Melvin's answers in bold underlined.

Hi Melvin.

A man that looked like you (!!) was directing another man up a ladder to fix a sign on the merchandise stand at one point? Would you really be as hands on as that and was it you?
I AM THAT HANDS ON NICO AND YES IT WAS ME. I WAS GRUMPY WITH THE MERCHANDISER FOR NOT DOING IT BEFORE THE ARENA OPENED . HE WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO WHAT HE COULD  DO PERFECTLY WELL HIMSELF SO I STOOD AND MADE HIM DO IT>  




THANKS.

1) Firstly, thank you for another great Latitude Festival. How do you feel, overall, this years festival went compared to others?
MY PLEASURE. PLEASED YOU ENJOYED IT. I THOUGHT IT WAS TERRIFIC IN MANY WAYS BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH WATER SUPPLY TO THE FAMILY CAMPING IN PARTICULAR.

2) A lot of people have been commenting on the noticable change in 'clientele' this year, stating they noticed a lot more 'drunken posh kids this year'. What is your take on this?
DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT REALLY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A DEVELOPING PATTERN OR A REFLECTION OF LAST YEARS LINE UP.  

3) There was a lot of queueing to get into the arena this year, amongst some other crowd issues, and a few have suggested that this is down the organisers being unprepared for the increase in capacity. Would you agree with this, and if so, are there plans in place to rectify this next year?
I WOULDN'T AGREE TOTALLY WITH IT BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF COMMENTS TO THAT EFFECT AND I WILL RESPOND OBVIOUSLY. THE ARENA ENTRANCE WILL BE MADE BIGGER FOR CERTAIN AND THE ARENA WILL BE MADE BIGGER TOO.

4) Do the organisers plan to change the capacity for next year?
NO.

5) After the high demand, and eventual booking of an act to play sunday midday, will this slot be booked well in advance for next year, if indeed this slot exists next year?
IT DOES EXIST CHRISSY AND IT WILL BE BOOKED EARLY THIS YEAR FOR CERTAIN. I KNOW WHO I WANT ALREADY
6) Just out of interest, why are unsealed plastic bottles not allowed into the arena? Obviously, it is understandable that rules need to be in place, but for some visitors, paying £3.90 for a can of Gaymers, or £2 for a bottle of water or Pepsi is not economically viable, given that we have already paid at least £160 just to get there, in most cases more.
THE LICENCE DICTATES WHAT CANNOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE ARENA.
7) I know this issue isn't exclusively set to Latitude, but it felt like the food outlets were price-fixing in a way. Do you feel that the food and drink vendors on site were providing value for money?
I THOUGHT THEY WERE BUT I WILL REVIEW IT FOR CERTAIN. I INTEND TO HAVE MORE OUTLETS THIS YEAR TOO.

Again, thank you very much for a very enjoyable festival, and I will hopefully see you next year :)
I HOPE SO TOO CHRISSY.

Only got the one question for now but will edit in as I think of more.

1. The festival seems to be slowly diverting away from world music, with no world music headliners in the last couple of years. Is this deliberate or can we expect more in the future?
I'M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION IT EVER HAD WORLD MUSIC HEADLINERS TO BE HONEST. THE HEADLINERS ARE A DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT EACH YEAR BUT THERE ISN'T A POLICY OF MORE OR LESS OF ONE GENRE JUST A POLICY OF WHAT FEELS RIGHT FOR JON AND MYSELF EACH YEAR. SORRY NOT TO BE MORE SPECIFIC WITH A YES OR NO.

Edit: perhaps this is more appropriate for jon dunn so i've put it in that as well.

Will there be an increase in toilets, water points and the size of the tents for Literature, theatre etc to match the larger amount of people attending Latitude ?
HELLO BRIGHT YOUNG THING. GOOD QUESTIONS. TOILETS YES, WATER A MASSIVE YES, THEATRE NO BUT LITERATURE AND POETRY YES. I THINK COMEDY WORKED WITH THE INCREASE IN SIZE AND SPACE BUT I DO THINK POETRY AND LITERATURE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIGGER.

An excellent festival, thank you.

