What have you seen at other festivals that could work for Glasto?

[squirrelarmy]

What things do other festivals do that could improve Glastonbury? 
 

I didn’t make it this year so I’m not sure if any these ideas have been implemented or expanded on since 2017 but this is what I saw at the last fest I went to. 

I know Glastonbury trialled the metal cup in 2017 but not sure how well it was received. Sziget in recent years have been using a deposit system for a hard plastic cup (not single use). You just bring it back each time you want a fresh pint, usually getting a fresh cup each time too, the old ones are washed and recirculated. The cups also had a range of different printing on which made them highly collectible plus the monetary value of them meant any discarded cups were quickly gathered for those wanting some money back. I brought home about 10 different cups which I’ll be keeping. 
 

Cans for sale at bars. It’s great filling a small backpack up with cans of cold beer before heading back into a crowd, much easier to deal with than pints. Aluminium is highly recyclable so it’s good for the green aspect of things.

More emphasis on recycling of camping gear. I know they have that one place near Pennards but they could expand it a lot further. I’d love to be able to buy things like airbeds (filled) and return them to a recycling point at the end of the festival to cut down on stuff to be carried as well as having those items donated to a worthy cause after the festival has ended. Again comparing it to Sziget but they had recycling points for camping gear at every campus area rather than a single location which may not be convenient for all.

 

[eFestivals]

7 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

a deposit system for a hard plastic cup (not single use).

there's been an amount of this done at Glastonbury for the last 5+ years or so. 

The problem is it's still creating new plastic.

Hopefully people are cottoning on to take a cup with them now, same as they're starting to cotton on to water bottles.

Edited October 14, 2019 by eFestivals

[topmarksbri]

Cans at bars seems like a no brainer. Brothers used to sell massive (albeit plastic) bottles, can't see why they can't do cans, unless it's a licensing thing.

[squirrelarmy]

25 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

there's been an amount of this done at Glastonbury for the last 5+ years or so. 

The problem is it's still creating new plastic.

Hopefully people are cottoning on to take a cup with them now, same as they're starting to cotton on to water bottles.

If people are bringing their own cup to the bar how are they managing the licensing issue? Beer has to be sold in multiples of halves/3rds or full pints. Having a container the right size is essential, they also need to have the volume marked on order to be legal if the beer is being free poured or the amount of beer being issued has to be dispensed by a machine I can't remember seeing the automatic ones but hopefully someone who worked on a Glasto bar can confirm if this is the case or not.

[Old_Johno]

Technically If you sell cans at a bar you have to open the cans at the bar as part of the lisence. Normally they’re volunteers and don’t care. 

 

[squirrelarmy]

1 minute ago, Old_Johno said:

Technically If you sell cans at a bar you have to open the cans at the bar as part of the lisence. Normally they’re volunteers and don’t care. 

 

The cans were at a European festival so different licensing laws. Interesting about the cans having to be open in the UK in order to be allowed by the license. 

[wweerr208]

41 minutes ago, topmarksbri said:

Cans at bars seems like a no brainer. Brothers used to sell massive (albeit plastic) bottles, can't see why they can't do cans, unless it's a licensing thing.

From my very vague memory, the police did not like people buying 5litres of extremely strong cider - no idea why!!

[Quark]

It is still frustrating when bars are just pouring a pre-filled disposable cup into my steel one and then binning it anyway.  I get the need to have a quick turnaround, but there must be a better way of doing it.

Maybe having separate queues for with / without cup?  If you go with cup, instead of using disposables they have reusable pre-filled measuring cups they can just decant into your steel cup, that then get added back into the pile and refilled for the next punter. Would get around the licensing / measurement issue that way.

@glasto-worker you're the font of knowledge for the bar setups. Any massive reason something like that wouldn't work that I'm  missing?

[Hugh Jass]

Kraftwerk

[Havors]

27 minutes ago, Old_Johno said:

Technically If you sell cans at a bar you have to open the cans at the bar as part of the lisence. Normally they’re volunteers and don’t care. 

