Some Download Festival goers raised concerns because they hadn't received their tickets with just days to go until the start of the event. The rock festival will take at Donington Park this weekend - from Friday, June 10, to Sunday, June 12 - but many reported not having received their tickets or parking passes in the days before.
Christine Tully, 63, and her partner Paul Upex, 52, are set to travel to Download Festival on Wednesday (June 8), the earliest date revellers can arrive for extended camping, from Preston and only received their tickets less than 24 hours before that day. They both paid £220 for their five day tickets, plus an added secure delivery fee, and have said the whole process was very stressful.
Christine has attended Download multiple times before and brought her ticket originally in 2019 - but Covid hampered proceedings with the festival cancelled over successive years. The original tickets, meanwhile, remained valid for the 2022 full festival return.
She said: "They have always been very good and always got our tickets on time. However this year on the Download site, which is linked to Ticketmaster, they suddenly changed the goalposts a few days ago to say that all the festival tickets will be changed to e-tickets.
"People have been having major issues with these e-tickets: some have got them, some haven't, some have a parking ticket, some cannot even get into the e-files and Download are not answering anything. There is nothing on the Download site about anything and [ticket operator] See Tickets haven't got anything on their site."
She added: "There are still people who still haven't got them at all. It is all very sporadic and it is all still very messy from what I am seeing. I think they need a really big kick up the backside from what they have done. I think they need to give everyone an apology but they won't.
"I think it has been quite a stressful few days for everybody. You get to a point where you don't want to go because it is all just a mess. You still don't know when you get there if they [the e-tickets] are going to scan. I can still see problems, in fact I think there will be problems all weekend.
"There is a lot of people due from abroad and all over the UK. It is crazy enough as it is: on the first day of Download the box office is really busy anyway for last minute bookers but this is going to be absolute hell. You are going to have a load of people turning up with just a booking confirmation in your hand because See Tickets are not replying.
"It is going to be absolute chaos and it is just not right at all. Nobody wants to listen to this but they just do not seem to want to do anything about it. You just can't turn your back on people. I have no doubt they [See Tickets] have an inbox full of complaints. People are so worried and stressed."
The couple's situation has been echoed by other festival goers on social media with many posting their frustrations over not having their tickets with days to go until the event. People are still waiting for their festival ticket or parking passes for this years event headlined by Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro.
One Reddit user, Jazzotang, said: "Still no e-tickets and still no car park pass for me either. I have contacted Ticketmaster using their online form twice, still no reply. I have also emailed Download festival and they haven’t replied either. Absolute shambles." Another user said: "I got my E-tickets Friday.. still waiting on a car parking pass. Cutting it very close!!"
_Kranzil posted: "Is anyone else still waiting for their e-tickets to be available on the app? Mine still aren't there and after contacting Ticketmaster, they've said they're in the post despite the festival saying e-tickets only. We rolled ours over from 2019 if anyone else is in the same boat. Starting to get a little nervous now as Ticketmaster don't seem to know what's happening."
Download posted a recent update on its Instagram page regarding parking passes. Organisers said: "We are expecting these to arrive by tomorrow, however booking confirmation and matching ID will be accepted for those who don't receive their pass before the festival.
"If you haven't brought a car park pass yet, you can purchase one on site." Festival Republic, who run Download, and booking website See Tickets have both been approached for comment. Neither have responded at the time of publication.
