Thousands of tents and piles of rubbish were left behind at this year's Reading Festival, according to photos taken hours after revellers departed. The festival, held at Little John's Farm in Berkshire, saw over 100,000 attendees during the August bank holiday.
Drone footage captured the extent of the waste, which included food packaging, broken tents, sleeping bags, and blow-up mattresses. The issue of abandoned tents is not new, as indicated by reports scrutinised by Reading councillors.
Festival Republic, the organiser of Reading and Leeds festivals, reported 702 tonnes of waste in 2024, a decrease from 780 tonnes in 2023. Tents accounted for 71 tonnes of waste in 2024, approximately 10 per cent of the total, down from 80 tonnes in 2023.
While some believe abandoned camping gear is automatically donated, much of it ends up discarded. Festival-goers are urged to take their belongings home or use designated on-site donation points. FatFranks Festival-essentials, a camping gear provider, also encouraged donations of reusable items to local charities, animal sanctuaries, and schools. Damaged items can also be donated to Reading Repairium, with proceeds supporting Berkshire Youth.