 

Depends if you have a take out license. Some pubs have both and you can get a take away... i.e. not open the can or bottle. 

[eFestivals]

47 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

If people are bringing their own cup to the bar how are they managing the licensing issue? Beer has to be sold in multiples of halves/3rds or full pints. Having a container the right size is essential, they also need to have the volume marked on order to be legal if the beer is being free poured or the amount of beer being issued has to be dispensed by a machine I can't remember seeing the automatic ones but hopefully someone who worked on a Glasto bar can confirm if this is the case or not.

it's not been a problem at any festival bar (glasto & non-glasto) I've taken a plastic cup to.

Edited October 14, 2019 by eFestivals

[hfuhruhurr]

Not possible at Glastonbury since it's not an arena festival, but I've been totally converted to no day bag/rucksack rule at other festivals. It's liberating not carrying around a bag. Just have whatever you use for warmth/rain cover tied around waist and pockets filled with crap.

Never get hit by a rucksack again...

[chazwwe]

2 minutes ago, hfuhruhurr said:

Not possible at Glastonbury since it's not an arena festival, but I've been totally converted to no day bag/rucksack rule at other festivals. It's liberating not carrying around a bag. Just have whatever you use for warmth/rain cover tied around waist and pockets filled with crap.

Never get hit by a rucksack again...

While this is fine, Glastonbury is too big of a festival for me to do this. Also helps you take around alcohol. 

My main thing would be from Rock Wercher and have a IN > OUT system for the pyramid stage in between acts. 

[squirrelarmy]

1 minute ago, hfuhruhurr said:

Not possible at Glastonbury since it's not an arena festival, but I've been totally converted to no day bag/rucksack rule at other festivals. It's liberating not carrying around a bag. Just have whatever you use for warmth/rain cover tied around waist and pockets filled with crap.

Never get hit by a rucksack again...

Been able to take a bag full of beer and snacks around with you is one of the things that makes Glastonbury appealing. Although a days worth of beer is heavy and gets warm quickly. Much better if you can top up a smaller bag with fresh cold cans throughout the day. 
 

Although you’re right about backpacks in crowds though. They can be a pain. If you get hit in the face by a turtle shell next year it’s probably me and apologies in advance. I do take my bag off once I get to where I’m going though.  

[chazwwe]

1 hour ago, squirrelarmy said:

Been able to take a bag full of beer and snacks around with you is one of the things that makes Glastonbury appealing. Although a days worth of beer is heavy and gets warm quickly. Much better if you can top up a smaller bag with fresh cold cans throughout the day. 
 

Although you’re right about backpacks in crowds though. They can be a pain. If you get hit in the face by a turtle shell next year it’s probably me and apologies in advance. I do take my bag off once I get to where I’m going though.  

I take a bumbag and then a small-ish day bag, Can put my water bottle and a bottle for spirits attached to my hip, and then fill the small bag up with 3/4 cans and something I'll think I'll need for the day (poncho/over hanging shirt) and a snack. I do a restock normally late afternoon before the last few acts and by the time the headliner is on all I've got in my bag is a poncho or shirt depending on weather and it squishes up firmly to my back. 

[UEF]

2 hours ago, eFestivals said:

there's been an amount of this done at Glastonbury for the last 5+ years or so. 

The problem is it's still creating new plastic.

Hopefully people are cottoning on to take a cup with them now, same as they're starting to cotton on to water bottles.

A shame those metal cups they made made all drinks taste funny. I've considering potting some plants in mine. 

[pahqman]

Bag off and in front when going through heavy crowds. Then you only bop the weirdos sitting in a circle completely surrounded by standing room only folk (and they deserve it imho).

[waltere]

2 hours ago, squirrelarmy said:

If people are bringing their own cup to the bar how are they managing the licensing issue? Beer has to be sold in multiples of halves/3rds or full pints. Having a container the right size is essential, they also need to have the volume marked on order to be legal if the beer is being free poured or the amount of beer being issued has to be dispensed by a machine I can't remember seeing the automatic ones but hopefully someone who worked on a Glasto bar can confirm if this is the case or not.

