Glastonbury festival to enforce stricter alcohol policies for 2013

Glastonbury Festival have revealed changes to their alcohol policy, revising previous procedures for letting ticket holders take plentiful amounts of previously bought bottles and cans into the site.

The organisers, as For Folks Sake point out, recently sent out an email to those attending this year’s event stating that a new rule means that they will not be able to use “wheeled devices” such as “trolleys, wheelbarrows and wheeled suitcases” to bring alcohol into Worthy Farm.

Instead, the email reads, “any alcohol which is brought to the gates using a wheeled device will not be allowed in, and may be confiscated”. Festival-goers will instead have to carry all items by hand, thus clamping down on alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour.

This year’s Glastonbury festival runs at the end of the month from 26-30 June in Pilton. The full email sent to festival attendees can be found below:

“Dear Festival Goer,

We are writing with some information about the use of alcohol at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. We would very much appreciate it if you would read through this information.

‘CHALLENGE 21′

We shall be operating the ‘Challenge 21′ policy whereby if you look under 21 you will be asked for identification. It is illegal to buy alcohol if you are a minor so please note you will not be served if you are under 18 or if you look under 21 and do not have appropriate ID.

We are also trialling a ‘Challenge 21 wristband scheme’. This means that if you look under 21 you can show your ID once, and get a wristband that demonstrates that you are over 18. The wristbands are available from the Property Lock-Ups – see the site map for their locations. (You can also deposit your ID in the Lock-Ups for safe-keeping.)

The wristband scheme is voluntary and you can still get an alcoholic drink without a ‘Challenge 21′ wristband – as long as you are over 18 and can prove it, if challenged, by bar staff.

ALCOHOL ADVICE

The misuse of Alcohol is potentially dangerous, so if you or your friends want advice, information or assistance we have many support systems available on site. In an emergency contact a steward or security guard or alternatively you can go to an Information Point where they will be able to help you.

BRINGING ALCOHOL ON SITE

Glastonbury is the only major UK festival that allows you to take alcohol into the event. However, we need to encourage reasonable consumption and discourage over-consumption, so there are some provisions.

1. Any alcohol brought onto the site must be for personal consumption only
2. No glass bottles can be brought onto the site
3. You must be able to carry your alcohol yourself, without using any wheeled devices, including trolleys, wheelbarrows and wheeled suitcases.
4. Any Alcohol which is brought to the gates using a wheeled device will not be allowed in, and may be confiscated

We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Festival.”