The organizers of Brighton’s Beachdown Festival have announced, via their website, that they will not be allowing alcohol purchased off-site.
If you are going, then prepare to take a few more pennies with you as this could raise the overall cost of the event by a fair amount. To compare Beachdown to a pub seems like rather strange reasoning – we all know it’s a festival not a pub.
Clause 39 of our festival license states: ‘No person (other than in the course of his or her job) will be allowed to take alcohol purchased off-site into the arena (site)’.
In not allowing alcohol to be brought on-site Beachdown organisers are complying with a license condition (one of over 100) by which we have to abide by in order to hold Beachdown in this beautiful location.
The simple way to look at it is to imagine that the Beachdown site is a giant licensed pub with a garden. Would you expect to be able to bring your own alcohol into a pub? We have deliberately priced all alcohol and soft-drink options at Beachdown to be on a par with or in some cases cheaper than a typical sea-front pub or bar in Brighton. Certainly in comparison to London prices and indeed other Festivals our drinks prices are cheaper.
on Jun 26th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Ladies and gentlemen of the supposed jury, I have one final thing I want you to consider. This is Chewbacca. Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk, but Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now, think about that. That does not make sense!
on Jun 26th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Marek.
I’m from Croydon. And I live in Brighton.
I see your point.
on Jun 26th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Ridiculous. Pub garden my arse.
I’ve got tickets to what I thought was a reasonably priced, great sounding festival on my doorstep – now it feels expensive and opportunist.
Seriously considering getting rid of my tickets.
on Jun 26th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
This is properly rubbish. Totally agree with Max above; i’m sure the Reading or Glastonbury organisers would never try the ‘pub garden’ argument.
Feels like a cheap and nasty way to capitalize on the niche nature of the festival.
Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a contact for Beachdown that we can talk directly to.
on Jun 26th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
They said the same thing last year but managed to sneak it in without too much trouble. Just put it in soft drink bottles and re-seal them, they don’t have time to intensively search everybody.
on Jun 30th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
This will not help a festival which has one of the most hilarious line ups in quite sometime. Everyone I speak to is in disbelief at the acts especially the headliner. Who came name more than 1 Grace Jones song. At the De La Soul gig a local radio ‘DJ’ asked who had tickets and was greeted with a hilarious silence. Apparently another act was to be announced that would make tickets sell out instantly said he – Sidney Youngblood has that effect on ticket sales…..
on Jul 1st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Sounds like a lot of drama over nothing. You can’t officially take booze in any festival but everyone does so I’d stop worrying, stash a few cans in your bag and walk on through. no one ever checks do they? Have you tried getting drink into Reading? I had to our my can out at the door last year.
Can’t believe Pig City, how ignorant – you’ve never heard of Grace Jones? Pull Up To The Bumper, Slave To The Rhythm, La Vie En Rose, Private Life, the list goes on.
on Jul 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Patsy R. That is not really correct. Most festivals allow alcohol for personal use. Otherwise all the people carrying crates of beer would be pretty unhappy. Drinks are pretty much always allowed in the camping area.
Camp Bestival
- You are allowed to bring in your own alcohol (for consumption in the camping field) but only up to a set amount per person – 2 cases of beer, 1 bottle of spirits and 1 bottle of wine. You will be asked to leave any other alcohol outside the event. Once you have entered the event you cannot re-enter with more alcohol supplies.
Big Chill
- There will be 16 BARS on site. If you require ‘take-outs’ the bars have containers, but can only serve during licensing hours. Alcohol may not be brought into the main arena. It’s okay, however, in the camping areas, as long as it’s not in glass bottles.
Glastonbury
- If you’re bringing your own alcohol to the Festival, remember that amounts considered beyond reasonable personal use will be confiscated at the gate. All glass bottles will also be confiscated – you must decant all contents into plastic bottles before you come to site.
