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Secret Garden Party Entry

Meghandi

Meghandi

New Member
Okay hey ?
So me and a few friends have for tickets to go SGP this year.We're all 17 but have adult tickets as we didn't have a 21+ to go with.I'm stressing about gaining entry so much I'm not even excited & most of us don't have id either.Will they be checking id on the gate due to the recent name/address changes? Do they ever ? ,who checks the id security or stewards? What should we do about drink and getting it in as are the bag checks thorough ? Basically if anyone who's been loads of times can tell us the whole procedure of going in ,in detail would put my mind at peace ,if it's like any other fests I've been to I'm hoping they'll be quite relaxed .Also I was thinking if they turn us away we could hopefully find a bunch of nice 21 year olds who'll say they're with us if need be!
Replies appreciated ,hope everyone going has a great time!!x
 
Ive never been checked for ID at any festivals.... but then I've never turned up under 18 without a guardian. It'll be stewards/people from the ticketing agency checking the tickets, its highly unlikely it will be security.

And yes, they will search everything you own..... SGP are quite tight on that because of their booze sponsorship deals (I think).
 
Might be a good idea to co-opt someone to be your older sister etc before reaching the gate. That way you'll look more of a family unit and perhaps have less hassle.
 
From their FAQ:
You will need to bring a valid photo ID such as a passport / driver’s license with your ticket in order to enter the festival site.

Photocopies will not be acceptable, but we will have a secure property lock-up on site where you can leave your valuables during the party.
Click to expand...
Passport needed to enter a festival? Jeez.
 
sim667 said:
Ive never been checked for ID at any festivals.... but then I've never turned up under 18 without a guardian. It'll be stewards/people from the ticketing agency checking the tickets, its highly unlikely it will be security.

And yes, they will search everything you own..... SGP are quite tight on that because of their booze sponsorship deals (I think).
Click to expand...
Right au im hoping with 30,000 people going through the gates they're not going to be interested in individuals ,thankyou!
 
i haven't been for a couple of years but i don't remember needing ID. someone who's been more recently will hopefully confirm.

i imagine you'll be fine getting in as long as you have an adult ticket but might get a couple of refusals at the bars.

they take the booze checks on the way in seriously though as there is a limit on beer / cider and no spirits allowed. if you want to take spirits decant them into water/pop bottles (no clinking) and hide them well.

also, due to the ridiculous searching, be prepared for a long wait in the queue on the way in.
 
So back to the car, neck a bottle of wine, sip one on the way back to the gates and I should be set for the day!
 
ID checks are pretty random but they do happen... best bet as someone said is to find someone willing to say they're your older brother/sister before you get to the gate! I ended up doing it for some kids at Lovebox on Friday :D
 
How old do you look? Over 25 you won't have an issue. If one in your group looks a bit of a child, get someone older to vouch them through - they won't be checking names and addresses and most festival goers are pretty chilled out for that sort of thing. Some festivals want ID from everyone, some don't care. Depends also on how interested the staff are. Will be event staff, not security or stewards - and probably volunteers. I would suggest not carrying booze in, because that will just invite the question about your ID. And booze is where they make their money. Seeing a few doing "all you can carry" and to be fair, they have been quite successful - single entry only though, you can't keep going backwards and forwards to get more! Brazen it out - you'll probably be OK. The staff at SGP are pretty chilled out and won't be interested in flagging you up. The only way it will go wrong is if you get legless as an under 18 - but I'm sure that won't be the case ;-)
 
sim667 said:
Then all they'll do is bundle you in the back of a 4x4, drive you to the middle of no where and dump you there.
Click to expand...
Only at Brownstock - and that has changed now, those two idiots both got time to serve. Under 18 is a nightmare - you are legally a child so you end up with Welfare, police, etc, etc - and the phone call to Mum or Dad to come fetch you. When your 15 year old has just been picked up for trying to sell his "look how clever I am" Mandy purchase to someone else because he's panicked - and someone else turns out to be covert security - then you can see how fast their world dissolves. In the old days we would have offloaded the tablet and told him to stop being a dick, these days we have to follow procedures - documented all the way. Or when a 17 year old is picked up for dealing and Mum comes to get him in her RR Vogue and doesn't even bat an eyelid - makes you wonder where the proceeds of his work ends up. Could be worse - you could be sold Ket instead of Coke and end up with an unwanted tent visitor later on....welcome to this year's current trend...
 
