AP Security planning pays off at Glastonbury

03 Aug 09

Much planning went into security for the recent Glastonbury Festival, at which artists including The Specials and Bruce Springsteen performed to record crowds. Brian Sims talks to AP Security's Andy Stevens about seamless communication and co-operation in the field.

By Brian Sims

Put nearly 140,000 people and hundreds of attractions - from the mainstream to the truly surreal - into several thousand acres of prime English farmland for a weekend and, without very carefully managed safety and stewarding, there's the potential for many problems. However, thanks to the long-term planning and careful site management of AP Security, this year’s Glastonbury Festival passed off very smoothly indeed.

“It’s a cliché to say that the planning for this year’s event started as soon as last year’s finished, but it’s absolutely true,” says Andy Stevens, AP Securitm's general Manager. "What you have to remember is that Glastonbury is effectively several major events encompassed within one perimeter fence. Each on its own would be a major undertaking for any event organiser, but combined they need massive amounts of very careful pre-planning.”

Three steps to successful event planning

The answer is threefold: firstly to ensure seamless communication and co-operation between the festival’s organisers, the police and security firms. Second, to plan a long way ahead and, third, to divide the site into a number of zones, thus making the task more manageable.

“The Glastonbury organisers have always zoned the site and they, the police and we all work to the same area blueprint,” continued Stevens. “Our approach is to work closely as a partnership. Rather than AP working in isolation on stewarding and security in the Orange Zone, for example, we are the stewarding and security arm of the organisers’ Orange Zone team. That apparently subtle difference in emphasis in our role actually takes a great deal of careful planning and implementation, but the benefits are huge.”

One of the key advantages is that any issues can be solved very quickly. The relationship between AP, the organisers and the police within zones means that the individual zones' operatives are able to deal with problems a lot more quickly than if AP staff had to refer up the site hierarchy, to their duty head of site and back down with a resolution.

“The plan worked really well," added Stevens. "Over 80% of issues were quickly solved within each zone. It really assisted everyone.”

Moving huge numbers of people in a safe manner

However, this was just one of many major logistical challenges that AP was working on for many months before the festival kicked off. “The planning involved in moving over 100,000 people around the site, late at night, when we’re trying at all times to predict where they’re going to do has to happen months in advance,” said Stevens.

“Back in February and March, I went on a couple of excellent crowd dynamics courses with Brian Schofield (Glastonbury's head of security), Tim Roberts (Glastonbury's head of Health and Safety) and Avon and Somerset Police. We all had input into looking at crowd movement in the likes of the Trash City and Shangri-La areas, deciding how best to move huge numbers of people in a safe way, to avoid things like movement and cross-flow in high density areas."

Stevens went on to explain: “The thing is, high crowd density does not necessarily result in any harm being done. However, movement within a high density crowd can harm and cross-flow within such an environment probably will harm. Long-term forward planning is the only way to ensure that such huge numbers of people can move around the site safely. Another important aspect was working with the festival organisers to ensure that attractions were not placed closed to entry points. This would mean that, as people walked into an entry point they would stand still to watch the attraction. We helped to make sure all the attractions were located away from such areas to keep the entry and exit points flowing.”

Yet another area where a great deal of advance planning was required was for AP’s own staff. The company had 670 people of their own to look after for a week while they were living and working on site. It's a massive undertaking.

“With the help of the festival organisers and Festival Republic, our staff were well looked after,” suggested Stevens. “All the equipment and structures, booking on systems and other facilities we needed were all established and live before we set foot on site. Again, it took a lot of planning and we were very grateful to our clients for their invaluable help with everything.”

Zonal approach to security and safety

Although the planning started so far in advance, it seemed like no time before Thursday 25 June was upon AP’s staff and the festival was under way. Wednesday and Thursday saw the largest number of early arrivals that anyone could remember. Maximo Park opened proceedings on the Queens Head Stage, which holds around 1,000 people. With about 30,000 outside, the secret was to keep security simple.

