New security measures in place

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

The biggest issue I have with it is that any device/terrorist would already be on site way before the gates even open. By far the easiest and most certain way of getting on site is as a volunteer. There are zero background checks and zero security checks for volunteers. Last time I worked my ticket I was parked about 10 metres the other side of a 6 foot fence from where I camped and simply slung all my stuff over the fence. If Glastonbury was a target then there is no chance a terrorist would come as a punter. 

Glastonbury have been trying to get people to bring less for years, even outright said it once and then backtracked after the furor it caused, they can use this to further that long term goal. 

I'm not cynical, I'm a realist.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

19 minutes ago, Mr.Tease said:

As I said in another thread I'm half Egyptian so I know I'm going to be searched regardless (as I always do)  - just curious how many eFestivalers have a similar ethnicity,  if they do end up doing racial profiling? Is it just going to be me and 3 or 4 others unpacking all their shit?! 

I'm a white middle aged woman.  I'm the only person to have been searched in our group of 9 and for some reason I always attract extra attention at the gates.  I also get followed round shops by security guards far more often than I don't.  I'm not dodgy in any way.  I suffer from anxiety so I think I often have a steely glare or a slightly deranged look in my eyes which triggers security types.  There's something anyway and I'm totally getting searched!  Again.

[barkley87]

27 minutes ago, LifeBegins@What??? said:

Got a pack of 2 for i think they was £2.99 in B & M store.

Good shout. I'll be picking some up at the weekend.

[Crazyfool01]

do you think the fake turd at the top of my rucksack will prevent further searching ?

[Fearless_Fish]

My biggest concern is how this is communicated at the time. Anything like the shambles of last year, then it could be horrendous.

Last year, the festival obviously tweeted out in the morning not to set off for the festival (if you hadn't already) due to increased traffic around the site. That was all well and good, but so little detail left people us unsure of what to do. I have a 7 hour drive to Glastonbury, so should I not set off because they said so, or will it all be clear in 7 hours time like it usually is? What about people with an 11 hour drive in Scotland? Are they safe to set off? What about people living 1 hour away? Should they wait, say, 6 hours before setting off? If so, then we'll be arriving at the same time despite them waiting as advised and us not...

In the end, after 45 minutes of debate, we set off only slightly late, intending to stop at a pub around 30 minutes from site to reassess the situation. After arriving at the pub, I checked Twitter and the festival had tweeted something along the lines of "traffic starting to move normally around site now". 'Great' we thought, and set off from the pub. 15 minutes later we were in a 7 hour queue.

With a bit of openness and detail that whole scenario could have been avoided. If instead of tweeting "traffic starting to move normally around site now" they had tweeted "look, it's proper f**ked, stay away until at least XX o'clock" then we would have.

This year, I can just envisage a tweet around the likes of "queues starting to move normally now, campsites filling up!" and think 'Great!' - then end up in a queue at the gates for 6 hours dragging a punishingly heavy bag along the ground covering my bedding and pillows in thick mud.

[The Nal]

9 minutes ago, Fearless_Fish said:

then end up in a queue at the gates for 6 hours dragging a punishingly heavy bag along the ground covering my bedding and pillows in thick mud.

Don't bring a punishingly heavy bag then!

[nikkic]

7 minutes ago, Fearless_Fish said:

My biggest concern is how this is communicated at the time. Anything like the shambles of last year, then it could be horrendous.

Last year, the festival obviously tweeted out in the morning not to set off for the festival (if you hadn't already) due to increased traffic around the site. That was all well and good, but so little detail left people us unsure of what to do. I have a 7 hour drive to Glastonbury, so should I not set off because they said so, or will it all be clear in 7 hours time like it usually is? What about people with an 11 hour drive in Scotland? Are they safe to set off? What about people living 1 hour away? Should they wait, say, 6 hours before setting off? If so, then we'll be arriving at the same time despite them waiting as advised and us not...

In the end, after 45 minutes of debate, we set off only slightly late, intending to stop at a pub around 30 minutes from site to reassess the situation. After arriving at the pub, I checked Twitter and the festival had tweeted something along the lines of "traffic starting to move normally around site now". 'Great' we thought, and set off from the pub. 15 minutes later we were in a 7 hour queue.

With a bit of openness and detail that whole scenario could have been avoided. If instead of tweeting "traffic starting to move normally around site now" they had tweeted "look, it's proper f**ked, stay away until at least XX o'clock" then we would have.

This year, I can just envisage a tweet around the likes of "queues starting to move normally now, campsites filling up!" and think 'Great!' - then end up in a queue at the gates for 6 hours dragging a punishingly heavy bag along the ground covering my bedding and pillows in thick mud.