Bestival
- You are allowed to bring in your own alcohol (for consumption in the camping field) but only up to a set amount per person – 2 cases of beer, 1 bottle of spirits and 1 bottle of wine. You will be asked to leave any other alcohol outside the event. Once you have entered the event you cannot re-enter with more alcohol supplies.
on Jul 2nd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Is it really worth smuggling in a few cans???
Obviously someone can name more than 1 Grace Jones song. Somehow I don’t think you’ll have much trouble getting down the front to see her and singing along
on Jul 3rd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Ross, can I just ask how you think there isn’t any contact information on the website??
There are several emails listed on there if you look under the information tag and they even have their phone number on there 01273 666363. I’m sure that if you phoned them up they’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.
Give it a try : )
on Jul 6th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
See what you;re saying about the other festivals but it’s not that much different I don;t think. I’m sure it;s the same at Beachdown, booze in the campsite is ok, in the arena it;s not ok. At reading I had to tip 3 cans out on the way in to the arena and at Bestival they’re only letting you bring in a crate of lager. That’s gonna last a group of 4 people about 2 hours :)
on Jul 6th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
As long as you can bring your own booze in to the camp site then that’s not a problem. It’s the idea of being reliant on spending money at bars for the duration which is so unattractive. It’s the wording they use it which makes it unclear.
When referring to the site, does that include the camping area?
At Bestival however they have no problem with you bringing a crate per person.
on Jul 6th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
This might be our answer. Quote from efestivals.co.uk:
“Beachdown will not be allowing festival goers to bring their own alcohol purchased off-site, this includes both the arena and the campsite areas.”
http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/beachdown/2009/
on Jul 6th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
I still wouldn’t think too much of that Marek. If you look at Secret Garden they’ve even got specific amounts of exactly what you’re allowed to bring in with you.
I’m sure they have to say “festival site” because of the licence but as long as you’re not starting up a business selling stuff in the camp site you should be fine!
All festivals have the same licence conditions and can still bring alcohol with you to the camp site there, right. Its probably just that you can’t flaunt it about.
on Jul 6th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
The fact is other festivals do allow alcohol. If you look at the T&Cs of pretty much ANY other major festival it clearly states that alcohol is allowed at the very least in to the camping area. A festival which in its terms does not let you bring drink in is a first for me.
on Jul 8th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
ANNA IS ON THE MONEY HERE. THEY HAVE TO STATE THIS STUFF TO GET ROUND LICENSING. WHAT THE HELL I’M GOING TO BRING SOME DRINK, HAVE SOME FUN AND SO WHAT IF I HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON A PINT OR TWO? I WOULD DOWN THE PUB ANYWAY.
on Aug 13th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Licensing laws in this country are harsh, however it seems odd that a festival was created on a site where they couldn’t get a full festival/outdoor entertainments license.
I’ll be at this festival, I’ve done the Isle of Wight fest this year and everyone was allowed to bring alcohol into the campsite but the security was intense at the gates to the main area.
There were passive drugs dogs, undercover police and no bottles which weren’t unopened water bottles had to be discarded at the entrance. That included deodorant, lipgloss, nail varnish, everything liquid. It was a bit ridic, like freakin airport security. Though it didn’t stop most people in the main arena being totally smashed up in one way or another. You just have to get creative!
There’s always ways and means people…enjoy.
on Aug 13th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Hi Guys, According to the quotes above you should be able to take alcohol into the camping area. If you read the back of the ticket it says:
“The event site does not include the event campsites”
The quotes above only relate to the event site.
on Aug 14th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Hope you are right Christos. Beachdown have since removed the article from their news section which mentions the alcohol restriction. Maybe they have backed down anyway.
on Aug 20th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Just a heads up that Beachdown are once again bouncing cheques left, right & centre. After similar issues last year you can bet that suppliers of goods & services to Beachdown won’t want to get burned again, and this could well jeopardise the event going ahead at all.
on Aug 26th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
How right you were Gartside!