Thought I'd update the thread.It was a great festival with gorgeous scenery ,love the agnation in props however tgere could have been more of them ie the clingfilm hammocks.The "secret" areas could hAve been a bit easier to find especially with the weather.Getting in was no problem no I'd checks or booze for me as I just ensured I came across friendly and truthful (to a degree) although a friends checks were very rigorous they even went through his wet wipes and luckily missed the gear that was there ;).The weather was a downer though so bad in fact the day outings could barely occur although chilling with friends in a tent was quite enjoyable in the end.However thievery
Was terrible a fellow group had the entire tent raised whilst asleep 100's of pounds stolen including smartphones .A friend in my camp had £60 taken whilst asleep from his pocket and not to mention my other friend in my circle woke up to a man leaning over her with the "excuse of wrong tent" God knows what else could have happened had she been there alone.Another friend was spiked although she did drink from his drink.SGP could have better dealt with the mud wood chips maybe? .The plane and fireworks were amazing and the site at night was breathtaking .Despite some of the negatives it was a lovely festival and I thoroughly enjoyed it ,also no problems with security really lovely actually ,police officers were also patrolling but very friendly however a majority of the strwards were useless when asked for help.Such a shock to hear about the rape and lack of help but I suppose many hear things and think it's drug imposed ,just some fun,or too dangerous to get involved.Ill be back next year xx
 
Meghandi said:
Thought I'd update the thread.It was a great festival with gorgeous scenery ,love the agnation in props however tgere could have been more of them ie the clingfilm hammocks.The "secret" areas could hAve been a bit easier to find especially with the weather.Getting in was no problem no I'd checks or booze for me as I just ensured I came across friendly and truthful (to a degree) although a friends checks were very rigorous they even went through his wet wipes and luckily missed the gear that was there ;).The weather was a downer though so bad in fact the day outings could barely occur although chilling with friends in a tent was quite enjoyable in the end.However thievery
Was terrible a fellow group had the entire tent raised whilst asleep 100's of pounds stolen including smartphones .A friend in my camp had £60 taken whilst asleep from his pocket and not to mention my other friend in my circle woke up to a man leaning over her with the "excuse of wrong tent" God knows what else could have happened had she been there alone.Another friend was spiked although she did drink from his drink.SGP could have better dealt with the mud wood chips maybe? .The plane and fireworks were amazing and the site at night was breathtaking .Despite some of the negatives it was a lovely festival and I thoroughly enjoyed it ,also no problems with security really lovely actually ,police officers were also patrolling but very friendly however a majority of the strwards were useless when asked for help.Such a shock to hear about the rape and lack of help but I suppose many hear things and think it's drug imposed ,just some fun,or too dangerous to get involved.Ill be back next year xx
Click to expand...

She drank from his drink? Urgh. Stewards are generally minimum wage age based - so you get the level of interest you can expect. They are also looking to hammer out the hours to up their wages - not unheard of them to do 24 hours on a shift or more (they all sign Euro Working Time Directive waivers...). Searches are normally "if it's bloody obvious then I can't avoid seeing it" - but as you say - the attitude to give over has a massive effect on the chance of being searched. The police are trained (yeah, I know...) to look out for certain tell tale giveaways in the queue. Won't tell you all of them here, but I'm sure you can guess. If you know what they are, then everyone will try to mask them and they will just revert to "everyone" rather than "him/her". Some security are ex-police and ex-military so are also quite clued up on the indicators. In a big queue, try mentioning "pickpockets" quite loudly and watch peoples' hands go to their wallets, purses, hideaways. It's that simple sometimes. When I talk about your stash, I watch your hands..... ;-) And don't fiddle with your Zippo...lots of people getting caught on that one this year for some reason!