Not quite the fearless fish....

[Fearless_Fish]

Queues are my kryptonite!

I don't see how anyone can't bring in a punishingly heavy bag even when traveling light! Unless I'm just a massive fanny. By the time you add tent, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress, shoes, clothes, toiletries, booze....!

[Mr.Tease]

30 minutes ago, Untz said:

My other half is South Asian. With a beard.

He loves a bit of racial profiling, but I am reconsidering how we split the load. Usually I go off with the tent and he lugs the trolley behind, but might swap that round this year.

And that for me is why racial profiling is daft- if you were up to something you'd just get a non profiled person to be the mule.

Though I may use this as an excuse to get friends to carry all my stuff in this year! 

[babyblade41]

seems all quite reasonable, not sure why we need to take enough for a 2 week holiday . If you do have illegal substances on you and are found then you won't be too annoyed that A it gets confiscated or B worse still you get thrown out , you pays your money and takes your choice . 

Beer and wine in quantities kept together as easy to check cans and wine boxes as long as they are un open, probably not a good idea to take wine boxes with the seal broken.. you will then probably be subject to more checks than others 

I managed to find one of those see through plastic cases (some new bedding comes in them) this will be for clothes as it is also waterproof . Easy to have a look through ... toiletries in see through zippy bags and medication in the same . I will have to take my whole meds due to varying dosage and it will go in the original box with my details on .

Expect longer queues than you were probably used to , great chance to get to know a few more people around you and try and get through it with a smile even if the weather gods aren't smiling then..... remember some peeps on the secret re-sale thread would eagerly give their high teeth to swap places 

The whys and wherefores aren't really that important just be thankful they are doing their best to keep you safe and making sure parents of those attending get their family back in one piece  I have worried greatly when my kids went and I was at home worrying about all sorts .

[Logan1996]

2 hours ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

I went to we r fstvl a couple of weekends ago on a day ticket and it was bloody horrific. The queues was about an hour long, they were holding people back against three separate gates and gradually letting people through in dribs and drabs so they could then queue again to get their ticket checked. The crowd where just as bad as the security guards, pushing forward against the barriers trying to open them while the security guards pushed back against them. The security guards were screaming at the crowd and viva versa. I saw one girl mouth off to them so they ripped her ticket up in front of her. I can't imagine for a second the crowd or the security at Glastonbury will be remotely like this but it was all together horrible experience.

I had friends that went there for the weekend , sounded an absolute shambles of a festival. Campers for the weekend couldn't bring food or drink into the site , and i think a crate of fosters sold from the onsite shop cost about 60 quid for 24 cans.

[Jakeyboi135]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, just playing devil'sadvocate, but isn't this creating more of an issue. If this is triggered by manchester, creating a longer slower moving queue outside the festival isn't a great idea. I understand why they're doing it, guess damned if you do damned if you dont.

[musky]

1 hour ago, mr gumby said:

Not getting het up at all, just pointing out that you're talking bollocks.

I would be interested to know what you mean by 'people like you', though, considering you know virtually nothing about me.

I don't know that he is talking bollocks really. The police regularly use profiling in their day to day work - they look for 'wrong 'uns', and will talk about getting a nose for things or a gut feeling. That translates into people in certain groups or or minorities being singled out for more attention. This isn't in doubt and it's something the police are aware of and sensitive to.

26 minutes ago, scaryclaireyfairy said:

I'm a white middle aged woman.  I'm the only person to have been searched in our group of 9 and for some reason I always attract extra attention at the gates.  I also get followed round shops by security guards far more often than I don't.  I'm not dodgy in any way.  I suffer from anxiety so I think I often have a steely glare or a slightly deranged look in my eyes which triggers security types.  There's something anyway and I'm totally getting searched!  Again.

I have a white middle aged male friend who's searched every single year. He's convinced his Karl Malden like hooter makes him look as if it's a boxers nose.

[Madyaker]

This doesn't make much difference to me as I'm flying over so I can only bring as much as I can carry anyway and no drugs since I ain't risking bringing them through 2 airports, I'm just worried it might make certain things harder to source once inside due to wholesalers having their stashes taken at the gate.....

[5co77ie]

Has any statements been made about the campervan fields - the email doesn't give their opening times

 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

6 minutes ago, Logan1996 said:

I had friends that went there for the weekend , sounded an absolute shambles of a festival. Campers for the weekend couldn't bring food or drink into the site , and i think a crate of fosters sold from the onsite shop cost about 60 quid for 24 cans.

