Schedule Changes

[Jono 59]

Radio 1 has supplied details of the number of tickets allocated to postcodes in and around Maidstone for the upcoming Big Weekend.

The BBC responded to angry claims by scores of disgruntled Maidstone residents who failed to get free tickets to the two-day music extravaganza at Mote Park and claimed the allocation had been wrongly weighted to favour ME postcodes in Medway.

A BBC spokesman said: "It is not true that Radio 1 mistakenly assumed ME1 and ME2 were central Maidstone postcodes. Neither postcode was in the central zone for allocation.

"The highest number of tickets given to any one postcode was 3,042 to ME15, followed by 2,298 to ME 14 and 1,710 to ME16, a total of 7,050 tickets.

A total of 45 per cent - around 15,300 - of the free tickets went to those with postcodes covered by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) itself, according to the BBC. The other tickets were split between the other Maidstone postcodes.

The council's revenues department supplied a list of postcodes the authority covered to ensure all those paying council tax in the Maidstone area had the greatest chance of obtaining a ticket.

The main postcodes given were ME14, ME15, ME16 and ME 17. A number of ME5, ME9, ME18, TN12 and TN27 postcodes also fall under Maidstone borough council, as well a few in ME4, ME7, ME13, ME19, ME20, TN9, TN15 and TN17.

The spokesman added: "Everyone in this zone had the same chance of being allocated a ticket - around one in 16 on Saturday and one in nine on Sunday."

Outside of the central MBC zone, another 40 per cent of the tickets went to the surrounding areas of Kent, including:

~ 3,868 to other Medway postcodes not covered above;

~ 4,006 to all other Tunbridge Wells postcodes not covered above (including some to those in parts of East Sussex);

~ 1,568 to Dartford postcodes;

~ 466 to those with Bromley postcodes;

~ 172 to those with Croydon postcodes.

Finally, 10 per cent went to postcodes bordering Kent, including parts of Sussex, Surrey, Essex and London, and the remaining five per cent went to other areas in the UK.

The BBC spokesman reiterated that 34,000 tickets were given away for the Big Weekend, but that more than 518,000 people around the UK had registered.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kol08/article/default.asp?article_id=41235

[Lucinda 10]

I could have got one of the 172 tickets allocated to people with Croydon postcodes... therefore it was actually 'local' to me. Pity I'm currently in the Midlands...

[Sam. 10]

The people of Maidstone are frankly bitter. They seem to think the laws of probability dont apply to them. They knew the deal when they applied. It doesnt help that the local paper is intent on stirring and sensationalising everything.

I live in the ME14 postcode and am a 20 second walk from Mote Park, but didnt get tickets. But at the end of the day thats life. I am of the opinion that more of the tickets should have gone to the Maidstone area, especially considering its our tax that is paying for the event, but talk of fixes, boycotting Radio 1, blockading roads is just stupid.

Everyone whose got tickets have a good time!

PS if you feel sorry for me and want to gimme a ticket im more than happy to give a parking space to you

[Jono 59]

I'd probably be just as bitter if I didn't get tickets but I don't think you can go around throwing stupid accusations like that out. I still honestly don't believe the postmen were nicking them in Dundee! Throw a strop, but jeesh, don't make up stuff.

[superchris0110 10]

This is quite funny actually, because I put in a Freedom of information request a few days back to find out these exact figures just to stick my arm into the arguement. Guess I dont have to wait anymore for them to get back to me

[Ruby 10]

Hopefully that'll stop them moaning! Seriously, some people need to get a grip.