“Once the area around the stage was full, the security and stewarding organisations on site combined to limit further flow into the area," opined Stevens. "We took an holistic view, positioning security and stewards on the access routes around 200 metres from the area. We could then limit further access, providing directions for those diverted by the opening set and, above all, communicating with each other and all the festival goers.”

With the festival underway, AP’s staff fell into their long-established and trained procedures of being friendly and helpful faces, ready to explain why certain things have to happen in order to ensure safety for everyone. “We sometimes had to send people the ‘long way round’, but being pleasant about it, providing information and explanations goes a long way to achieving a safe system,” opined Stevens. “As previously mentioned, crowd cross-flow is probably one of the most dangerous aspects of a mismanaged crowd and having ‘one way systems’ is a good way to minimise that. It’s very important to explain to people why they are being asked to go in a certain way, especially if it’s obviously not the most direct. We are there to provide direction, reassurance, maybe a warning when someone steps a little close to the acceptable line, but more than anything we are there for everyone’s safety.”

Always room for improvements to be made

However, AP is not about to become complacent. Far from it, the company is always looking for ways to improve its procedures and also to give others an insight into the issues facing the company’s staff. “We went to meet with the festival organisers and proposed having independent monitors working in our response vehicles, so they could gain a better understanding of the issues we faced on a day-to-day basis and how we dealt with them,” outlined Stevens. “We were keen to show our good practises, but also the difficulties we faced with things such as having to manoeuvre a vehicle through huge crowds, response times to incidents and so on."

Added Stevens: “It was an eye-opener for them and a good communication opportunity for our response team managers, who could jointly solve issues and come up with ideas and proposals for future years.”

Working at resource-intensive events

Winner of the first Safeconcerts Award for Excellence in 2008, twice winner of the Crowd Management of the Year Award and now winner of the NOEA 2009 Training in Events Tribute, AP Security boasts over 17 years' experience in the UK leisure market and has earned itself an enviable reputation for work ar resource-intensive events like the Glastonbury Festival and the Carling Festival in Leeds. The company also operates at prestigious gatherings including the Henley Festival of Arts and Music and the Boat Race as well as at venues such as the O2 Arena, London's famed Brixton Academy and Wembley Stadium.

From its offices in London, Leeds and Coventry, the company’s management team maintains a clear and dedicated focus on pre-event planning and on-site consultancy.

Readers' comments

Peter Sacurly 07 Aug 09
Yes, overall the work done by AP at Glastonbury was very good, but please don't try to tell us you got it right for Maximo Park at The Queens Head!

People outside were kept away, yes, but this was achieved by telling us to walk in a big circle.

At the first junction we were told we'd get in at the next. At the next junction the stewards told us the first junction staff were wrong, but to go onto the next instead, and this continued the whole way around.

There was some annoyance as the people telling us to move on didn't have radios to their bosses.

Surely, it would have been better to have simply told us it was full, instead of forcing us to walk around in a big, annoyed circle?

Overall, yes, AP Security's performance was good, but you could have dealt with that incident so much better.

Let's hope you learn from this experience.
Dave Rodger 11 Aug 09
I second Peter's comments about the Maximo Park/Queens Head opening gig.

We were told to walk to the next entrance to the area. On doing so we were then told the area was closed due to an incident. We would all have much prefereed to have been told the area was full.

It was even more frustrating to watch people leave the area without anyone else being let in, and not knowing what was actually going on while radios were evident on both entrances.

Other than that it was a very well controlled event thanks to AP.
Dave Parsons 11 Aug 09
I doubt that they'll repeat the Maximo Park-type gig at the same time next year.

Apparently there were over 100,000 people on site by that time with only one band to watch. What else do you expect to happen? I didn't even try to get near it.

Many thanks for all the hard work AP Security put in to make the festival happen.
Colin Turner 12 Aug 09
I had a similar experience when Trash City opened.

