Which is better - Reading or Leeds? Festival-goers can’t agree but it's a no-brainer for me

For what is effectively the same festival but in a different order, there is always hot debate over whether Reading Festival or Leeds Festival is the better of the two and with the August bank holiday approaching, I thought, what better time to wade into the debate? I’ll ready myself for being bottled off.

Full disclosure; I haven’t actually been to Leeds Festival so my personal experience is based entirely on my encounters with Reading, but for me, the history of Berkshire’s version means it should always be held up as one of the UK’s must-experience live music events. Even if it’s just the once.

Reading Festival, formerly known as the National Jazz Festival, is the longest-running popular music festival in the UK and has seen legendary acts including Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden and Nirvana grace its stage. With a backstory such as that, when I walked on to the Richfield Avenue site for the first time, it felt like a massive tick off the bucket list.

But it’s not only the past that made the festival great for me. I’ve always had the best time there, seeing some of my favourite headline acts including Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Biffy Clyro and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, to name just a few. And it's not just the main stage acts, some of my favourite moments came watching the likes of Jake Bugg on the NME and Rival Schools on the Festival Republic stages.

When it comes to which is ‘better’, responses from people who have been are a mixed bag. While one festival-goer is adamant Leeds is ‘friendlier’ or ‘less dangerous’ another will say the exact opposite, so it seems the only way to get to the truth is to visit both yourself. Yet, that is still only the perspective of one person, one good or bad experience could transform your opinion of a place in an instant.

Both Reading and Leeds have got a bit of a rep for unsavoury behaviour, from bottling off acts they aren’t fond of, to Sunday night riots, and I’m not here to pretend those things don’t happen, however, I have to say I have found Reading to be a decent atmosphere on the whole. I’ve actually had more arguments with idiots at Glastonbury! I have been to Reading Festival as a very drunk 20-something, a very pregnant 30-something and even as a mother with a babe in arms and have been perfectly happy doing so.

Now a 40-something, I’ve left Reading Festival to the kids - although I don’t rule out being tempted back with the right headliner - but if you’re young and enjoy the increasing hip-hop heavy line-up taking over from the traditional rock acts, then get yourself along to this legendary riverside festival. Just bring a really, really warm hoodie - although it doesn’t have to be of the rainbow variety - it doesn’t half get chilly there once the sun goes down!