Reading Festival comes to town this week, you may have noticed.
By now residents need no reminder to build in extra time for journeys, particularly on Thursday when the bulk of people arrive, and on the morning of the Bank Holiday, when the mass exodus takes place. The sensible advice is to avoid straying anywhere near Richfield Avenue and surrounding roads.
Reading is known as a particularly young festival. It was traditionally a rite of passage for students who flocked there to celebrate GCSE or A Level results. The Council plays a big role in helping to deliver a successful and safe festival, from traffic management, travel arrangements and parking restrictions, to checks on authorised taxis, food safety, and noise levels. Another area we work on closely with organisers is personal safety, particularly relevant given that for many Reading will be their first experience of a major music event.
A music festival can be a pretty frightening place if you are feeling unsure, unwell, or unsafe, so a key message this year is asking groups of friends and young festival-goers to look out for each other.
I’m pleased to see AIR Hubs again located across campsites and arena. AIR stands for Assistance, Information & Response and organisers work with local community groups and charities to run them, along with the support of existing safeguarding and welfare partners. They provide a 24-hour facility, over and above the existing security and stewarding teams, and can be found across multiple locations, including in the camping areas. Festival-goers are encouraged to save or screenshot the festival map when they arrive – which includes AIR Hub locations – to keep handy. The map can be found on the official Reading Festival app.
Everyone will be aware that the long, hot dry summer has prompted a higher risk of wildfires. If you are going to the festival, a reminder disposable BBQs are not permitted, and neither are campfires. At the time of writing this, the guidance is that camping stoves should not be brought on site, although organisers will review that this week, so check before packing. Please also be extra mindful of where you dispose cigarettes.
And a reminder to all festival-goers, only pack what is absolutely necessary and when the music’s over please take your tent home with you to minimise the impact on our local environment.
A happy, enjoyable and safe Reading Festival to everyone.
By Cllr Liz Terry, leader of Reading Borough Council
