Excessive Drink prices in the arena

Submitted by soulboynumber1 on Mon, 20/02/2012 - 11:57am

Forums:

I recently emailed this to the organisers below and currently waiting for a reply. Would be good to know what everyone thinks about this topic.

I came to the festival last year and a great time was had by all in the beautiful Welsh countryside.
But like most festivals who declare that their festival is a truly independent affair, have no qualms to allow 
customer to get hammered by the extortionate cost of drinks inside the arena.

Why would you as organisers allow vendors to charge prices that at times are equivalent to many a bar
in London's  West end? I don't mind the fact that i have to consume purchased alcohol within the arena
when there prices are affordable especially if its locally sourced. What i do have an issue with is that there is no 
regulation on how badly punters get ripped off by vendors who's prices are the complete opposite of what an independent 
festival should stand for (anti capitalist ethics that monopolising goods and what is charged for those goods)

lucy in the sky

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 12:24pm

'Extortionate' really!? I personally think the bar prices at Greenman are reasonable. If you go to other festivals, prices are noticably more! When you take on the fact that these other festivals are also plastered with sponsorship and our lovely one in Wales isn't, all things considered, they are doing a a marvellous job keeping them down.

... Also, I live in London and the prices are definitely cheaper at GM than here. : )

 

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ciderslurper

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 12:37pm

Never heard that one before.  I have always found prices very reasonable. What drinks at what prices are you referring to Soulboynumber1?

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Fiver

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 12:40pm

 

I don't think prices at GM are bad at all. Also, you are free to take your own food and drink with - you're not forced to consume purchased alcohol within the arena. Are you on the right festival's website?

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Wakestock

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 12:45pm

And what's more, you actually have the option of proper quality ales and cider in the central stables bar. Don't think it's any more expensive than any city centre pub really

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Sian_E

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 5:19pm

I don't think the prices are 'extortionate'. I'm happy enough to pay £3-4 for a pint of good quality beer or cider from a local, independent brewery like Artisan (at the courtyard bar) who have a great selection and who care about what they do. You'd pay the same for a pint of weak, generic lager on a night out in Cardiff now anyway, so I don't think it's really that bad.

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Fergal

Mon, 20/02/2012 - 6:38pm

I don't ever feel like I have been ripped off.

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scousebaby's picture

scousebaby

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 1:17pm

I don't think we are being ripped off, My part-time job is in a bar that is reknowned for it's ale and consequently know a little about such matters. All of the beers are reasonably priced and the stuff in the courtyard is amazing value for money.

On another note, do we have a new legend for the 2012 t-shirt?

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ray_rad

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 4:42pm

excessive drink prices wrecked my weekend

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bezzah

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 6:35pm

I think the prices are pretty reasonable. Considering you could go to somewhere like Reading Festival and pay the same or more for watered down Tuborg (not that I don't like Tuborg), at Green Man you can sup on a cold pint of Oranjeboom, some delicious ales and thirst quenching Aspall cider.

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lennie

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 8:06pm

excessive drink prices saved my liver

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ray_rad

Thu, 23/02/2012 - 9:49am

'i have a bottle of brandy hidden under this t-shirt'

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austereWinks's picture

austereWinks

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 12:20pm

the prices are reasonable for the quality of tipple on offer, and always very friendly staff, just be sure to leave a tip.....hoozah!

now my opinion is down,ray_rad's post reminded me that in 2010 whilst watching joanna newsom as the rain decended and everyone was silent listening to ol joanna pluck them strings a fellow with a bottle of brandy stood next too me kindly  offered me a sip, I indulged as always, but he then imediatly  trew up all over me, sick everywhere, I was dripping in sick, our eyes locked not quite knowing what to say, he slowly backed away the crowd engulfing him alowing an escape, I was left with the brandy so wasnt all bad.

 

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ray_rad

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 1:27pm

it wasn't me!

as your story began, i though it was going to be

i was certainly knocking back brandy during joanna's set

enough that i wouldn't have remebered sharing it - but also enough that i was quite likely to have done so

definitely wasn't sick on anyone though

phew

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austereWinks's picture

austereWinks

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 7:01pm

ahhh yes I was rather hoping to find a post by your good self revealing that it was in fact you, as a note on the experience I wasnt at all annoyed, yeah it was sick but the rain washed the lumps away and i soon changed

 

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ray_rad

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 7:50pm

you didn't mind someone throwing up on you

i'm liking you more and more

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Fergal

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 10:08pm

It was me...

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