With over 210,000 festivalgoers expected to converge on Worthy Farm this year, Glastonbury Festival has heightened its security measures to maintain order and safety across its sprawling site.
Some individuals attempt to bypass official entry by scaling the festival’s towering fences, while others may try to smuggle in prohibited substances. To handle such incidents, the event has established a special “jail” on site, serving as a secure holding area for those caught flouting the rules.
Glastonbury is the UK’s largest festival, featuring more than 3,000 performances on over 100 stages throughout its five days. Spread across 900 acres in Pilton, Somerset, the festival is enclosed by a 7.8km, four-metre-high fence monitored rigorously by a combination of security personnel and watchtowers.
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Security efforts have intensified this year following last year’s challenges, when thousands sneaked in using counterfeit wristbands or by jumping fences. That overcrowding forced some stages to close and led attendees to describe it as the busiest Glastonbury yet.
Festivalgoers entering without a valid ticket or breaking rules risk being detained in the on-site “jail,” which is officially a holding space for evictions or police interventions. Though not a formal prison, the area has earned its nickname due to its function.
Last year, one caught trying to sneak in spent six hours in the facility. Detainees can give statements before they are either removed from the festival or arrested.
Describing the “jail” in an interview with The Times, a former detainee said it was a fenced square with a covered seating area and foil blankets for resting. The detainees ranged from drug dealers to overly intoxicated partygoers and fence jumpers. Security personnel would even announce the arrival of significant drug dealers.
Another attendee recounted meeting individuals who had been scammed out of thousands of pounds for fake wristbands or caught attempting to squeeze through gaps in the fencing.
Despite its purpose, the detention area is reported to be relatively comfortable. Those held have access to phone charging, tea, sandwiches, and the care of friendly security staff, offering a humane experience amid enforcement.