I made the mistake of attempting to leave via the railway track exit and was 'straight armed' without warning by one of the security people preventing us going right - (towards the desperately needed toilets).

Instead we were forced to go all the way down and round to Shangri-la. On exiting, there was somebody with a loud-hailer giving instructions. It would have been better if they'd been there at the start!
Kayleigh Robb 12 Aug 09
The security and general handling of the Maximo Park gig at this year's Glastonbury festival was possibly the worst I have ever seen at that kind of event.

I was there, at the front of the entrance to the Queens Head tent, literally first row.

We were all made to stand in sweltering heat (and for an hour and a half) behind a metal fence outside the tent. This would not have been so bad if, when the organisers decided to open it, they had opened it a small amount and let people file in, making sure they didn't run.

Instead, the fence was opened fully in one go, meaning thousands of people all surged forward at the same time.

I was shoved over and stamped on. I didn't even make it half-way into the tent. I grabbed my 12 year-old brother and we pushed our way back out. The density of people was insane.

I think the biggest mistake was deciding to put the first gig of the festival on in such a small tent. How did they not comprehend the amount of people who would turn up? Why was the gig scheduled for the Queens Head in the first place? Stupid idea.

If there were no festival-goers with broken bones or concussion on the day then I would be amazed.
Andy Oerter 13 Aug 09
Yes, I agree with the other posts that the crowd control at Glastonbury wasn't great.

The one-way system along the railway track was a disaster. Many people were getting lost, and many were still crushed by the crowds, so what was the point? Adding more entrances and exits may have helped.

The fact that everyone heads to Trash City and Shangri-La when the rest of the festival closes for the night isn't such a good idea. 170,000 people in two fields...

Trash City was crazy busy, with all of the attractions opting for a one-out, one-in policy which restulted in massive crushing and badly managed queues.
Magda 13 Aug 09
I feel I have to share my security story from the festival. We got to Glastonbury early on the Wednesday afternoon as we had a big group of us and wanted to make sure we had an area for us all to fit on.

As many people do, we put up a gazebo for our communal 'hangout'. To our amazement, on the Thursday we arrived back from a walk around the festival to find our gazebo torn down and a huge tent in its place.

Obviously we were extremely angry and started a very heated argument wuth the owners of the tent (thinking they just decided to tear our gazebo down).

After calming down and speaking to the tent owners and our neighbours, it turned out that becuase there were so many people all trying to pitch their tents in the one area, there was terrible crowding (we saw people pitching in pathways as they couldn't find space), and because gazebos are not techinically allowed - which we actually did not know - security was going around asking people if they could please take down their gazebos.

Most of our neighbours, when asked, refused to take theirs down, but because we weren't there to say no the security staff physically ripped it down and actually broke a number of parts.

So not only was our own personal property destroyed, when the police came to see to the issue, we asked if we could please see someone from security to discuss it, and we were told that no members of the security operation were around at that time. Very hard to believe.

Luckily, we got over it pretty quickly (it is Glastonbury after all!) and resolved the problem with the "offending tent owners".

I understand that gazebos are not meant to be pitched on site, but when you look around Glastonbury, they are everywhere (!) and to have ours torn down like that with no explanation and then broken just isn't in the spirit of the festival.

One small thing that luckily didn't ruin the festival for us.
Richard McDonald 13 Aug 09
Having been to the Glastonbury Festival for about the past ten years I found this one the worst.

I tried to get to the Maximo Park set but kept getting sent round to the next junction only to be met by aggressive looking security guards.

Overall, the security seemed more apparent and, as a result, we felt less freedom and less of the famous Glastonbury spirit.

At least twice we were nearly crushed in the crowds while trying to walk round the festival. Even before the 'super fence' when there was more people there, it was easier and much safer to move around.
Mark Hodgin 15 Aug 09
The comments I have read here I both agree with and do not. Let me elaborate.

