Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
READING FESTILAV
Music fans are offered luxury toilets for £35
FANS can pay £35 for luxury loos at a festival featuring Liam Gallagher... and they get a toilet Roll With It.
The “Refresh Retreat” deal unlocks fancy WCs, use of hair dryers and a lounge at the Reading Festival and its sister event in Leeds.
For £50 fans also get a hot shower, while a further £15 adds a locker and phone socket.
The luxury packages are being offered to punters buying £232-a-pop weekend tickets through Ticketmaster. A blurb for the August bank holiday weekend event says: “The user will have access to our luxury toilets, which will have a dedicated cleaning team throughout opening times.
“They will also have access to our Refresh Retreat Lounge where the user will be able to take advantage of our hair care stations and dressing tables, complimentary toiletries or simply relax on our sofas.”
The deals are the latest targeting festivalgoers who don’t want to “rough it”. At Glastonbury fans can pay £120 for flushing loos, showers – with towel – and phone chargers.
Some hardcore music fans panned the packages. One said: “I know festivals are expensive, but this is taking the proverbial.”
The first paid-for loos caused a stink when brought in by Roman Emperor Titus in 74AD. But he hit back: “Money does not smell.”
SHAKING her feathers, and much more besides, Ana Paula Minerato helps kick off the annual Carnival of Brazil.
The samba dancer wowed in Sao Paulo and revellers were also out in Rio on Friday as the five-day bash began.