For 2011 could you :
1. Decrease the capacity?
NO
2. Start the festival earlier, ie at 10.00am Thursday?
NO
3. Have more bars and more choice of lager/bitter?
I AM WORKING ON THAT ONE
4. Have better informed and trained volunteers?
I THOUGHT THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD BUT WILL TRY AND IMPROVE THEM.
5. Have some reggae/ska acts?
GENTELMENS DUB CLUB WERE AMAZING AT THE SUNRISE AS WERE ALL OF THE SKA/REGGAE STUFF THAT PLAYED LATE NIGHT IN FILM AND MUSIC. I GUESS YOU MISSED THEM
6. Have a few more toilets?
YES
7. Have more than two washing up sinks in family camping?
YES. DEFINITELY 
8. Have bigger comedy/literary arenas?
LITERARY YES. COMEDY NO
9. Re-book Richie Hall for a longer slot?
MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR
10. Keep up the good work?
DEFINITELY!

1. I was pleased Latitude broke even last year.  Did the numbers stack up again this time around? THEY DID THANK YOU GIDDY
2. Could you envisage Latitude not being an annual event and missing a year every now and then, a la Glastonbury? NO. ALWAYS TO BE ANNUAL. EVEN IN 2012 WHEN THE OLYMPICS ARE ON.

HI melvin some questions for you
 
1  Will the size of the arena get bigger next year, ITs still the same size as it was in 07 when there was only 20,000 people.
Yes it will flegg. I am moving the second stage (what was the word tent) further back and huw Stephen's Lake stage too.

 
2 Do you think in the next year or so that most of the cars will be on the farm land just outside the park as was the case this year, This will free up park land to make the arena bigger and more room to camp.
We have the option to do that and are definitely looking at extending the car parking locations there but the car parking is really governed by the traffic plan and we need to plan around that as the priority. we can make more space available for camping though. 
 
3 Do you think that part of the yellow camping in the next year or so will become part of the arena as it gets bigger 
No. Not this year
  
4 If in 2007 the big top over theOBELISK ARENA had not blown down making it open air do you latitude would have grown so big .
Yes, it would still have grown I think as the demand is there. In fact the demand is greater than the capacity I set.
   
5 How big do you think latitude will grow in the next five years.
im not sure. Maybe just 5k more but I dont want to commit either way really.

What motivated the scaling up of the festival this year? Was the 'boutique' model not viable financially?
WELL I WOULD ARGUE IT IS STILL BOUTIQUE EDITIONS 70 BUT THE THE ANSWER IS YOU ARE RIGHT IN YOUR ASSESSMENT NONETHELESS.

1. Melvin, next year, would it be possible to book acts based entirely on the following labels: 4AD, Arts & Crafts, Asthmatic Kitty, Memphis Industries,  Domino, Woodsist, Turnstile, Smoking Gun & Polyvinyl... 

Thanks in advance ;)
HA HA HA. OF COURSE IT IS BITTEORCA. I WILL TRY AND GET ALL THE ACTS WE BOOK TO SIGN FOR ONE OF THEM!

Thanks for a brilliant festival - as good as any year, great bands booked. THANKS MAXIBOY. THANK YOU A notable absence from the festival every year has been hip hop though. Would it be possible to book a hip hop act next year? I think De La Soul would be absolutely perfect and would keep with the appealing to all ages feel, but also more intelligent rappers like Mos Def and Roots Manuva would really fit with the festivals image. How possible is this, and has it been considered before?
GOOD THOUGHT. NOT BEEN THOUGHT OF BEFORE IN TRUTH SO IT IS IN THE HEAD FOR THINKING NOW. NO PROMISES AS IT DOESN'T SIT STRAIGHTFORWARDLY WITH THE LINE UP GENERALLY BUT IF THE RIGHT THING IS AROUND IT WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY. ROOTS WOULD BE TERRIFIC. 

A couple of acts on the lake touched on hip hop this year. Engine Earz had rap within a couple of songs. It was a nice break from all the indie rock/folk this year.

Hi Melvin/Annie,

As I'm sure you've noticed, there has been a LOT of talk about things being "different" this year. I just wondered if you noticed anything yourself? People, atmosphere, attitudes etc? (this obviously depends on how much  free time you actually get to just wander about the arena/campsites and check out whats going on!). If so I'd be interested to know what your thoughts were?
HI ABBYM. I ACTUALLY SPENT QUITE A LOT OF TIME WANDERING TO BE HONEST. I ALWAYS DO AS IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT IS GOING ON. I GUESS THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH IN THE THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME 'NEW' PEOPLE WHO CAME AND CHANGED THE ATMOSPHERE A LITTLE. I GUESS VAMPIRE WEEKEND AND FLORENCE ATTRACTED A YOUNGER AUDIENCE WHO WERE QUICKER OFF THE MARK TO BUY TICKETS AND THAT DID CREATE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE CAMPSITE AFTER THE RAPE ALLEGATIONS AND SOME OF THE YOUNGER END WERE BEHAVNG A LITTLE LESS WELL THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED AND I WILL DO A LOT TO TRY AND CHANGE THAT BEHAVIOUR FOR THIS YEAR AND THE FUTURE. THAT SAID, THE AGE PROFILE MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS THE BILL IS NOT COMPLETE YET AND THAT DOES INFLUENCE IT OF COURSE. 


