People shocked at how much drinks cost at Reading and Leeds festival

People have been kicking off about the prices for drinks at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival.

So, the first question is – have these people ever been to a festival before?

Music festivals are a fun rite of passage for young people, as well as being a great chance to see some of the biggest musical acts in the world live.

However, there’s a lot about them that ain’t great.

Unless you’re willing to go abroad, you’re certainly not guaranteed the weather, then there’s the huge crowds and shoddy toilet facilities, and the fact that booze costs so much.

Jason Richardson/Alamy Stock Photo

In the old days – as many people will tell you – everything was better and cheaper and you could just bring your own cans into music festivals, but since the advent of huge corporate sponsorship deals on festivals, which actually started a good while ago, the price of a pint of branded bog water at a festival has always been pretty dear.

Anyway, this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival is no different.

Let’s start at the top of the scale.

If you’re fancying something to really get you going, you might have a vodka and Red Bull.

However, you’ll only be having a few unless you’re absolutely minted, as each one will set you back £9.50.

Same goes for a Tropical Rumbull, which we’ll have to assume is some sort of rum-based version of the same thing, perhaps with a dash of Lilt chucked in for good measure.

That’s OK though, because pacing yourself is important at these sorts of things – how about a few pints instead?

At this point it’s worth pointing out that if you’re paying with Barclaycard you can get a bit off your drink because of a sponsorship tie-in.

Nothing screams ‘rock and roll’ like taking a sponsorship discount to save a few pennies on a pint of Carlsberg, right?

Keith Moon would be proud.

That pint of Carlsberg will cost you £5.85 with a Barclaycard, or £6.50 if you’re paying the full price.

A Somersby cider will set you back £6.80, or a slightly bizarre £6.12 with your super-cool and totally punk rock Barclaycard.

Then, spirit and mixer drinks will set you back between £7.50 to £9.50, depending on what you want.

Reading and Leeds Festival

Naturally, people have picked up on the price list.

One said: “Glad I didn’t go have you seen the hostage prices of drinks?”

Another wrote: “How can anyone afford to go to a festival for more than one day these days?!?!”

A third commented simply: “Daylight robbery.”

Still, for those who can afford it – or maybe have just turned up for the music – there’s a bumper line-up across the two locations this weekend, featuring headline turns from artists such as Dave, The 1975, Megan Thee Stallion and Arctic Monkeys.

Maybe have a couple of cans in the campsite before heading down to see them though.