Y Not festival responds to criticism of new alcohol policy

Festival-goers gave a “strong reaction” to the new alcohol limit set for Y Not festival, which will be held at Pikehall, near Matlock, on July 29-31.

The festival announced on Wednesday, May 11, that there would be a specific limit to how much alcohol each person could bring into the festival - either 24 cans of beer or cider, one litre of spirit or 750ml of wine.

This was said to be down to work with the police to try and combat safe alcohol consumption and underage drinking.

But two days later, on May 13, Y Not announced a set of new alcohol regulations following what they described as a “strong reaction” to their original message.

The new message, posted on their website, reads: “The last thing we would want is to make people feel as though we are not listening to their concerns.

“The Y Notters are the backbone of the event and have supported us from our humble beginnings to the event it has become today, we never take this for granted.

“Safety will always be our number one priority but we are not too proud to recognise when we should listen to people.

“The safety requirements still remain and whilst removing a limit isn’t possible, we thought hard about how we could still maintain the very important levels of safety that are a requirement but address the points that people have.

“With this in mind we have worked hard to try and be flexible within the limit.”

The new regulations include a list of ‘options’, and attendees can pick up to three of them.

Each option can only be selected once:

Option 1 15 x cans beer/cider

Option 2 15 x cans beer/cider

Option 3 15 x cans beer/cider

Option 4 1 x litre spirit

Option 5 2 x 750ml wine

Option 6 2 x 750ml wine

For example you could select option 1, option 2 and option 3, which would mean 45 cans.

Or you could select option 1, option 2 and option 4, which would be 30 cans and one litre spirit.

In previous years, the festival has restricted alcohol by stating a ‘reasonable’ amount was allowed - but not given a specific definition of a ‘reasonable’ amount.

Anything not deemed ‘reasonable’ at the gates would be confiscated along with attempts from under 18s to bring alcohol in.

Checks at the gates will take place on entry to the festival to enforce the new regulations.

Once attendees have received their wristband, they will not be able to bring more alcohol into the event, should they leave the premises and return.

Another rule which still applies to the new alcohol regulations is that glass is not allowed into the festival, so alcohol needs to be decanted into plastic.

When announcing the new regulations the organisers also wrote a message to say it was “not a measure to make more money”.

The message said: “We pride ourselves on striving to be the best value festival in the country – and we think we’re not far off.

“The calibre of artists on offer for the price of a day ticket to some major festivals, we think is pretty good.”

For more information about the festival, visit the website at www.ynotfestivals.co.uk.