to be we could see the view screens from the back of the Bar but when they built the new Pyramid they faced it away so you cant see but you will certainly still hear the bands.

sadly over the years the beer vouchers you get can only be used in the crew bar and the Bread and Roses but 10+ years ago all the wbc bars used to accept them 

don't forget that all soft drinks and water is free within the crew bar { although one year some bright spark dropped the free drinks but that did not go down well with the troops so its free again } as is coffee and tea 

Edited May 24, 2017 by glasto-worker

[watsonjm]

Will have an EPO wristband so assume i'll be fine for the Tuesday night but will need to get passes for the rest of the week?

[BambooShanks]

On 2017-5-24 at 11:17 AM, Doug85 said:

Is there really a viewing platform at the Arcadia crew bar? That sounds amazing if so. I'm hoping to arrive on the monday afternoon now that i have sorted leave with my work so i was hoping for a good look around the site whilst it's empty. Would be good to see the backstage area around the Pyramid too if thats possible.

There is indeed! Though there is usually a queue to get up there.

The crew bar itself is rather fun so even if you don't make it up to the platform, it's still all good

[watsonjm]

2 minutes ago, Kinkyinuit said:

There is indeed! Though there is usually a queue to get up there.

The crew bar itself is rather fun so even if you don't make it up to the platform, it's still all good

Where is/ how do you get to the crew bar?  Been on site and had EPO bands for a few years but never seem to be able to find anything except Wallys.

[BambooShanks]

3 minutes ago, watsonjm said:

Where is/ how do you get to the crew bar?  Been on site and had EPO bands for a few years but never seem to be able to find anything except Wallys.

Even though I had a regular wristband, I just walked in, though I'd put that down to lax security and the confidence that I strolled in with.

If you've got a crew / epo wristband and know where the bars are, it's always worth a punt to walk in confidently. The worst they can do is say no, and if you're charming enough there's always the chance they'll let you in 

[watsonjm]

7 minutes ago, Kinkyinuit said:

Even though I had a regular wristband, I just walked in, though I'd put that down to lax security and the confidence that I strolled in with.

If you've got a crew / epo wristband and know where the bars are, it's always worth a punt to walk in confidently. The worst they can do is say no, and if you're charming enough there's always the chance they'll let you in 

Cool that sounds good, but where is it?

[incident]

17 minutes ago, watsonjm said:

Will have an EPO wristband so assume i'll be fine for the Tuesday night but will need to get passes for the rest of the week?

It'll probably vary quite a bit by bar. Some may accept all non-public bands - Wallys used to have posters up around site stating as much. Some may take them at times but change the policy based on how busy it is. Some may lock down once gates open. So grabbing bar specific wristbands on the Tuesday is probably a good safety net.

 

2 minutes ago, watsonjm said:

Where is/ how do you get to the crew bar?  Been on site and had EPO bands for a few years but never seem to be able to find anything except Wallys.

If you're on site on Tuesday, the key is just to wait until the evening when the bars kick into life and then follow the noise for most of them. The Arcadia one should be pretty easy to find though - the past couple years it's been at the side of their field (backing onto Pennards), with the entrance being directly opposite the spider.