Reading Festival - Sunday collection help please .l

[KidsHaveAllTheFun]

After Sunday night at Boardmasters my kid and their mates don't want to stay Sunday night at Reading.

They are camping Thursday, plan to take down the tent Sunday afternoon and then go into watch the last act (singer/band who knows) and then go home.

Is there any way I can get into the festival to collect the tent and then either stay with the car until they are ready to be collected?

Or are their shuttle buses in and out?

I will obviously Google , but real experience is worth so much.

Thank you.

Boardmasters had tent slashing, tents being set on fire (all on Tik Tok, and very little urgency from anyone as the tents burn)

I've heard worse at Reading, just because their is more people I guess.

@GU24Mum I think for most of it- they want to see an act at lunchtime but then have five hours till the next act they want to see, so the plan is for them to drop all the stuff to me in the afternoon then go back for the final act.

@Redhairandhottubs thanks, they had to carry it all a long way at Boardmasters so I figure they have had practice - just wanted it to be accessible, and sounds like it is.

Thank you so much, really appreciate it. I was surprised there was a space, it said just added so I guess someone had cancelled.

@OhCobblers that's exactly what I want to avoid - I collect quite regularly from Luton Airport and wait in the nearby retail park- I enjoy wandering around, and normally manage to spend a fortune, but always feel the pressure of the 3 hour time limit. At least now I have until 10am the next day

@NameChangePoP

Tesco Superstore, Portman Rd, Reading RG30 1AW

This one, hopefully this is as close as it looks .

I take it walking back to hear late Sunday night should be ok because it will be busy from the festival?

You’re doing the right thing by collecting Sunday OP. There is usually a lot of silly and frankly dangerous behaviour with tents being set on fire and general trashing of the area. It is best avoided if you can.

Do let them know about the Street Pastor tents. One in Orange and one in the brown campsite. They’re open 24/7 and offer a safe space/refuge along with help, tea, coffee and amazing hot chocolates. If they ever need help this is the place to go.

Yes that’s the closest one. I actually live there (not in Tesco, but on the housing development that’s around it). I can walk to the festival in about 15 minutes from there - would be less, but they reroute everyone.

Although the Hills Meadow pick up
looks a distance from the site, there’s a free riverboat shuttle running until 2 am from the festival site to the car park.

My experience is probably 25 years out of date, but Sunday night was gas cannisters being put on fires, portaloos pushed over etc. but we never had anything damaged in 4 years. Just made sure to have wild wees only. Remember as 17 year olds finding loads of full trays of cans of beer by people too lazy to carry it out. We took them home on the coach 😀

Hills Meadows looks good if just collecting, I was worried it would be too isolated as I'm going to be hanging around for the best part of 12 hours. Also thought the traffic might be bad crossing back over the river.

@HauntedHero I think it has just got worse! Big win with the free beer 😂

Very good call to miss Sunday night by the way

@KidsHaveAllTheFun

Although I see you have found a space, there are alternatives which "seem" to be closer.

Using the postcode for Richfield Ave, Reading;

there's a private space on Denbeigh Place available (and others) which seem closer on foot than Tesco especially if the lads are lugging all their gear

I am from Reading as well. Good call not using Hills Meadows. Traffic is ALWAYS bad crossing the river, never mind during the festival . If you have 12 hours to kill and can leave and return to your parking spot, Pangbourne is a cute place to visit, with lovely paths along the river and some nice places to eat. It is away from the festival so the traffic shouldn’t be too bad. You can also get a bus from Oxford Road to the town centre, though apart from the shopping centre and eateries, there isn’t much to do.

Thanks , I did see that but it was £174 for the day which seemed steep if there was a safe alternative.

I will have a look at Pangbourne, thanks - I'm easily entertained and have never been to Reading so I'm sure I will enjoy it.

OMG! @KidsHaveAllTheFun it was showing £9 for me.

I think I had the wrong date, apologies 🙈

@beetr00 don't ever apologise for trying to help!

It seems to revert back to the current date every time you click on a parking space, I nearly booked the wrong one last night!

Me again.

Have to now work on Thursday so having to drop them early, about 7am- can anyone recommend anywhere nearby I can drop them (with their stuff) whilst they wait for it to open?

Hey OP. If you want to PM me I can give you close to my address. It’s probably as close as you will get without stressing about pulling over. Not a long walk at all ☺️

That is very kind. Thank you, I've PM you.

Just try and get as close to the entrance on Richfield Avenue as you can to stop and drop. You should be ok at that time in the morning. I did it a few years ago with DS2. People will already by queueing, so they can get straight in the queue. A lot of people buy early bird tickets to get in on the Wednesday, so they’ll want to be in the queue as early as possible Thursday morning to secure a decent camping spot.

What happened on Sunday night at Boardmasters? My DS was there, he didn’t see much trouble on Sunday night but did have lots of his stuff stolen from his tent while he was out on the Thursday night. He stilll had fun but wouldn’t go again. He’s going to Reading too and a bit concerned! He’s going to take minimal stuff so fingers crossed! It’s a shame there’s a few that want to ruin these things.

I've just read the thread about someone who has been asked to host their old friends son.

The replies are mainly that the OP shouldn't do it and it is CF to ask- whilst not quite the same a complete stranger on this thread has offered her help and support to me, someone she does not know. Just think the world is so much better with kindness and @NameChangePoP I will pay it forward. You are an absolute star.

@boredwithfoodprob sorry to hear he had stuff stolen, we had read on here about thefts and took bare minimum.

I don't believe I have had the full story about Sunday night, because they were set on staying at Reading on the Sunday night but came home from Boardmasters and the only thing they said before going to bed was they weren't doing a Sunday night again.

I know there were tents set alight, We've camped enough as a family for the kids to know the dangers of close pitched tents, and there were very few fire breaks- thankfully all contained but the conditions were there for a full scale fire. They saw quite a few fights, plenty of kids off their heads on more than alcohol.

The biggest issue for them that I have been told about was tent slashing. Clearly blades were allowed in.

Sunday night is horrific. We used to drop off at the BP garage and then get petrol so we weren’t taking the piss.

Any tips on this please? I am going to going past from the west, on the motorway, at about 7am Thursday, in order to get myself another two hours away for work that morning. Any logical place I can drop DS so he can get to the site?

I am dropping off on the wednesday - where would the best place be to drop off? Also DD was planning to take a foldable trolley - are these allowed for the campsites?