Y Not Festival Pikehall Matlock reviews by real event-goers
Reviews of Y Not Festival in Pikehall Matlock
Average rating:
Showing the latest reviews from all events held at Y Not Festival.
Review of Y Not Festival
It began with the car park being an eternity away from the campsites. I understand that, for logistics, sometimes this has to be the case but just to highlight for potential future YNot goers it took between 30-45 minutes to make one trip from the car park to the VIP campsite (partially due to having to stop every now and then for a breather because of all of the heavy camping stuff). I believe general camping was further away and I dread to think how much longer that took to get there.
Also worth mentioning, when we entered we were given the wrong wrists bands which we didn’t realise at the time. This meant that later on when we tried to head into the VIP section to get a drink we were turned away confused. We then had to head back to the entrance to get this rectified which meant missing the beginning of one of the main acts we’d wanted to see. Just something to be aware of for future goers.
Apart from that everything was pretty fab on day one. The facilities seemed good, the bands were incredible and the selection of food and drinks stalls were great.
By day two the toilets in the VIP campsite were disgusting. I wish I could say I was being dramatic but anyone who was there would say the same.
They were overflowing, faeces smeared over the toilet seats, no paper, no hand sanitiser, ones that didn’t lock etc.
People would queue up to use one, open the door and then retreat as what they found was vile. Then they’d have to wait for another one and it was often the same thing several times over until there was a half decent one.
At one point there was only one decent one which for the hundreds/thousands of people on that campsite was inhumane. People were peeing in the showers and in bushes because they couldn’t use the toilets.
The toilets in the arena were actually better maintained than the VIP ones.
The showers weren’t awful but they were much better when we came in 2018 as they were longer so you could hang your clothes/towel/bag etc on the back of the door and they wouldn’t get wet. In these ones there was a little cubby but it didn’t protect much so be prepared for that.
Something we felt was quite dangerous was after a headliner act finished on the main stage obviously everyone dispersed for either the bar, the loos, another tent or the VIP section. The trouble with this was that the bar, loos and VIP section were all next to each other so it created a massive traffic jam of people being stuck in a crowd struggling to get out. There were parents with kids and prams just standing still whilst seas of people parted around them. This just felt dangerous to us and avoidable if this had been considered when laying out the event.
On Friday night after we had seen the acts we wanted to we headed to the VIP bar for one last drink. I just wanted some water and they had jugs of free water on the bar and cups which I felt was a nice touch. It might have been naivety on my part but I wish to god I hadn’t drank that water! I had a couple of sips, it tasted funky so I tipped the rest away.
We went back to our tent, I went to sleep then I woke up 3 hours later to throw up. I kept being sick on and off for the next 8 hours. Along with this I also had diarrhoea which is great when there’s only one decent toilet and you’re trying your best to hold onto what’s left of your dignity whilst you're heaving your guts up in a tent.
After 8 hours I still couldn’t keep water down so we ended up going to the medical tent where I was given an anti-sickness injection and they monitored me for a couple of hours.
The team there were incredible and so kind. I can’t say enough lovely things about them. The work they do is amazing.
They had also said to me that other people had been in there ill because of the water.
Once we left there the rest of the day was a write off. I went back to the tent and slept. This meant that I didn’t get to see any acts that day and my boyfriend had to go on his own which soured the experience for him as well.
The next day I refused to stay in the tent anymore as I wanted to see some acts so I made sure I got out. I found it painful to stand up for too long as every fibre of my being ached from throwing up the day before but I did manage to stick it out for most of the day which was fab!
So in conclusion, the music and acts were incredible, the facilities (toilets, showers, etc) were mostly inhumane (more so than you’d expect for a festival) and the free water.. well, it will cost you in other ways.
It definitely was not as good as when we came last time in 2018.
Seeing how badly it was managed this year and the sheer disregard for peoples health, safety and dignity has strongly put me off of coming back again.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: ? |
|||
Review of Y Not Festival
For the money paid the bands were alitte has been with not a huge amount of good quality tracks. Not sure how it constitues as being family friendly when there's fist fights and drunken teens wanting to fight you.
Whilst the toilet facilities in the actual festivalw were spot on the toilets in the live in campsite were absolutley horrendous, literally as hole with excriment allowed to pile up. Totally 100% not usable for childre or adults. Disgusting! The water availibility in the live in field was unsuitable for the amount of campers, huge queues to get water. Poor show. Overall highly expensive for poor service and entertainment. WIll not be going again.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: No |
|||
Review of Chargecandy at Y Not Festival
Bought two chargers for the entire weekend at the festival. The first day my partners charger didn't work so we had to swap and we never got a full charge the entire time we were there.
It's such a good concept it's just a shame the battery packs are not better quality.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: No |
|||
Review of Y Not Festival
Lack of toilets in VIP and conditions were appalling. No soap, toilet paper, running water or sanitary bins in VIP Campsite or VIP Bar. Food prices were insane and I got food poisoning and had to leave early due to being violently ill. Very out of pocket! Only thing good about the festival is the music.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: No |
|||
Review of Y Not Festival
Positives: Good line up. Beautiful countryside. Loved the glamping tents. Friendly staff and traders. Occasional sunshine.
Negatives: Toilets, toilets, toilets! There were not enough of them, they were usually full and not being cleaned. The two toilet blocks on the Glamping site were inadequate for the number of tents. Posh loos were advertised but this was far from posh. Being able to wash hands is important at a festival.
The VIP bar area by the Big Gin was a waste of money. Again, limited overfull loos.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: No |
|||
Review of Y Not Festival
A long time attendee of the YNot - this year the organisation has been the worst ever... coincides with Superstruct taking over the festival in late 2022...
Parking and camping miles apart, accessible campervan a long, long walk from the festival entrance - far from ideal.
Loos on site... as they used to be 20 years ago - quite disgusting. Over flowing, not enough, not emptied often enough, huge queues. IoW for example have access to stand-up urinals for those who want to use them. Ynot had this too, but too few and it turned in to a stinky mudbath.
Line-up - ok. You know what you're getting when you buy your ticket. Paul Weller Sunday night headliner? No. just no.
Too many scallies here this year, open view driig taking, c0ke snorting.
Typical festival food prices - expensive, and not the quality it has been.
Needs to try harder
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: ? |
|||
Review of Chargecandy at Y Not Festival
one of the best festivals in the country, amazing lineup every year
however, absolutely disgusted with the way the people in accessibility werenât allowed through the gates at the end considering itâs been the same all weekend. ended up causing more trouble as people helped themselves to open it instead.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: Yes |
|||
1-20
