NOTICE: This article is about summer 2019. We have an updated version for the 2022 season here.
The Co-op have confirmed which festivals they’ll be selling alcohol at this summer. After appearing at Download, Latitude, Leeds and Reading last year, their pop-up shop will be at eight festivals this summer, including Glastonbury.
The 6,000 square foot Co-op at Download Festival last year offered alcohol for well below the price of the bars, with chilled 70cl, plastic bottles of Rose available for around £7. The shop also stocked a large range of festival essentials and a massive selection of meal deals.
The Co-op told TheFestivals contractual obligations with each event determine where they can sell alcohol. The good news is the Co-op stores at Download, Latitude, Leeds, Reading and Isle of Wight festivals will all be selling alcohol this summer!
Can you buy alcohol at the Glastonbury Co-op?
In the Glastonbury, Creamfields and Belladrum shops, alcohol won’t be available this year. The Co-op said they’ll have a wide range of soft drinks including mixers and ice plus loads of food available.
Back in March, the Co-op announced a partnership with Glastonbury to bring a convenience store to the festival’s campsite, stocked with: “a wide range of food, drink and festival essentials like sandwiches, water, bacon, eggs and bread alongside the obligatory sun cream and rain ponchos.”
Alongside the deal, the Co-op revealed plans to build a permanent store in nearby Pilton. Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis said: “When I was a small boy there were three shops in this village. My earliest memories of going to the shop were to buy one penny packets of sherbet! Since then, one by one, the shops have closed and for several years we’ve had no shops at all.
“But now, thankfully we’ve managed to persuade the Co-op people to make a pledge and commit to trying to provide our marvellous village with a model village shop. We’re SO lucky and my enthusiasm is shared right across the village!”
Co-op Director of Marketing Live & Local Amanda Jennings said: “Music festivals create a happy, weekend community which we are perfectly placed to serve, getting closer to customers with our unique convenience offer, providing high quality and value for money essential items to help festivalgoers make the most of their Glastonbury experience.”
The Co-op brought some of the UK’s first reverse plastic vending machines to festivals last summer, allowing fans to claim a refund credit for each plastic bottle returned for recycling.
The Co-op said customers were often found partying in the aisles at 2am with the in-store DJ.
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