Thanks for the best weekend of every year
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

Hi Melvin,

To reiterate a number of the posts, tnx for what was very much a great weekend. MY PLEASURE KevS. I AM PLEASED YOU ENJOYED IT.

My questions for you

1. The rape incidences this year are obviously upsetting, unsettling and disturbing, for which the media have cast their focus on this year and will no doubt do so in the run up to next year's festival too, obviously this is not a risk which can be eradicated but what steps do you intend to take to assure female festival goers in 2011?
REALLY THROUGH A MIXTURE OF EARLY COMMUNICATION TO THE TICKET HOLDERS AND AN ON SITE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AIMED AT YOUNGER WOMEN IN PARTICULAR. IN WEST YORKSHIRE THERE IS A VERY PROACTIVE TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME TO THE LEEDS FESTIVAL TO MAKE WOMEN MORE AWARE OF THE DANGERS AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING SIMILAR IN SUFFOLK. IN ADDITION THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN SECURITY AT NIGHT AND THEY WILL BE STRONGLY BRIEFED TO BE AWARE OF POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE FEMALES.

2. A number of posts have noted the change in demographic this year towards younger attendees and also the behaviour of a minority of these festival goers, particularly noting campsite destruction and aggressive behaviour to others. Whether extensive or minor this sort experience can have a drastic impact on people's impression of a festival. Do you intend to change security measures to address these concerns and if so, what are they?
I DO. VERY MUCH. ESSENTIALLY THERE WILL BE GREATER NUMBERS OF SECURITY WITH THEM EMPHASISING THE NEED FOR A MORE REASONABLE BEHAVIOUR. THE FIRES WERE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. 

3. Noting the forums imply some health and safety matters this year, including lack of Ambulance access for someone who suffered a fit, potential issues with the bridge access and the partial collaspe of the sunrise arena. I observed the final and if had happened 5 minutes before it could have been fairly serious. Obviously attendance has increased but in doing so are you mindful of the need to upgrade infrastructure to cope with it. I'd appreciate your thoughts on how you would you stop recurrence of these matters at future festivals?
THE POINTS MADE ARE VALID ALBEIT THE AMBULANCE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATENTION AS AN ISSUE BEFORE. THE BRIDGE WAS AN ISSUE THOUGH IT WAS NEVER IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING AS SOME FEARED. I AM ADDING A SECOND BRIDGE THIS YEAR TO RELIEVE THAT PRESSURE. THE SUNRISE ARENA WAS JUST POOR WORKMANSHIP ON THE INSTALL AND WILL BE OVERCOME THIS YEAR. I AM VERY COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE FESTIVAL AS A SAFE ONE.

On the obviously horrifying subject of the rape reports, can I ask: there has been some strong criticism on the forum of the communication from the organisers and that more should have been done to alert people to the possible danger. I personally saw the witness appeals put up in the Village entrance and everyone around us seemed to be aware of the matter. Can I ask whether the communication was guided by the police and if you have any other thoughts on this?
IT WAS A MIXTURE OF GUIDED BY THE POLICE AND MY OWN INSTINCTS OF WHAT I WAS HEARING ABOUT THE ALLEGED RAPES. I FEEL IN TRUTH THAT THE WAY WE HANDLED IT WAS CORRECT.

And another one, sorry.

Melvin, as you will have noticed when you forwarded my 25,000 word festival review to all of your staff, I think the Comedy tent is now too big. UNFORTUNATELY ON THIS ONE I DON’T AGREE NICO.I appreciate that this will probably be annoying for you to hear, as it was probably increased after people endlessly moaning that they couldn't get in to the tent before and had to turn up about 15 minutes early if they wanted to see very successful comedians off the telly and that. A lot of comedians seemed to struggle and some seemed to find it very hard to tell how they were doing: Emo Phillips referred to himself as dying, some posters on here said they thought he had, I personally thought most people seemed to be enjoying it and were laughing a lot, it just didn't sound like it. Did any of the acts or comperes have any issues with this? [font="tahoma; font-size: 10pt"]THEY DIDN’T IN ALL HONESTY. OR CERTAINLY NOT THAT HAS COME BACK TO ME. MELVIN

Hi Melvin & Annie,

Thanks for a great weekend, I had a wonderful time and saw some great acts.
THANK YOU SLEEPING NINJA. I DID TOO.

