Site Changes 2023

[Skip997]

21 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

i cant quite work out where the Arcadia issues happened ... a friend camped nearby had to stop people trampling her tent .... when I went there the approaches seemed quite free flowing 

Too many people on site, partly the fault of GFL

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, Skip997 said:

Too many people on site, partly the fault of GFL

where was the question .?.. hopefully this gets sorted this year . far too many work arounds last year I believe 

[Justcalledtosay]

32 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

i cant quite work out where the Arcadia issues happened ... a friend camped nearby had to stop people trampling her tent .... when I went there the approaches seemed quite free flowing 

The issues we encountered trying to get to Calvin Harris were down the path in the blue box. I'm loath to call them crushes because i've been involved with much worse going to watch Middlesbrough but my wife wasn't comfortable as she wasn't used to it. Lots of people trampling tents and forcing their way through hedges to escape. 

The ticker sign was broken at the entrance and the stewards weren't very helpful in directing the flow of traffic.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Justcalledtosay

[gooner1990]

4 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

The issues we encountered trying to get to Calvin Harris were down the path in the blue box. I'm loath to call them crushes because i've been involved with much worse going to watch Middlesbrough but my wife wasn't comfortable as she wasn't used to it. Lots of people trampling tents and forcing their way through hedges to escape. 

The ticker sign was broken at the entrance and the stewards weren't very helpful in directing the flow of traffic.

Yeh, I wouldn't call them crushes either...just a lot of people trying to get to the same place at the same time....I've seen it a lot worse in other years....I was camped in the bit of green to the left of where it says Sweet Charity on your screen grab.....was interesting trying to get our camp to regroup on the Friday night (we had a mare!)

[Crazyfool01]

4 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

The issues we encountered trying to get to Calvin Harris were down the path in the blue box. I'm loath to call them crushes because i've been involved with much worse going to watch Middlesbrough but my wife wasn't comfortable as she wasn't used to it. Lots of people trampling tents and forcing their way through hedges to escape. 

The ticker sign was broken at the entrance and the stewards weren't very helpful in directing the flow of traffic.

got ya ... just asked friend and that was where she was .... think I must have entered via park home then ? but there were a few issues around stewarding with experience and numbers and issue due to covid . maybe they should remove one of the bars up there or was it just the approaches where there were issues .... a one way flow would obviously help too 

[gooner1990]

1 minute ago, Crazyfool01 said:

got ya ... just asked friend and that was where she was .... think I must have entered via park home then ? but there were a few issues around stewarding with experience and numbers and issue due to covid . maybe they should remove one of the bars up there or was it just the approaches where there were issues .... a one way flow would obviously help too 

It was(is) a terrible pinch point, especially post headliners, Park, Arcadia, toilets, food stalls, pennards all in close range...I didn't see any crushing as such but it was very congested a few times and I think some of the stewards didn't really know what to do.

Hopefully it was a one off as I haven't seen it like that before and have camped in that area for last 7-8 years....

[4AssedMonkey]

The junction in the middle has always been a problem.  You've got a 4 way crossroads which is usually pretty busy as it goes to various campsites, plus the main inflow/outflow from Arcadia and The Park, plus a load of traders, a water point and long drops right where it all collides.  So there's people stood around waiting for mates in the loo and queueing for water/food/drinks at all times.  When an act finishes at The Park or Arcadia (or god forbid both) it jams up like crazy.  It was pretty busy before Arcadia relocated.  It's at times disastrous now.

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

The junction in the middle has always been a problem.  You've got a 4 way crossroads which is usually pretty busy as it goes to various campsites, plus the main inflow/outflow from Arcadia and The Park, plus a load of traders, a water point and long drops right where it all collides.  So there's people stood around waiting for mates in the loo and queueing for water/food/drinks at all times.  When an act finishes at The Park or Arcadia (or god forbid both) it jams up like crazy.  It was pretty busy before Arcadia relocated.  It's at times disastrous now.

Combined with the absolute sea of people post pyramid headliner heading their before se corner.

[Paul ™]

Who do you work for SGS and who were the crowd control team?

