Festivals (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Temporary Sites of Leisure
Some leisure sites are temporary and exist only for the time of the event
Glastonbury Festival is an example of a temporary site of leisure
Glastonbury Festival is located at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England
The village is in a rural area with gently sloping land
The festival takes place on 800 acres of land
Transport routes are along the M5, A39 and A361, but there are limited connections to the farm
This leads to significant congestion on the rural roads around the site
Glastonbury is the largest greenfield music and performing festival in the world
The first festival took place in 1970 and the entrance fee was £1
Attendance at the first festival was 1500 people
In 2024, the price of a ticket will be £360 and there are 210,000 tickets available to purchase
Temporary facilities are provided for the festival, including:
Over 400 food stalls
Over 5,000 toilets
Two pharmacies
Three medical centres
As the festival is in the countryside, there is little disruption to urban populations
Soil erosion from the festival means that every few years there is no festival to allow the ground to recover
Temporary Sites of Leisure - Costs & Benefits
Costs and Benefits of Glastonbury
Type of Impact | Cost (Disadvantage) | Benefit (Advantage) |
|---|---|---|
Economic impacts | The UK invests money in providing services and facilities for the event There must be enough security to deal with drug crimes and a huge number of tourists Due to the pandemic, locals who were previously hired as technicians or security guards will now have to find another job/occupation | UK benefits financially since participants buy tickets, food and drinks there 100 people are permanently employed in the festival Encourages government funding Businesses, clubs and charities are dependent on the festival event for revenue |
Social impacts | The community does not benefit from the event, because it is a self-contained site that provides all the services and goods people need so they do not make purchases outside Local people may avoid the area during festival time to avoid traffic and overuse of local facilities The local police and authorities are working near the festival area, so they are often not available to the locals who may need them Due to the pandemic, the local community could not participate in the event that stimulates socialising and enjoying art events | Safe environment with secure safety procedures Reduced crime rates (according to Avon and Somerset police) because of a “cashless” society where participants do not bring money into their tents Being a well-known festival, international journalists come to report on the event and this allows the event to have a greater sphere of influence |
Environmental impacts | Soil degradation due to footpaths being made and trampling on fields High energy consumption Noise pollution for people living near the Festival area Produces 2000 tonnes of waste
| Certified renewable energy uses via solar units Participants remain in tents, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions emitted compared to those who return home and use their vehicles, generating more pollution Saves 600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions with the amount of trees planted that sink in carbon dioxide Environmental policies that encourage greater awareness of sustainability Banned use of single-use plastic bottles Participants are persuaded to avoid using their cars by providing free shuttle buses or transport packages Limited water consumption with lack of showers present on site Glastonbury’s recycling centre recycles or reuses half of all waste at the festival |
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