New security measures in place

[Franky]

3 minutes ago, JoeyT said:

Surely with the increased security / police presence there to protect against any sort of terrorist related incident or weapons being taken in if they were to find a small bit of whatever drugs you choose to take then making a massive deal of it will actually defeat the object of their presence?

It would tie up 1/2 of the security services and probably a couple of coppers meanwhile something far worse could sneak through due to attentions being diverted to something much less important in the grand scheme.

Yep this ! It will all be a matter of operational priority.

[rosssss224]

Didn't they announce enhanced security on Tuesday before the festival last year? Me and my mate got searched in a search tent. Went through most of our rucksacks, had a bit of banter with us and helped us pack up. They are having a rummage and watching reaction rather than actually looking through things...basically its going to be fine.

[Homer]

48 minutes ago, The Nal said:

I can't see the attraction to go through that to save 100 odd quid. Lugging a couple of extra stone of warm beer around for hours. A few cans for gigs and the rest from bars is the way forward.

Wine, oh yes! Don't need as much either. 

Should be encouraged to drop it back to the Cozy Camper then. Theres loads of rubbish drop points now as well. Trucks collect all the rubbish and are off site in 5 minutes. 

It'll never be 100% but its much easier now than before.

 

Some people can carry this amount without putting their back out.

[Jsmooth]

Completely Understandable and shouldn't effect me much will be packing light anyway, however ave to admit this has taken the wind out of my sails a little lost the excitement a bit I'm fairly rational person too. Sure in a day or two I'll be like these buggers are trying to panic us, I wont be having it and we'll all be making new friends in the queues.

[bsolxiv]

Whether it works or not, the biggest festival of the year has to be seen to be doing something after current events, their hands were tied. 

[musky]

3 minutes ago, Franky said:

Probably the best move.

If this was outside the festival and they had say handed over a bag of Class A they would have been nicked regardless of fessing it up or not, now compare this to the entry gates at the festival I dont think you will see the police making drugs arrests (for obvious personal use that is) as it simply takes up too much time and resources which they are going to want to keep free for more serious matters.

That's my opinion anyway.

I think you're probably right about the Class A's, but that was the choice he was given. Maybe the dog's response indicated it was grass. I've never seen cops with dogs or searching at the entrance so I don't think that's going to be an issue. I fact I can't recall even seeing a dog on site. I wonder if there's a breakdown of which drugs people were busted for online anywhere?

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

59 minutes ago, The Nal said:

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. 

I know that the festival is now firmly a middle/upper middle class social event but there are still some people with not much money and £30 might be their entire festival budget for booze.

I'm getting the coach due to last years shittiness getting in so will be bringing almost nowt plus wallet. I am fortunate enough to have the spare cash to flash around the site but some really do not have the money hence the trolley full of ale from lidl.

[musky]

Breakdown of arrests for drugs at the festival 2010-2015. https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/media/20816518/foi-993.pdf

[ripcurl85]

Just now, musky said:

Breakdown of arrests for drugs at the festival 2010-2015. https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/media/20816518/foi-993.pdf

Significantly lower numbers than I would have thought there. Interesting information.

[Crazyfool01]

Ive just purchased some tupaware boxes to make the searches and repacking easier ... and now have the ratchet straps and ditching the shrink-wrap. if everyone makes a small effort to make the searches easier this is going to cut down wait time . so everyone just do something that will take 30 seconds - 1 minute off the search time and it will definitely mount up !!

[The Nal]

3 minutes ago, The_Amazing_Oblong said:

I know that the festival is now firmly a middle/upper middle class social event but there are still some people with not much money and £30 might be their entire festival budget for booze.

I'm getting the coach due to last years shittiness getting in so will be bringing almost nowt plus wallet. I am fortunate enough to have the spare cash to flash around the site but some really do not have the money hence the trolley full of ale from lidl.

I'd argue its a tiny tiny minority. You see people pulling up in BMWs and trotting out slab after slab of cans. We've all seen them/been them. "Lets just take a break for a minute". Either pumping sweat from carrying it in the sun or pumping sweat from dragging it through the mud.

Most have tickets in October. The vast majority of people paying £250 a ticket should be able to save a tenner a month for booze. 

And it reduces the risk of thousands of empty cans all over the site the following morning like you see on the main stages. 

 

[Hotchilidog]

4 minutes ago, The_Amazing_Oblong said:

I know that the festival is now firmly a middle/upper middle class social event but there are still some people with not much money and £30 might be their entire festival budget for booze.

I'm getting the coach due to last years shittiness getting in so will be bringing almost nowt plus wallet. I am fortunate enough to have the spare cash to flash around the site but some really do not have the money hence the trolley full of ale from lidl.

This is true. Last year I was in WV and had friends coming by car who could bring me booze and I slashed my Glastonbury bill by half. I actually came back with cash. It is an easy money saver for people.