[tomf3]

They got rid of the entrance to the north east that was there on the 2019 map. I'm guessing that didn't help matters 

[Skip997]

16 minutes ago, SGS said:

I am one of the volunteer supervisors up at the park. the crowd control team were not part of the 300 volunteer stewards that we look after - they were part of central contol much higher up the food chain than me

 

For a while late last year it looked like our team (Green Traffic) was going to be replaced by site traffic people. Fortunately GFL realised the error as you can't replace years of experience in a particular area.

[Crazyfool01]

2 hours ago, SGS said:

I can promise you it wasn't the stewards fault. we had a plan as we have done in previous years as we are aware of the bottom of the park being a pinch point on certain nights. we usually put a one way system in ahead of time and whilst very busy it moves people through safely. Last year we were told that our input wasn't neccessary and there was a specialist crowd cpntrol team and they would take over and take control, and we should just back off. they didn't listen to our advice. I among others have worked up at the park since its inception in 2007 and have a better idea than most about how it works. we were dissapointed with their plan - told them so and we were extremely concerned with the outcome. this was brought up in the post festival briefings and we have been told that they have listened. time will tell.  On the saturday night at about 1130 I was trying to get from the park to Arcadia crew bar and was stuck it it. I'm a big lad and I was off my feet and had no control of where I ws going. It was deeply concerning.

Apologies if that read wrong . No blame attached to any volunteers 

[drunk pumpkin]

I'm sure that the changes made last year around crowd control were made with the best intention, they were however very poorly executed (in my experience) 

I am a great believer that local, tacit knowledge cannot be replaced and I do hope they start listening to the stewards who have years and years of experience managing crowds in those areas. 

Bottom of the Park has always been a struggle during busy times. There is no real way to avoid it when large acts finish. We all know you need to be patient and not worry. 

Last year felt completely different, I found myself caught up twice and it felt dangerous at times. 

Let's hope it gets improved for this year

 

[Crazyfool01]

just reading on Glasto chat we got the small spider last year as the big one got damaged in transit ? anyone know about this ? if thats the case then im sure we will get the big one this time and probably not quite as late as last year 

[stuie]

16 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

just reading on Glasto chat we got the small spider last year as the big one got damaged in transit ? anyone know about this ? if thats the case then im sure we will get the big one this time and probably not quite as late as last year 

There is only one spider, but it was missing it's mechanical arms last year. 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, stuie said:

There is only one spider, but it was missing it's mechanical arms last year. 

hence looking smaller ... that makes sense 

[stuie]

4 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

hence looking smaller ... that makes sense 

Yes indeed! I guess the arms may have been damaged in transit? 

2022 spider:

 

 

[StoneCircle]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:00 PM, Leyrulion said:

 

Accessible camping- moving 

Then obviously the pressure on them over crowding, the guardian line up release referenced it so shows it's a real pressure on them.

 

On 3/18/2023 at 7:22 PM, dotdash79 said:

Accessible is moving to wicket so that family camping will be moved (straight swap?)

Accessible camping is now back in Spring Ground with caravans/campervans across the road (which could mean the lower part of Wicket Ground.... I will update you if I hear any more information. 😃

[stanh]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

Yes indeed! I guess the arms may have been damaged in transit? 

2022 spider:

 

 

Has anyone got a similar photo of it in 2017 with the arms for comparison?

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, stanh said:

Has anyone got a similar photo of it in 2017 with the arms for comparison?

[stanh]

3 minutes ago, stuie said:

Mega pic! Cheers :))

[dotdash79]

1 hour ago, StoneCircle said:

Accessible camping is now back in Spring Ground with caravans/campervans across the road (which could mean the lower part of Wicket Ground.... I will update you if I hear any more information. 😃

interesting, Family wasn't taking up all of wicket last year so it might be able to stay where it is.

[Losing my hair]

1 hour ago, stanh said:

Has anyone got a similar photo of it in 2017 with the arms for comparison?

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by Losing my hair

[CaledonianGonzo]

So last year the reason ole Spiddy the Spider felt a little bit reduced in scope was the absence of those elbow extender things?

Well I never.

 

(And the inflatable balls around the base)

[Scrump]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

Looks like they were expecting a muddy year. Great hack!