With tens of thousands of people set to descend on festivals all across the UK this summer, motorists travelling there are being warned of five little-known driving laws.
Summer is well and truly here, and nothing says summer quite like a festival, right? Parklife may have been and gone, but with the North and North West still gearing up to host other major festivals like Leeds Festival, Creamfields, Tramlines, Lytham Festival, Kendall Calling, Bluedot, and so many more, there’s absolutely no shortage of opportunities for Mancs to soak up the sunshine in a field listening to some good tunes surrounded by their mates over the coming months.
But ahead of what is undeniably the country’s biggest and most iconic music festival, Glastonbury, kicking-off this weekend, festivalgoers hopping in the car to make their way to any event this summer are being warned to keep an eye on some driving laws they may not be familiar with.
New research from Compare the Market has revealed the top five driving regulations relating to festivals that “often slip under the radar”.
Most of the laws on the list will see unsuspecting motorists handed penalty points on their license or hit with hefty fines they’ll have to pay – and some even come with fines that have no limit to them.
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Top 5 Festival Driving Laws
Festival Driving Laws
Potential Fines
Potential Penalty Points
Driving whilst listening to loud music
Unlimited fine
3-9 penalty points
Driving in wellies
£1,000
3 penalty points
Driving with hayfever
Unlimited fine
3-9 penalty points
Taking drowsy allergy tablets
Unlimited fine
3-11 penalty points
Driving in distracting/restrictive outfits
£1,000
3 penalty points
Results based on research by Compare The Market
Taking top spot on the list is cranking the music up while driving, which seems to be a given for many as they either make their way to the festival, or try to cure the post-festival blues on the way home, while driving with hayfever symptoms or on drowsy allergy tablets also rank highly.
According to Compare The Market, nearly two thirds (63%) of motorists are unaware that driving with severe hay fever symptoms could land them with a fine or penalty points.
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Elsewhere on the list, apparently under two in five motorists could also face a fine of up to £1,000 for driving in the absolute festival essential that is a pair of wellies, and 28% risk penalties for splashing pedestrians in rainy weather – which probably would’ve been good to know after the torrential downpours we had at Parklife this year.
Motorists warned of little-known driving laws ahead of summer festival season / Credit: Flickr | Rawpixel
“Staying up to date with the latest version of the Highway Code is the easiest way to avoid fines and penalties while driving,” Julie Daniels, Car Insurance Expert at Compare the Market, advised as the festival driving laws research was released.
“Even having just a few penalty points on your licence could cause issues for you, as they stay on record for at least four years and make it more difficult to get good car insurance deals.
“In fact, our data shows that having between 3-5 points on your license could increase your insurance premium by up to 4% on average, while having 6-8 points could increase premiums costs by up to 62% on average.”
Featured Image – RAC
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands
Emily Sergeant
Students can get themselves up to 50% off on food, activities, and loads of big-name brands at the Trafford Centre next month.
With thousands of new and returning students starting to arrive for the new academic year at Greater Manchester‘s universities, one of the region’s biggest student nights will be making a long-awaited comeback for one night only next month – and there’ll be loads of exclusive offers and free entertainment to make the most of across the evening.
Taking over the Trafford Centre in early October, the popular one-off student night is happening in partnership with Student Beans, and gives cash-strapped students the chance to shop a variety of incredible discounts all under one roof.
Just some of the big brands offering big discounts include 25% off at Levi’s and Boux Avenue, 20% off at Gymshark, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, and 15% off at KIKO, Rituals, and Sephora.
It’s not just retail brands you’ll be able to save some pennies on either, as many of the Trafford Centre’s restaurants and cafes will also be offering discounts and freebies on the night too.
Alongside the offers, students can expect plenty of live entertainment and in-store experiences throughout the evening, including a DJ set and drinks at Calvin Klein, in-store fitness challenges and at Gymshark, an exclusive piercing event at Lovisa, and a Beauty Hub takeover at Sephora.
There’ll also be ‘spin-to-win’ opportunities at places like schuh, River Island, and YO! Sushi.
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands / Credit: Supplied
“Student Night is one of the highlights of our autumn calendar, and we’re excited to welcome students for an evening of brilliant offers and feel-good experiences,” explained Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at the Trafford Centre.
“Whether they are updating their wardrobe, stocking up on beauty favourites, grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying the atmosphere with friends, there is plenty to discover across the centre.
“With simple transport links from Manchester city centre and across the region, Trafford Centre is the perfect place for a student night out.”
The Trafford Centre’s Student Night is happening on Thursday 1 October from 6-10pm, and students can now reserve themselves a spot by registering online HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd June 2023 