I agree with the point about the Maximo Park gig, but honestly I stayed as far away from there as possible for what seemed to me obvious reasons. If you attended that specific gig then you were at risk of all of the complaints on this page and more.

I also agree that the Trash City-Shangri La 'one way' system is akin to being like cattle shuffling along a dark narrow path. However, the location, style and vibe of Shangri La I feel dictates a 'certain amount of pain' to be felt to get to its pleasures so I have no hang ups about that personally. If it was two-way then it would get rather busy, with cross and confused people, so you make the best of it to sample the delights.

Overall, sacrifices have to be made to be able to all enjoy the delights of Glastonbury and if we work together it will work, as it always does.

The thing I don't agree with is what seems to me to be very rude, heavy-handed and aggressive stewarding/security. Three times I witnessed large groups of high visibility vest-clad pumped up blokes surrounding single people while grabbing and aggressively ID checking anyone who happened to walk by and catch a glance of the apparent bullying.

That is what cannot be acceptable when you pay £175.00-plus per head to attend the festival. Poor show on that front.
Richard 15 Aug 09
Was there security at Glastonbury? That's how good I think they were. I never noticed them.

Except for seeing them block the road at the back of Jazz World when Rolf was on, but the field was packed and getting kind of stupidly busy at the back.

I stayed away from Maximo Park. Did people really expect to be able to get in the tent with so many people wanting to see live music? There was plenty more to do than join a huge crowd to find one of a thousand spaces in the Queens Head.

The only other time I saw security was when someone's tent started to blow away in our field. They caught it, re-pegged it and put all the guy ropes in.... Nice people.

I also saw a 4 by 4 get stuck in the mud on our campsite. Again, security didn't get edgy as we all laughed and cheered. They just smiled and took it in good humour.

One last thing. Compared to more commercial festivals, the security at Glstonbury was second to none. It was innocuous rather than in your face. It helped make the festival weekend perfect.
Matt 15 Aug 09
Now that we pay virtually the price of a holiday abroad to attend the Glastonbury festival, I feel that any inappropriate treatment by security towards customers should be dealt with severely, as the so-called 'criminals' are by the police.

I witnessed a pincer movement by undercover police in the Tipi Field of all places. Peace and harmony, not!!

Lets get back to the spirit of what Glastonbury is about, eh? It's not a capitalists' paradise.
John Tweats 18 Aug 09
We have been to several Glastonbury Festivals in the last 14 years. The first year scecurity seemed to concist of big blokes in black who looked like they would kill you if you f..ted without permission. However. in resent times including this year, security started with stewards who would say to folk, "you shouldn't realy be doing that" which would normally be the end of the problem. However if not, they would call up security in blue, who tell folk " you carn't do that".

And if that didn't work, the guys in black would be called in who would state you carn't do that and if they continued to be a pain to the rest of us paying punters, they would be put in a 4 by 4 and driven off site and dumped miles from anyware and theire stuff rolled into their tent and givern to a charity shop. GREAT STUFF...WELL DONE ...KEEP THIS SYSTEM. For if some folk insist on being a pain in the arse to the rest of us, having been givern loads of chances to behave SOD 'UM.
Gibbo 23 Aug 09
Putting Rolf on the Jazz World stage at that time of day was just madness. His retro popularity combined with the fact nothing else worth seeing was on at the time and that it was seen as a light-hearted, easy start to another long day meant it was rammed! Proper rammed.

The security staff did what they could, but surely this is an obvious planning error?

A great big lorry was trapped and couldn't move due to the volume of punters, and the small hill leading up to the field was hazardous. It was the most ridiculous bottleneck I have ever seen.

This was not a security issue but rather a logistical planning disaster. Why was the lorry there at that time of day? Why wasn't the small hill better prepared with some form of flooring etc? And why put such a clearly popular artist on such a small stage?
Glitter Girl 24 Aug 09
I would like to commend the security staff for their good manners and chirpy attitude. I think I saw quite a different side than others, whose comments here suprise me.

