Earlier this year, in conjunction with ticket release announcements, Festival Republic stated that Leeds and Reading 2012 ticket holders will be entitled to a free beer (or soft drink) and burger across each day of the festival. This was met with positive reactions – free food and beverages will never go amiss at a high-energy festival. A cold beverage and a bit of hot food can do wonders when you feel like you’re flagging, and help keep you going for that little bit extra.
Today however, the festivals announced that ticket holders will instead be entitled to a free bap and beer/soft drink across each of the three days. The food vouchers will be sent out with the tickets (due to be sent from 6th August 2012) and can be redeemed in a variety of food outlets across site. Beverages can be collected once through the wristband exchange tents. Melvin Benn, director of Festival Republic, explains:
‘Beer and Burger (B&B) has become Beer and Breakfast Bap (B&BB).
Of course it was never intended to be only beer as soft drinks were always going to be on offer and that will remain. The mechanics are simple. For the food element every weekend ticket holder will receive their food vouchers at the same time as their ticket, with a per day voucher that can be redeemed at specially created ‘Food for Campers’ locations in the campsite, offering either a bacon, sausage or a scrambled egg and mushroom bap. The breakfast bap will be available between 7am and 12 noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday and only the voucher for that specific day can be redeemed. Although no sponsor has come forward to support this in any real way our pals at Heinz have been kind enough to donate enough sauce to make us all very happy!
The beer is even easier! As you walk out of wristband exchange for the first time a team of festival volunteers will be waiting to give every weekend wristband holder a bag with three cans of beer or soft drinks, one for each of the music days. What’s even better is that the bag is a recycling bag, which you can fill with empty cans over the festival to get even more free beer! It’s on us so I hope you enjoy it!’
The announcement has received mixed reactions – some over the moon that their breakfasts will be sorted, others disappointed due to their preferences for a ‘main meal’ instead. Others have complained that they’d rather a cold drink collection point, stating their disappointment in the free drinks being as warm as the ones they’ll house in their tents throughout the weekend. Here at Phestival we can understand all reactions – I myself would be disappointed as I am Celiac and therefore wouldn’t be able to eat any bread-related products. I question how they plan to cater for those with more awkward dietary requirements like myself. However, the offer that stands is still great and to receive six items of food/drink for free is superb, especially when money can be tight following the purchase of the ticket itself.
We’d love to know your thoughts on the matter – so give us a tweet at @Phestival_Com with your views.