Yeah I hated it, we went for a mates birthday and just on a day ticket but it was a horrible soulless place with mostly horrible people. I generally felt like livestock in the queue, but the attitude of the customers in the queue very much contributed to this.

[Acti0nH@rdc0r3]

2 hours ago, Honeybane said:

They will have dogs I reckon. Dugs + drugs = banned entry

Drugs dogs can't sniff out explosives - and vice versa. More bomb dogs might actually be a good thing for those with 'extra-curricular' supplies.

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

5 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

This doesn't make much difference to me as I'm flying over so I can only bring as much as I can carry anyway and no drugs since I ain't risking bringing them through 2 airports, I'm just worried it might make certain things harder to source once inside due to wholesalers having their stashes taken at the gate.....

Wholesaler drugs come in with the traders/security/staff/volunteers so before the gates open to the public. I shouldn't worry about it, there will be no difference in availability. 

[musky]

I've just emailed the festival regarding the trolleys as I usually bring a granny trolley strapped to my rucksack, the idea being that with the bag straps facing outwards the entire thing can be lifted and carried on my back easily (I travel light anyway). I asked if this would have to go through the separate trolley lane and they replied:

Quote

The separate lane is for those who are bringing more than they can carry, so if your trolley is part of the backpack you are carrying you should be okay in the main lane

So if you can carry the entire thing on your back you should be okay. The only caveat is 'should be'.

[mufcok]

Obviously get why they're doing it but I won't be doing anything different, I'll be bring what I usually bring - essentials; tent, rucksack, couple of crates, sleeping bag. I certainly won't be labeling my bags that's absolutely ridiculous.

I can't imagine they'll search everyone. If they do, it's going to be absolute hell on the Wednesday. It's bad enough as it is

Edited June 6, 2017 by mufcok

[pie_and_a_pint]

5 minutes ago, musky said:

I've just emailed the festival regarding the trolleys as I usually bring a granny trolley strapped to my rucksack, the idea being that with the bag straps facing outwards the entire thing can be lifted and carried on my back easily (I travel light anyway). I asked if this would have to go through the separate trolley lane and they replied:

So if you can carry the entire thing on your back you should be okay. The only caveat is 'should be'.

I'll be bringing a (small) granny trolley on the train, as well as a small rucksack on my back. It's the only way I can carry a tent and enough clothes and kit for seven or possibly eight nights camping and working in possibly wet/cold conditions. I cannot physically carry everything I need for that length of time on my back, so if it means they have to un-bungee my trolley so be it - it's easy enough to re-bungee afterwards and trundle to Tom's Field.

[barkley87]

7 minutes ago, musky said:

I've just emailed the festival regarding the trolleys as I usually bring a granny trolley strapped to my rucksack, the idea being that with the bag straps facing outwards the entire thing can be lifted and carried on my back easily (I travel light anyway). I asked if this would have to go through the separate trolley lane and they replied:

So if you can carry the entire thing on your back you should be okay. The only caveat is 'should be'.

What if you just carry the trolley? I could probably pick mine up for the queue...

[musky]

1 minute ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

I'll be bringing a (small) granny trolley on the train, as well as a small rucksack on my back. It's the only way I can carry a tent and enough clothes and kit for seven or possibly eight nights camping and working in possibly wet/cold conditions. I cannot physically carry everything I need for that length of time on my back, so if it means they have to un-bungee my trolley so be it - it's easy enough to re-bungee afterwards and trundle to Tom's Field.

My gear usually ends up weighing about 60lbs, so not too heavy but heavy enough that I'd rather not have to do it for too long on the journey to the coach station. Once there it's not an issue, as I'll be shuffling along in a queue for most of the time after getting off the coach and it's only a short walk to where I camp near Gate A. If push comes to shove the trolley will just come off and it's coming in as hand luggage!

[musky]

8 minutes ago, barkley87 said:

What if you just carry the trolley? I could probably pick mine up for the queue...

As long as you can carry everything else as well you should be okay.

I am coming to the conclusion that the separate trolley lane is nothing to do with any new security measures though...

Edit: I'm printing out the email in case some jobsworth decides I've got to go in the trolley queue regardless of how it's carried. Otherwise I'll have a moral dilemma of whether to ditch the trolley or queue for what could be a much longer time. Love the farm, etc.

Edited June 6, 2017 by musky

[The Nal]

This works on a lot of levels. Safer, encourages people to bring less and therefore leave less behind, spend money on site so the festival and traders make more money, smaller and faster moving queues too. 

People putting their backs out carrying in £30 worth of beer because it'll save them a few quid. Madness.