Anything being free poured, be it spirits or pulled pints, legally has to be done using measures. The big multi-pint machines can used to fill up anything because the machine automatically dispenses it by the half-pint.

[UEF]

Just now, waltere said:

Anything being free poured, be it spirits or pulled pints, legally has to be done using measures. The big multi-pint machines can used to fill up anything because the machine automatically dispenses it by the half-pint.

I think the great 'free pouring' test case is due to be heard at the Old Bailey right after R Vs. Coca Cola bringing the first "Didn't ask if Pepsi was OK" prosecution 

[Matt42]

1 hour ago, Hugh Jass said:

Kraftwerk

I chuckled. 
 

depeche mode

[Smeble]

2 hours ago, squirrelarmy said:

What things do other festivals do that could improve Glastonbury? 
 

I didn’t make it this year so I’m not sure if any these ideas have been implemented or expanded on since 2017 but this is what I saw at the last fest I went to. 

I know Glastonbury trialled the metal cup in 2017 but not sure how well it was received. Sziget in recent years have been using a deposit system for a hard plastic cup (not single use). You just bring it back each time you want a fresh pint, usually getting a fresh cup each time too, the old ones are washed and recirculated. The cups also had a range of different printing on which made them highly collectible plus the monetary value of them meant any discarded cups were quickly gathered for those wanting some money back. I brought home about 10 different cups which I’ll be keeping. 
 

Cans for sale at bars. It’s great filling a small backpack up with cans of cold beer before heading back into a crowd, much easier to deal with than pints. Aluminium is highly recyclable so it’s good for the green aspect of things.

More emphasis on recycling of camping gear. I know they have that one place near Pennards but they could expand it a lot further. I’d love to be able to buy things like airbeds (filled) and return them to a recycling point at the end of the festival to cut down on stuff to be carried as well as having those items donated to a worthy cause after the festival has ended. Again comparing it to Sziget but they had recycling points for camping gear at every campus area rather than a single location which may not be convenient for all.

 

Latitude do the hard plastic cup thing and it works great. 
 

[Tommy Dickfingers]

More affordable pre erected camping and camping gear rental facilities. That’s my one real problem with Glastonbury, I wanna turn up with a bag of clothes, some cash, some gear not have to do any heavy lifting but I’m not rich so make it affordable for normal people. 

[chazwwe]

19 minutes ago, Tommy Dickfingers said:

More affordable pre erected camping and camping gear rental facilities. That’s my one real problem with Glastonbury, I wanna turn up with a bag of clothes, some cash, some gear not have to do any heavy lifting but I’m not rich so make it affordable for normal people. 

This would encourage people to leave their stuff/trash it from what I've seen at other festivals that do this. Its more waste/stuff being left at the festival and is kinda counterproductive to what they've been trying to do. 

[Rubber Soldier]

2 hours ago, Quark said:

It is still frustrating when bars are just pouring a pre-filled disposable cup into my steel one and then binning it anyway.  I get the need to have a quick turnaround, but there must be a better way of doing it.

Maybe having separate queues for with / without cup?  If you go with cup, instead of using disposables they have reusable pre-filled measuring cups they can just decant into your steel cup, that then get added back into the pile and refilled for the next punter. Would get around the licensing / measurement issue that way.

@glasto-worker you're the font of knowledge for the bar setups. Any massive reason something like that wouldn't work that I'm  missing?

As far as I know it’s cleanliness thing. The paper/plastic cups are clean before the touch the tap. Your metal cup isn’t. It’s really frustrating. We bought the metal cups at 16 and have used them since, would be nice if they could find a way to put a lovey cold pint directly in it. 

[BOBBY_FIRMINO]

Those plastic cups make great souvenirs, got loads in at home from festivals / gigs / football matches abroad. Got ones which are still fine today after years of runs in the dishwasher

Problem of having them here is the english are absolute slobs so most would still end up on the floor (probably full of piss)