Latitude – Keep safe, have fun

Latitude – Keep safe, have fun

Latitude festival-goers are being urged to stay safe and have the time of their lives.

The music and arts festival takes place between Thursday 23 July and Sunday 26 July and Suffolk Police have drawn up crime prevention advice to the thousands of people who will rock up to the north Suffolk festival.

In such a relaxed and happy atmosphere it can be easy to forget about safety and security but organisers and officers want to remind you of a few basic tips.

This is especially true for campers - the most common crime at all festivals is thefts from tents of phones, laptops, tablets and cash.

So, keep a close eye on your possessions, especially on your first night when criminals assume people will be too excited to be on their guard.

Other thefts occur while festival-goers are watching performances.

So, police want you to think about security before you even get to Latitude and this will help you to have a safe and enjoyable time. 

Follow the advice of stewards and security personnel on the site.

Stick with your friends and look out for each other.

With warm weather likely, moderate your alcohol consumption. Have a glass of water between drinks and pace yourself.

Be careful. It is great to make new friends but going off alone with people you have just met could lead you into situations you don’t want to be in. If you find yourself in a uncomfortable situation, speak to a member of staff from Latitude and ‘Ask for Angela.’ Staff will then respond to keep you safe.

Set up camp near friends, make friends with your new neighbours and learn the layout of the site so you can find what you need – toilets/ stewards, etc. - without getting lost. Ask the festival’s friendly staff for help with directions or anything else you might need.

Don’t bring large sums of cash, lots of credit/ debit cards or lots of valuables with you. Bring only what you need and keep items on you or in a locker. Latitude’s bars and merch will be mainly cash-less but some vendors will still need cash payments. Take some money but not too much!

If you can’t take your valuables with you when you leave your tent leave them at home. A tent offers little, if any, security and can easily be entered even if the entrance is padlocked.

Make use of the property Storage Tent onsite, open 24 hours, to store your valuables and possessions securely.

Thieves could strike even when you’re asleep, so place any cash, credit cards, mobile phones, cameras, etc. inside a bag and tuck it into your sleeping bag when you go to sleep, with larger items at your feet.

If you arrive by car don’t leave anything in your vehicle, including satellite navigation systems, cash etc. Take everything with you or leave it at home.

Keep mobile phones secure. It is easy for a pickpocket to take items such as these from a pocket or bag in a crowd without you noticing.

Remember, if you see any suspicious behaviour report it to security. However, in an emergency – if you believe a crime is in progress – call 999.

Suffolk Police will be using officers with additional training to look for subtle signs of any criminal intent or planning. This approach has been used across the UK as part of Project Servator. These highly visible officers will form part of the wider policing operation.

Superintendent Mike Brown said: “Latitude is a fantastic festival for all the community and our principal aim is to keep you safe so you can have a great time.

“Our officers will be on hand if needed and you can share any concerns you have with them or event stewards. They are not there to spoil your fun; they are there to help you have fun in safety.”

Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: “We are very proud of Latitude and consider ourselves fortunate to have one of the country’s major festivals here on our doorstep. The festival has grown massively over the past 20 years with a daily capacity of roughly 40,000 attendees – which is great for the economy and great for introducing new visitors to all our beautiful county has to offer. 

“Festivals are designed to be fun and I don’t want to spoil that fun, but I would ask all festival-goers to be sensible, keep safe, look after each other and be respectful.”

Latitude rightly attracts many thousands of people and police are also reminding motorists that there could be some delays on the A12 near Henham as thousands of festival goers flock to the site. Traffic is likely to be slow-moving along the A12, particularly between Yoxford and the site.  

Drivers should leave extra time for their journey, be patient and avoid the area if they are not going to the festival.

Sizewell C, the nuclear power station under construction on the Suffolk coast, said it was working closely with partners, including Suffolk Constabulary, to help minimise disruption on the A12 during the festival.

Marjorie Barnes, Head of Community Relations at Sizewell C, said: “There will be no planned Sizewell C-related traffic management or large freight movements on the A12 from 5am on Wednesday 22 July and 8pm on Monday 27 July. We wish everyone attending the festival a fantastic, safe and enjoyable time.”

If you are the victim of a crime at Latitude you can always report it using the online reporting service rather than phoning 101.

Report | Suffolk Constabulary

If a crime is in progress, you should still phone 999.

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For travel information and advice including parking and pick up/drop off points, visit Latitude Festival | Information