Festival boss confirms tickets for Reading residents

James Kell • Published 24 Jul 2009 14:12 7 Comments

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READING Festival supremo Melvin Benn today confirmed thousands of tickets will be made available specifically for people in Reading ahead of this year's event.

In response to a Facebook campaign, Mr Benn announced today (Friday) that 3,500 weekend tickets will be made available for Reading residents, but they must register within the next week.

Mr Benn said: "We're going to set up a website link later today (Friday) so if people go on the official Reading Festival site it will be on there.

"It's for people who live in areas represented by a Reading Borough Councillor, and includes Mapledurham. Those people will be entitled to register to buy residents tickets."

The window for residents to register closes at midnight next Friday (July 31) and successful applicants will need ID and proof of address when they collect their tickets.

Reading Festival will also be louder this year, after licensing chiefs this morning gave festival bosses the go ahead to turn the volume up by three decibels to 68DB, rising to 70DB for the last two acts on the main stage each night.

Councillors also approved plans for up to 20,000 'early birds' to arrive on site the Wednesday before the festival. This is up from a previous figure of 7,500, but Mr Benn has given residents written assurances that this number will not rise for at least the next five years.

The overall capacity of the festival will also increase by 10,000 over the next three years, eventually hitting almost 90,000 people in 2011.

Reacting to the decisions by licensing bosses, Mr Benn said: "We're very pleased. I think it shows for me how important it is for the council that Reading Festival maintains its position as the pre-eminent rock festival.

"None of the responsible authorities were objecting to the variations, so that should give residents sufficient assurance."

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N Othappy
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Jul 27, 08:30
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I have lived in Woodley and Earley (which has a Reading Post Code) for the last 28 years and I work in Reading town centre but won't get tickets because Earley is under Wokingham Borough Council. How fair is that?

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Dave Pearce
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Jul 30, 11:16
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Where's the link?

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James Kell
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Jul 30, 11:28
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If you visit www.readingfestival.com and scroll down the home page on the right-hand side, under news, it is currently the second item.

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James Kell
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Jul 30, 13:20
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If you visit www.readingfestival.com and scroll down the home page on the right-hand side, under news, it is currently the second item.

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George
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Aug 1, 20:39
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can you be unde 18?

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darren williams
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Mar 27, 19:18
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a disgrace! My son is gutted, he has been looking forward to buying his ticket since last years festival, but of course as we live in Calcot we are apparently not from Reading!

why were west berks and wokingham district residents who live in Reading not included?

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jo rowls
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Mar 29, 09:42
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is it just weekend tickets that are available. We are only able to afford one day and are Passport to Leisure still giving the discount.

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