Research commissioned by O2 ahead of next month’s O2 Wireless Festival reveals that while Britain’s love affair with summer music festivals is as strong as ever, toilet facilities dominate our frustrations. Poor or dirty toilet facilities were the number one festival frustration for 78 per cent of those questioned with Britain’s national obsession of queuing also a big frustration.
Top 10 Festival Frustrations
1. Poor or dirty toilet facilities
2. Long queues for the toilets
3. No washing/shower facilities
4. No secure storage facilities
5. Long queues at the bar
6. Long entry queues to the venues
7. The journey home
8. Losing your friends in the crowd
9. Not knowing when your favourite band is playing
10. Nowhere to sit or relax
For this year’s O2 Wireless Festival, O2 will introduce the VIPee NFC Toilet. Using Oyster card-like functionality, selected guests will be able to access luxury toilets on site simply by tapping an NFC wristband to a special reader, thus alleviating this festival frustration. Accessed only by those with one of O2’s exclusive NFC wristbands, the VIPee NFC Toilets will be available on site to 100 existing O2 NFC trial participants and up to 200 O2 customers plus guest per day, all of whom will be randomly gifted an NFC wristband each day by an O2 Angel.
The inimitable British festival spirit
It seems that many Brits have forgotten scenes of floating tents and must be confident of a hot summer with only seven per cent of those questioned citing wellies and/or a waterproof coat as a festival essential. In fact, the traditional British summer doesn’t have a negative impact for many festival goers with half (50 per cent) of respondents saying that wet and wild weather would not negatively affect their overall festival experience.
After cash, the top festival essential, beating wellies, ear plugs, sunscreen and a fully charged mobile, was having enough alcohol to last the festival.
Britain no longer loves queuing
When it comes to another summer tradition – festival queues – more than a third (35 per cent) of overall respondents object to the long toilet queues so often found at festivals, while nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of festival goers are frustrated by the length of bar queues. Men are the most impatient, with 27 per cent wanting faster drinks service, while just 22 per cent of women would speed up the beer service! A fifth (20 per cent) of respondents would like to get into the action quicker with reduced festival entry queues.
Using fun and innovative NFC technology to improve the O2 Wireless Festival experience, O2 are also launching an express bar service area, where those with the O2 NFC technology chip can avoid queues and purchase drinks quickly.
Festivals go green
Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of festival goers in the UK would do their bit to save the environment by retaining and re-using their drinking cup at festivals, while a quarter (25 per cent) of Brits would happily complete ten minutes of bicycle pedal power to recharge their flat mobile phone battery at a festival.
Brits still have Festival funds despite credit crunch
Despite the current credit crunch, more than 70 per cent of UK festival goers are happy to spend at least £50 per day at a festival, with 82 per cent spending up to £70 per day. In addition, nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of respondents said they were happy to pay a higher ticket price to cover the cost of green, environmental initiatives at a festival.
O2 Wireless Festival is back for its fourth year in the unique location of London’s Hyde Park. From 3 – 6 July, the festival will see some of the biggest names across the worlds of rock, pop and dance play alongside the best up and coming new acts. For further information including line-up and ticket information please visit www.O2wirelessfestival.co.uk
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