Ariana Grande's strict bag policy for her upcoming London tour dates has left fans divided, with some saying they've never seen such tight restrictions before.
Grande will perform 10 nights at the O2 Arena in London between 15 August-1 September on her The Eternal Sunshine tour. Ahead of the shows, the O2 released an updated bag policy, that was far more detailed than usual warning fans what not to bring with them. On their X account, the arena explained that "all your belongings must be in a 100% clear bag".
New Rules and Restrictions
The new rules state: "Each fan may only have one clear bag. Bags must be 100% clear/transparent plastic, vinyl or PVC. Bags should be no larger than 30cm x 15cm x 30cm."
"Clear plastic freezer bags (zip-lock bags or similar) up to medium size (30cm x 26cm) allowed. This policy is mandatory for admittance to the show."
It is also stipulated that bags inside the clear bag would not be permitted, using the graphic to show that loose make-up products were allowed but a make-up bag was not. The arena also said that "printed, pattern or tinted plastic bags" would not be allowed. The only exceptions would apply to "medical, accessibility, parent/child-care related bags or other essential bags", but they would be subject to venue security inspections.
Comparison to Standard Policy
The new bag policy is a lot stricter than the ordinary one the O2 enforces. For most events, guests are allowed an A4 sized bag or smaller, of any colour, pattern or transparency, and do not prohibit bags within bags.
The change in the policy confused fans who had been to the O2 before, with some wondering if the arena wasn't being strict enough at its regular events. "Why are no ‘normal’ bags not allowed in for this show but fine for every other I’ve been to this year?" one X user asked.
"If it’s a safety thing, why is this not in place for every show at The O2? I’ve also not had a bag check in years since the walk through scanners so what is this doing?"
Fans React
Another said: "These bag policies are becoming ridiculous." A third added: "Oh wow, I've never seen this before." The Mirror went to the O2 for comment.
Fans were confused by the policy, not just for its strictness, but because it appeared to preclude bags created by Grande's brands. Ahead of the 2019 Sweetener World Tour, Grande released a concert bag that was clear, but had black straps and zips and, crucially, had the tour's logo printed on the front. Similarly, the transparent bags provided by her make-up brand, r.e.m. beauty, also have a logo on the side.
One user begged the O2: "Can we please get confirmation on the bags Ariana sells herself!! They come with text print but not obstructive!!"
Another added: "Surely the Sweetener one should be fine? Like it was literally designed by her team for her previous tour." A third said: "Yeah, I'm only bringing what can fit in my pockets because what is this honey?"
Context of Safety Concerns
But, others were insistent that the policy made sense, given what Grande has been though in the past. In 2017, 22 people were killed and over a thousand were injured during a suicide bombing at Manchester Arena following an Ariana Grande concert. The act was the first suicide bombing in the UK in over a decade.
Grande herself has opened up about how traumatised she was after the terror attack, sharing a picture of her brain and comparing it to someone with post-traumatic stress disorder. Grande added: "I am constantly working on my health/learning how to process pain (aren't we all). Everyday is different by I'm doing my best even though my brain looks like the world map. (that's why her hair's so big, it's full of trauma)."
Some fans slammed those who complained about the bag policy. One said: "Idk why people are confused, look what happened in Manchester she’s still traumatised."
A second said: "Fully understand given the artist though. She better than me, I wouldn’t even be doing arena tours anymore." A third fumed: "Surprised people are complaining about this, remember what happened in Manchester."
