INFO
Here are some legal terms and general advice for attending the festival:
Attending The Swindon Shuffle
While all stages at the Swindon Shuffle are free entry, all of the venues used have restricted capacities and can fill up quite quickly so you may be temporarily refused entry if a safe capacity has been reached until such time that it is safe to enter the venue, in which case please wait outside the venue while not blocking any public footpaths or adjoining building access points, or try visiting a different stage if there is another one running at that time as it may not have reached capacity (all the venues are within approximately a 5 minute walk of each other). If there is a particular act you wish to see please ensure you get to the stage early to avoid disappointment.
As per standard UK licensing laws venue owners and staff reserve the right to refuse you entry and / or eject you from their venue, including for any of the following reasons:
- if you fail when requested to provide proof of identification and age;
- if in the venue staff’s opinion you are acting under the influence of drugs or the excessive influence of alcohol;
- if you use abusive, threatening or insulting words or actions, or if you behave in a manner that could affect the enjoyment of other attendees (ie: basically don’t be a dick);
- if you refuse to comply with any venue staff’s security searches or any other reasonable requests.
Also, as per any festival the line up is liable to change and while intended start times are published for all acts playing please be aware that at events as complex as this there can be unforeseen delays, therefore the organisers and venue owners / staff cannot be held responsible for any changes to acts playing and / or start times that result in you missing a performance – for the latest information on line ups and timings before and throughout the festival please make sure you check or are subscribed to any of the Swindon Shuffle social media channels.
Finally, by attending any of the festival stages you give your express consent for you / your likeness to be included in any film / video, photography and / or audio recording that can be used by the Swindon Shuffle organisers in any and all media for any purpose at any time throughout the world (this may sound heavy handed, but is primarily just to cover that social media sites can be accessed internationally), and the copyright of which is owned by the Swindon Shuffle without payment or compensation.
Persons Under 18 Years Of Age
Unfortunately most of the venues used as stages for the Swindon Shuffle are pubs and bars which operate a standard 18+ policy so persons under 18 will not be able to attend these stages, however this year the Saturday afternoon stages at The Tuppenny, Prospect Media Shop and Baristocats, and the Sunday afternoon stage at The Tuppenny will be welcoming all ages.
Venue Accessibility
Unfortunately most of the venues used for the Swindon Shuffle are very old (100+ years) and were not built with people who are disabled or have other access requirements in mind, however The Tuppenny being a new venue is well equipped for accessibility, including being all on street level with no steps for entry or within the venue, wide access doors and having a dedicated disabled toilet. We continue to work with the venues involved to identify what provisions can be made regarding accessibility as we want to make attending the festival as enjoyable an experience as possible for everyone within our community.
Drink & Food
As all stages at the Swindon Shuffle take place in existing venues in Old Town you are not allowed to bring your own drinks or food into festival events, however every venue has a bar or refreshments counter available selling drinks and snacks, and there are also a number of restaurants and fast food outlets within the vicinity of the venues. Also, when drinking alcohol please know your limits, and those of your friends, as drunk people can ruin everyone else’s fun. If you are concerned that someone requires assistance due to excessive drinking please speak to a member of venue staff who can assist. If you are staying in a venue for any length of time we would also suggest drinking water at points as even in cold weather crowded venues can get very hot.
As per standard UK licensing laws you need to be 18+ to purchase and / or consume alcohol at the event and venue owners and their staff reserve the right to refuse to serve alcohol to anyone appearing to have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol or anyone unable to provide proof of identification and age when requested (acceptable proof of identification is a current passport or a current drivers license, including provisional licenses).
Drugs
Drugs are no less illegal at the Swindon Shuffle than anywhere else in society and dealing in or use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated at the festival. Anyone found to be using or selling illegal drugs in any of the venues will be evicted and may even be treated to a free ride in a police car.
Noise & Lighting
Prolonged or excessive exposure to loud music can cause damage to your hearing, so please remember to give your ears a break when watching live music and / or wear suitable earplugs. Bright, flashing and / or strobing lights may be used during performances at The Victoria.
Personal Safety & Crime
While there have been minimal incidents in previous years and venue owners will have all their normal safety and security provisions in place, the Swindon Shuffle cannot make it absolutely 100% safe (much in the same way that venues can’t at any other gigs held throughout the year), so please take care when attending, both of yourselves and others around you. Please report any unsociable or criminal behaviour you observe to venue staff who will deal with it, as we do not want an inconsiderate minority ruining the festival experience for the majority. Also make sure you keep track of your personal possessions while attending the festival, however if you do lose anything then check with venue staff as it may have been handed to them.