Glastonbury Festival, renowned for its commitment to sustainability, has publicly criticized an off-site luxury glamping provider offering helicopter transfers directly to the event for affluent attendees.
The Pop-Up Hotel, an upscale campsite popular among festival insiders, recently revealed its extravagant offerings for this summer’s event starting June 25. Situated just a short 10-minute walk from Glastonbury’s Gate D, the camp promises a blend of relaxation and indulgence, featuring amenities such as 24-hour hot showers, flushing toilets, a spa, a Sephora beauty salon, pool parties, and gourmet meals curated by award-winning chef Max La Manna. Guests can also enjoy Korean skincare products from Beauty of Joseon and vitamin IV drips, all within luxurious accommodations.
Highlighting the opulence is the Tipi Tenthouse Suite, priced at £28,999 for six people, equipped with plush furnishings, lanterns, en-suite facilities, and additional sleeping space available for an extra fee.
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New this year, The Pop-Up Hotel has introduced a helicopter travel option allowing guests to avoid traffic jams. For £1,399 per person, festival-goers can take a 15-minute helicopter flight from either Hartham Park Estate or Homewood House Hotel directly to Glastonbury, bypassing ground transportation congestion.
Despite being relatively rare in the skies compared to planes, helicopters produce significant noise and air pollution. A single hour-long helicopter flight can emit up to 500 kilograms of CO2, raising environmental concerns.
Glastonbury Festival, which has long supported environmental groups like Water Aid and Greenpeace, expressed strong disapproval. A festival spokesperson stated, “This offsite accommodation provider has no relationship to us, so we cannot control how people arrive there. We absolutely do not condone the use of helicopters. Here at Glastonbury Festival, we encourage people to arrive by public transport or to lift share if they do decide to drive.”
Since its humble beginnings 50 years ago on a Somerset dairy farm, Glastonbury has grown into Europe’s most influential cultural festival, drawing roughly 200,000 attendees annually, many embracing the event’s sustainable ethos.
Environmental activists have criticized the festival’s impact on the countryside, noting damage to the grounds and litter issues that contradict its green principles. Meanwhile, some longtime fans have voiced frustration over soaring ticket prices, which have jumped from £265 in 2019 to £378 this year, as well as the rise of expensive offsite luxury accommodations like The Pop-Up Hotel.
While the festival does not regulate external accommodation providers or their services, The Pop-Up Hotel responded by emphasizing that only a small fraction of their guests opt for helicopter transfers, with most arriving by car, coach, or train.