This year back on my own on the coach. I'll bring a few select cans for the wedneday, maybe a wine bag for the duration and some more cash for the bars. 

[StLewi]

I got searched last year - they checked all the outside compartments (around 4) of my rucksack, checked a smaller bag I was carrying and made me empty my pockets and go through a pat-down. This took around 10-15 minutes without the main compartment of my rucksack being checked and my tent being taken out.

People are saying searches will take 5 minutes, but that's very ambitious. Then if all the bags and tents are completely unpacked, everyone will have to spend 10-15 mins packing everything back up. Ain't gonna happen.

[musky]

10 minutes ago, ripcurl85 said:

Significantly lower numbers than I would have thought there. Interesting information.

Just taking a quick look through that and it does seem like that as far as cannabis goes they're more interested in dealers rather than those with a small amount, more for 2015 than in previous years when arrests for possession were considerably higher. I think it's fairly well established that if you're discreet the cops are more likely to turn a blind eye anyway.

I think security are more of an issue. Besides those that just relieve people of their stash for their own benefit, there are those who will just turn you over to the police. They've probably got their hands more tied in that situation.

Edited June 6, 2017 by musky

[squirrelarmy]

8 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

Ive just purchased some tupaware boxes to make the searches and repacking easier ... and now have the ratchet straps and ditching the shrink-wrap. if everyone makes a small effort to make the searches easier this is going to cut down wait time . so everyone just do something that will take 30 seconds - 1 minute off the search time and it will definitely mount up !!

Also helps with organising your gear in your tent too. 

[Madyaker]

The more I think about this the more I can't understand how it's gonna be workable to search every single bag going into the place. Unless they are going to double the amount of gates and security staff to search people.

[cazzatron]

24 minutes ago, The_Amazing_Oblong said:

I know that the festival is now firmly a middle/upper middle class social event but there are still some people with not much money and £30 might be their entire festival budget for booze.

I'm getting the coach due to last years shittiness getting in so will be bringing almost nowt plus wallet. I am fortunate enough to have the spare cash to flash around the site but some really do not have the money hence the trolley full of ale from lidl.

I am going to attempt to carry 26-30 cans (in my backpacker rucksack mind, not on trolleys or crates) or as many as I can fit in with my clothes. This is 30 quid worth! There might be a few drunk on the tuesday night if they can't fit but this is me for the weekend booze wise (+water bottle of vodka ). Certainly will only be bringing a little money with me just for food costs as I am skint.

 

16 minutes ago, The Nal said:

I'd argue its a tiny tiny minority. You see people pulling up in BMWs and trotting out slab after slab of cans.

 

I think there are more people on a budget than you might think, although yes, there are certainly a lot of people doing this.

Edited June 6, 2017 by cazzatron
my awful grammar.

[stopwn1981]

8 minutes ago, StLewi said:

People are saying searches will take 5 minutes, but that's very ambitious. Then if all the bags and tents are completely unpacked, everyone will have to spend 10-15 mins packing everything back up. Ain't gonna happen.

We won't know until we get there and I'm sure there will be a general acceptance of whatever measures are put in place, but if people are just stood there for hours on end whilst all people are searched, people will start to lose patience. Hopefully common sense prevails. 

[Fork_UK]

20 minutes ago, musky said:

Breakdown of arrests for drugs at the festival 2010-2015. https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/media/20816518/foi-993.pdf

That's very surprising.  It was basically none (considering the amount of people we know are in possession), and then it halved in 2015.  

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

My mate got searched on the way out of the gate to go back to CV east last year. He was in a bit of a state purely from too much booze hence why another mate was taking him home. Security searched him and he had two types of class As on him, which they took off of him, photographed him and sent him on his merry way.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Deaf Nobby Burton

[Gommy]

Has there been any comment on this statement from the e-mail:-

'There will, however, be no entertainment or facilities in the car parks and Festival goers will be expected to remain in their cars until the Festival gates open.'

If this is true this would be somewhat of a departure from previous years - queuing at the gates overnight once in the carpark.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Gommy

[rosssss224]

25 minutes ago, ripcurl85 said:

Significantly lower numbers than I would have thought there. Interesting information.

Correct me if I'm wrong but does arrest not mean something different to charged? Could have been lots more cautions issued perhaps!

[stuwilky]

2 minutes ago, Gommy said:

Has there been any comment on this statement from the e-mail:-

'There will, however, be no entertainment or facilities in the car parks and Festival goers will be expected to remain in their cars until the Festival gates open.'

If this is true this would be somewhat of a departure from previous years - queuing at the gates overnight once in the carpark.

Its always said this Gommy.

[Gommy]

Okay thanks, so sort of nonsense then. 

[musky]

3 minutes ago, Fork_UK said:

That's very surprising.  It was basically none (considering the amount of people we know are in possession), and then it halved in 2015.  

As a percentage of overall drug busts it's remained pretty constant though. It may well reflect the number of resources available to them, which might bode well for those who are concerned.