My questions are about change.  I heard Melvin talking on Look East and saying that the festival this year had a good 'younger' vibe or something similar, due to the choice of bands playing this year. Latitude has always been hailed as a 'family' festival and I just wondered if it was moving away from this towards other music festivals like Reading and Leeds? (which in my opinion would be a disaster).  IT IS NOT AND MY OPINION IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOURS SLEEPING NINJA. EXACTLY THE SAME

Do you feel that it is possible to attract more younger people without putting off the family and more mature audience? I HOPE SO  If so how do you intend to manage this to keep everyone happy and coming back for more? (i.e. older & family visitors not getting put off by the unruly teenagers, and teenagers not being put off by the number of small children running about - they don't seem to gel together to me) 
I THINK THEY CAN. IN FACT IN THE MAIN THEY DID LAST YEAR. IT WAS A MINORITY THAT CHANGED IT AND IT WILL EITHER BE EDUCATING THAT MINORITY OR EVICTING THEM I THINK.


Ever thought of not allowing unaccompanied minors? WE HAVE A POLICY SIMILAR TO OTHER FESTIVALS BUT THEY BECOME UNACCOMPANIED AFTER THEY ARE IN I’M AFRAID.  They don't in lots of festivals.

Hello Melvin,

Thanks for a great festival again this year.MY PLEASURE ON AND OFF AGAIN My question is will next years headliners be more exclusive?TOO EARLY TO SAY. WHAT MAKES THEM WORTH WHILE AT LATITUDE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT IS THE SETTING AND PERSPECTIVE THEY PERFORM AS OPPOSED TO BEING LOWER DOWN THE BILL ELSEWHERE With the exception of Belle and Sebastian who were a great coup, the other headliners could be seen at most other british festivals. It felt as though more established acts were shunned in favour of acts who were more 'of the moment'. For example florence and the machine would have been a great booking one place underneath a headliner but instead headlined with one album worth of material. AND YET SHE HAS BEEN OUR MOST POPULAR HEADLINER EVER.

In previous years we've seen coverage from ITV and the BBC. This year the only notable media outlet was Absolute Radio. Seeing as the festival popularity is growing, why is coverage decreasing?
GOOD QUESTION BUT ONE FOR THE BROADCASTERS NOT ME BUT I HOPE TO SEE A RETURN OF BROADCASTING THIS YEAR

I assume there is a correlation between The Times' sponsorship and it being the only newspaper available on site.YES When the Guardian sponsored Latitude newspapers including The Times and local newspaper the EDP were available on-site. Please consider preventing sponsorship from restricting access to other newspapers.I WILL TRY JONO

I felt stewards had less control over the younger visitors this year. A few of our camp left because kids begun to light up uncontrolled fires and were shouting around the site at 5am. It's not a question but I believe more could be done to control camp sites seeing as it's family orientated.
[font="tahoma; font-size: 10pt"] I DO TOO AND HAVE MADE THAT A PRIORITY FOR THIS YEAR. MELVIN

Hi Melvyn,

Well Ms Cracker and I had a great time agin this year but...
WELL I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT BIT MR CRACKER...............

She is small (5 ft 3 or so). Last year she had trouble seeing anything where a crowd had gathered. You've made some improvment in the Word tent with the addition of the screens, and you may have raised the stage a tad as well methinks. How about something similar in the Sunrise next year (if it's still standing natch :-)?
HA HA HA. IT WILL BE STANDING BUT I CANNOT RAISE IT BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF TENT WE ARE USING FOR THE ACTUAL STAGE AREA. SORRY

In the main arena though it's still pretty difficult to get a good view AND be able to hear (partly because of the vocal babble towards the rear). How about raising the screens in the Obelisk arena by 6 or 8 feet so they are visible above the heads and shoulders. I realise this might cause a structural problem with wind etc, so how about putting a screen on the back or side of the mixing tower?
I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT MR CRACKER. THERE IS A NEED FOR ONE ON THE BACK OF THE MIXING TOWER AND IT SHALL BE THERE ESPECIALLY FOR YOU!


Despite feeling a bit frustrated by so much indie-thrash we still had a great time and found plenty to enjoy OH GOOD- BTW the sound quality was excellent throughout. THANK YOU.



See you in 2011. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.