UK Festival Y Not Moves

– Y Not Festival
Festivalgoers won

Y Not Festival 2018 is going to take place on Aston Hill Farm in Derbyshire, England, right next to its old location, July 26-29.

The new site is literally just a stone’s throw away from Mouldridge Lane, where the festival took place in 2016, when bad weather forced organizers to cancel the entire Saturday. While weather conditions are out of anyone’s control, the festival took some flack for having been ill prepared.

Since Global had acquired the event prior to its 2017 edition, criticism about a new corporate approach was bound to occur. However, the event’s organizers maintained, that they had been “extremely well prepared for the festival,” and had even increased spend by 30 percent compared to 2016, which was invested in infrastructure, traffic management, on-site staff, water, toilets, washing facilities and enhanced police presence.

After the 2017 edition, organizers promised to keep the audience in the loop about changes and improvements for this year’s event. “We’ve been working really hard to make sure that when you join us in July, it’s the best Y Not it can possibly be,” a statement reads.

While the new site is just adjacent to the old one, it still allows organizers around festival head Simon Mawbey to increase the number of access points for vehicles. This will allow for better access when clearing waste, sending emergency services or simply getting on site as a festivalgoer.

“This move has also allowed us to think about the layout and position of campsites in relation to the arena. The new site will have very clear routes between the campsites and arena for all festivalgoers, ensuring that, wherever you are camped, your journey into the arenas will be as quick and easy as possible,” organizers stated.

– Y Not Festival
The new site plan

In terms of security, Y Not has hired Showsec. There will also be CCTV around the 2018 site. “We’re expanding our level of Steel Shield fencing for particularly exposed areas of the site. These are taller and stronger perimeters that make the campsites considerably more secure. Alongside this, we have increased roaming patrols around the perimeter of the festival,” the statement continues.

Global will further invest in on-site staff and review the way staff and volunteers are briefed. Mawbey said, “we understand how important it is to keep the public informed every step of the way and so we hope they are reassured by the improvements being made for this year, including our new site at Aston Hill Farm.”

The festival’s lineup hasn’t been revealed yet. The first acts to play Y Not 2018 are going to be named in the coming weeks, which is also when tickets will go on sale.