Again, the attack is not thought to be drug linked - although there were other assaults that may have been. If your friend woke up to a "wrong tent" then please try and report it next time - it's a standard ploy to see if you are zombied. Things being stolen seem to be a common thread which is hard to avoid. Don't know why they can have smartphone charging stalls but can't bring secure lockers to events like this?

If you want to suggest stuff to the organisers, wait a fortnight then send an email. They will be inundated now and most emails will be drag n dropped to the cruncher. Give them suggestions and solutions, not moans - they are likely to act on them then. I have heard that there are likely to be tighter licensing constraints next year and that there is a rumour that SGP might be encouraged to take a year off, like many do when they reach a certain size where it looks like they need to reapproach their planning. Look at where SGP was a few years ago compared to where it is now - sometimes the organisers are not good enough to organise - it's too big, but they won't pass on their baby to professionals.
 
TheInsider said:
Stewards are generally minimum wage age based - so you get the level of interest you can expect. They are also looking to hammer out the hours to up their wages - not unheard of them to do 24 hours on a shift or more (they all sign Euro Working Time Directive waivers...).
Click to expand...
Eh? Isn't SGP done by Green? Volunteers doing 6 hour shifts (I think - sim667 is our Green Stewards correspondent!)
 
Not always - the security companies only need to be putting badges in certain areas - the rest can be staffed by nmw stewards. There is a trend to vol stewards like Oxfam etc, but some festivals they turn up, sign in, bugger off....next time have a look at the badges on display. You'll see a lot of stewards bulking up areas like fence lines, non-licenced areas, etc. Technically, stewards can search as well and do at sporting events....
 
sim667 said:
Green stewards still do Sgp. It's an unpaid voluntary role. Security is by a company.
Click to expand...

Do the security include stewards in their numbers? Quite common these days to up numbers and drop costs. I've even seen stewards working in pubs, which is very odd. Vol stewards are interesting - some work really well, some don't at all. Have a look next time around the fence lines, car parks, camping (up the towers especially), pit areas, backstage and sidestage - see how many you see without badges.

And remember children - the badge is not magic. It DOES NOT give the wearer any more power than you.

If you are assaulted (an indictable offence) you can arrest them. Would be an interesting stand off though. You are allowed to use force within the law (common and civil). I'd like to see someone ask to search security...and you can video them and they can video you, as long as it's not on private land and you do not cause alarm, distress of harassment whilst doing it. Just be sensible.

You might also want to do the courses that Green and Black Cross do for legal observers - gives you a good insight into the correct methods of observation for legal purposes rather than just gobbing off with a smartphone and looking a bit of a dick afterwards when you post it on Lad Bible (look for the traffic warden one - the guy trying to be smart shoots himself in both feet. And both knees).

There is a brilliant Youtube clip that I can't be arsed to find of a photographer in London doing that to a couple of PCSOs who get way out of their depth way too quickly. You can see the older guy click, but the younger one keeps on wielding that spade and digging deeper. When he quotes "Terrorism"....you know he's lost every aspect of the battle. Video is for the protection of both sides and if it's not body worn, the person carrying the handycam is normally a media student and NOT security - so please don't hassle them too much. They are just kids building a portfolio.
 
Ironically last time I stewarded I got made into a supervisor on my last shift, and my first ever job as supervisor, break up a fight between a security guard and a steward because the steward had accused the security guard of being inapropriate toward a underage drunk girl...... The steward was right and the security guard was guilty as fuck...... This about sums up most of my experiences with security guards. I just avoid them like the plague, they are not there for my welfare, I am not there to become their friends nor do I want them as mine. I've been thrust into security jobs when working as a steward because security companies have failed to recruit enough staff, and the only thing that happened was security staff saying they could do it better.
 
For the sake of balance I've met some quality security whilst stewarding, particularly one dude who had a great sense of humour when I spent most of my Monday morning shift at Boomtown hiding behind the gate in fetal position
 
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