Boardmasters Festival 2024: What to Expect from Devon and Cornwall Police’s Expanded Safety Measures

As the newly expanded Boardmasters Music Festival kicks off this weekend, Devon and Cornwall Police are geared up to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the record 58,000 attendees expected at the event. With the festival coinciding with the peak summer season in Cornwall, police presence will be more noticeable than ever, both on-site and in the surrounding areas of Newquay.

Enhanced Security Measures for the 2024 Event

This year’s Boardmasters, running from 8th to 11th August, has seen its capacity increased, prompting heightened security and safety measures. Superintendent Russell Dawe of Devon and Cornwall Police explained that extensive preparations have been made in collaboration with event organisers to manage the influx of festival-goers while maintaining safety for both visitors and local residents.

Festival attendees will encounter a robust police presence at the festival site, with extra patrols deployed across Newquay and surrounding areas throughout the weekend. Officers will be visible in various roles, including roads policing, firearms units, and plainclothes operations, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the event’s vicinity.

Advice for Festival-Goers

To help minimise crime and promote safety, police have issued several key pieces of advice for those attending Boardmasters:

• Report Anything Suspicious: If you see anything that feels off or makes you uncomfortable, report it immediately to the nearest steward, security staff, or police officer. Welfare tents in the main arena and campsites will also be open 24 hours a day for support.
• Stay Safe with Your Drink: Never leave your drink unattended. If you suspect it has been tampered with, seek assistance from the nearest medical tent or festival staff member immediately.
• Protect Your Belongings: Theft is a common issue at large events. Police advise not to leave valuables in your tent and to check your car daily, ensuring glove compartments are empty and open to deter break-ins. Keep your phone, cash, and cards on you, even at night.
• Boardmasters Goes Cashless: With the festival operating as a cashless event, bars, food trucks, and vendors will only accept card payments. Attendees are encouraged to leave large amounts of cash at home.
• Respect Others: Anti-social behaviour, including shouting, swearing, and playing loud music, can cause distress to others. Police urge all festival-goers to drink responsibly and prioritise the safety of themselves and those around them.

Understanding Consent

Devon and Cornwall Police are also emphasising the importance of understanding consent, reminding attendees that sex without consent is rape. The police stress that there is no consent if agreement is forced, coerced, or given by someone impaired by alcohol or drugs. Anyone needing advice or support on this matter is encouraged to visit the festival’s welfare tents or consult police on-site.

Contacting the Police

For those who may need to report a crime or incident during the festival, police advise using the online reporting tool at dc.police.uk, or by calling the non-emergency number 101. In case of emergency, festival-goers should dial 999.

As Boardmasters 2024 unfolds, the increased police presence and comprehensive safety measures aim to ensure that all attendees can enjoy the music, surfing, and atmosphere in a secure environment.