We’ve been attending this event since…
We’ve been attending this event since 2025, and while we've always enjoyed our time in the past, we were left quite disappointed with the arrival experience and rising costs this year. When we arrived, the team members we spoke to didn't know where the disabled parking was located. We were asked to wait in the standard parking area while they checked, but nobody ever returned to update us. We eventually gave up and just parked normally. Ironically, we only found out where the disabled parking actually was after we finally got inside the field and were handed a free programme!
The confusion continued at the ticket gates. We walked down to the arch to buy our day tickets, just as we did last year in Upton, but were directed back on ourselves to the ticket pods. I am disabled, my wife has a carer's card, and our son is also registered disabled. Last year, with our proof, our entry was £20, and the staff member at the pod initially confirmed it would be £20 again this year. We had to wait a while for them to radio someone to bring a phone to connect the card machine, which we didn't mind at all. However, when they finally rang us up, we were shocked to be told the fee was actually £40.
On a positive note, we were greeted by some incredibly friendly, smiley security guards on the way in, which was a lovely touch. Unfortunately, once inside, we found the food and drink prices to be quite steep, such as £5 for a small bap. We had originally planned to make it a two-day visit this year using day tickets, but with the entrance fee unexpectedly doubling from what we were quoted, we sadly couldn't afford to do both days. We genuinely wish the organizers all the best for future years, but unfortunately, the disorganization at the gates and the sudden price hikes have priced us out of returning.