I was on site for a total of ten days and stayed in crew camping. Every day, whether the same security personnel were or were not on duty, I was greeted with smiles and a 'Good morning'.

I thought that the one-way system at Trash City and Shangri La was an excellent idea and well thought out.

I hadn't been to the festival for at least ten years but was very pleased to see the friendly spirit of Glastonbury still very much alive. That's very important.

Please keep up the good security work which makes us all safe. Thank you!
John 02 Sep 09
My glastonbury was ruined when I was arrested by undercover police while (very secretly) taking a substance. Yes I understand what I was doing was illegal but placing undercover officers on site simply to arrest recreational drug users when there are people walking around ransacking tents is ridiculous. I wouldn't of even minded if I had been arrested by uniformed officers, at least then I had a fair chance! Deffinatly not the Glastonbury experience I expected!
Steve 02 Sep 09
Really I didn't see security. I Did find that more control, or more routes between the other stage and the pyramid would be in order. Got totally stuck on that bridge as I was trying to get to the Specials.
Star shine 03 Sep 09
My story about the security on site i must admit is a mixed one. We for the first time in years decided to camp up by the Other stage instead of the Family fields and i must admit the security were rude and aggressive telling us to take down the gazebo or they would rip it down-no pleases were ever uttered from them and we didn;t even say no we agreed. Then on the monday we were told be off the field by noon or they would again rip the tents down-Not very Glastonbury spirit there. I must say i have never had that on the family fields before-and we had the kids with us this time as well, that quite put a damper on it for us.

Secondly Most of the security at night were quite helpful and nice, I got stuck on the railway tracks and wound up having to go through trash city and shangri-la to simply get back to my tent. The security always helpful and pointed me on the right path.
Naomi Green 13 Sep 09
The security at Glasto was amazing.

I think they're right to take down gazebos. Theres no need for them. People at Glasto never spend any time in their tents because there's always so much to do, and they take up way too much room when everyone is trying to squeeze in.
Fatbob 25 Sep 09
Have to agree that having gazebos is rather selfish given the number of people squeezed into the camping fields. I was even more annoyed with some campers I saw with huge touring tents with just a couple of people occupying them - fair enough if filled with a big group of people but selfish otherwise.

Security this year was more intrusive than ever and really spoilt the ambience of the event as it has done so increasingly over the last few years. Fair enough tent crime is down and that's a good thing, but harrassment and brainless/pointless herding of punters increased tenfold.

I objected particularly to a camped grouped of students being harrassed by security - overheard 'well you've got a grinder so we all know what that means' etc etc. Well for the short of brain celled blue shirts there's stalls in the markets down the hill selling hundreds of those grinders - so what ?! But if you stopped to observe this bullying you get implicated also, not even guilt by association but by having the gall to even notice this aggression against paying punters. I was very relieved when the music started on Friday as it seemed the bored blue shirt monkeys had the stages to man instead to divert their aggression away from harmless kids having a smoke.

Finally whose idea was it to put Rolf on the Jazz stage instead of the Pyramid ? Stand in the corner and face the wall...
Karen 01 Oct 09
Actually the crowd control at Glastonbury was frightening. There were some very scary moments getting from John Peel to Pyramid in particular.

There were young children crying and getting crushed and even my normally placid unfazed husband got a panic attack... Thank goodness there was no mud this year I dread to think what might have happened if space had been further confined.

We are going next year but are not going to go to ANY of main stages. Something really has to be done otherwise there could be really tragic consequences.

I met people who had been going for decades and said that they had never experienced such frightening crowd surges when getting too and from stages. PLEASE PLEASE introduce two way flow.
Security Officer 29 Oct 09
Actually the security was also provided by Zephyr security who were not paid for thier work.

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