Glastonbury Festival saw many famous faces take to the various stages at Worthy Farm – but when the festivities were done, some people left their tents behind and everything else they had brought
Although Glastonbury may feel like a lifetime ago already, the fond memories linger for those who witnessed icons like Rod Stewart, Charli XCX, and the 1975. But that’s not the only thing lingering. The rubbish left in the wake of the festival’s finale is a talking point each year – some festival-goers choose to leave their waste, with certain attendees even abandoning their pitched tents for others to dispose of.
After Glastonbury ended last month, a colossal tidy-up effort commenced. Each year this involves paid staff alongside thousands of volunteers dedicating their time to return Worthy Farm after days of footfall and littering by attendees. This brigade tackles the task of litter collection, tent and debris removal and field restoration.
Despite the event organisers’ pleas for people to clean up for themselves, many punters ignore these calls to action and instead leave the scene without picking up their abandoned items.
On TikTok, user @glasto_nights overlayed a clip capturing a trashed campsite, captioning it “POV: Some absolute cretins leave this behind at Glastonbury Festival.”
The area was filled with abandoned bags, debris and tents left by attendees.
The recording zoomed in on a particular tent, fully stocked with sleeping gear, inflatable mattresses and more. The occupants had clearly enjoyed a rather extravagant camping experience.
The abandoned tents still contained clothes and bucket hats, prompting some to question why the owners hadn’t taken them or considered selling them on platforms like Vinted or donating to charity.
The surrounding area was also littered with discarded items, including chairs, laundry baskets, reusable bags, beers, sun cream, Shein packaging, and even toilet paper.
Ironically, the rubbish was left behind by festival-goers who had signed the ‘Green Pledge’, a commitment to take their trash home and utilise the provided bins – a promise that apparently held little significance for some attendees.
In the comments section, one individual said: “That first tent is a Berghaus Air 8! It’s £1100 to buy, so who the hell leaves that and in that state?!”
Another commenter responded: “Rich people who can afford to go to Glastonbury. It used to be affordable, and now it’s a farce.”
Another person added: “This side of festivals disturbs me, I prefer the smaller, eco-friendly, ethical ones, with community in mind.”
A TikTok user chimed in: “It’s such a waste of money, I would love some of that camping equipment and tents. Do they allow the public to come and clean the tents out and take them down correctly for free?”.
Someone else suggested imposing “£2000 fines” on those who choose to leave their belongings behind in such a manner.