Glastonbury attendees lose £16,000 as glamping firm goes bust - but not everyone is sympathetic

With just one month to go until Glastonbury Festival, punters should be getting excited about one of the biggest weekends in music of the year, but a number of attendees have been left ticket-less and up to £16,000 out of pocket after one of the festival's luxury glamping firms went bust unexpectedly.

It was announced on Thursday (22 May) that Yurtel, who are behind some of the most expensive hospitality tickets and yurts at the festival, had gone into liquidation, and any bookings made would not be honoured.

Prices for hospitality tickets and accommodation packages offered by the company ranged from £10,000 for a bell tent, up to £16,500 for its presidential suite, which included a front deck with seating, a king sized bed and a sofa.

What's more, devastated ticket holders have been told they won't be refunded, and can't even claim back on credit cards, as that wasn't a payment option at the time of booking.

Getty

Glastonbury Festival themselves have added that they have no involvement with the company, and that Yurtel hadn't pre-paid for any tickets before going into liquidation, meaning that not only will people not get their glamping spots, but they'll no longer get to go to the festival at all.

However, due to the sheer cost of booking such an experience, public sympathy is dwindling online, with some branding the downfall of Yurtel a "first world problem".

"The first time I went in 87, I had a sweatshirt and a fiver! Really can't even bear to watch it now and what it's turned into", one person commented.

"If you can afford to pay that much for a festival weekend then you can afford to lose it", another claimed.

"That's what you get for thinking you're better than everyone else and spending 16k to go", another penned. "That'll teach them."

Getty

But, while the Whole Foods till queue would've undoubtedly been there, many of those who have spoken about their devastation include families who have saved for once-in-a-lifetime trips, music lovers battling ill health who wanted a festival to remember, and those so passionate about Glastonbury that it was their only way in.

"It felt like a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and also regret," Louise, who paid £13,500 for her ticket package told the BBC, after saving for the experience.

"The fact that someone had just walked away with our money and we had nothing to show for it."

What's more, the Glastonbury ethos is all about community and inclusivity, and whether you're a champagne sipper or a warm cider chugger - we're all there for the same reason. And hey, who's to tell you what to do with your money?

The festival is now encouraging Yurtel customers to contact Yurtel@btguk.com to confirm their consent for them to share their personal data and details of their party with them in order to seek alternatives.

The festival, taking place between 25 - 29 June will include headliners Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo and The 1975.

Why not read...

Gen Z don't care about music at festivals like Glastonbury anymore

Olivia Rodrigo is a worthy Glastonbury headliner - here's everything that proves it

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.