Golden oldies to descend on festivals such as Glastonbury

With Glastonbury heralding the start of the summer festival season this weekend, many intrepid youngsters will be packing their tents and wellies and getting excited about watching their favourite bands. But despite the typical stereotype of the young trendy festival-goer, research from Alliance & Leicester Current Accounts reveals that energetic over 50s will also be part of the festival crowd.

The research suggests that more than 4 million over 50s like to spend their spare time attending music gigs and live events. This group also likes to be on the stage performing, with one in six (16%) saying they have already performed on stage in front of a large audience.

Emma Walkley, Current Account Manager at Alliance & Leicester said: "Those attending Glastonbury this year will find themselves being entertained by the golden oldies, with Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond and even Shakin' Stevens making an appearance. Not only are the over 50s taking over the line-ups at festivals but they are also making up a large proportion of the crowds - which just goes to show more and more over 50s have ambitions to enjoy exciting challenges and experiences well into later life."

Londoners over 50 are more likely to attend music gigs with a quarter (25%) saying this is how they like to spend their spare time compared to just 14% of those living in the North East.

Women over 50 are more likely to be young at heart than their male counterparts, with nearly a quarter (24%) attending music gigs compared to under a fifth (18%) of men.

Emma Walkley continues: "Attending gigs and festivals like Glastonbury can make a significant dent in the finances so it's important for people to look for ways to make their money stretch further, particularly over the summer months, when current account balances are likely to take a hit - no matter what your age.

"Our Premier 50 Current Account has been especially tailored for the go-getting age group of over 50s, offering a market leading rate of 8.5% AER as well as bespoke lifestyle benefits, such as worldwide travel insurance up to age 79, and important healthcare benefits which give that extra peace of mind."

Other activities the over 50s have on their to-do lists include:

Flying a helicopter
Performing on stage in front of a large audience
4 x 4 off-roading
Scuba diving

The Premier 50 Current Account offers the following all for just £10 a month:

Credit interest rate of 8.50% fixed for 1 year on balances up to £2,500
Annual worldwide travel insurance up to age 79
Health benefits, including access to up to two private out-patient consultations and up to £750 towards out-patient diagnostic testing per year as well as access to a 24/7 Health at Hand helpline, also available up to age 79
Premier 50 Identity Protection and Alert
Premier 50 Card Assist
Linked PlusSaver account paying 5.25% gross p.a./AER, including a bonus of 0.75% on standard rate on first £50,000
0% overdraft for life
Joint account holders enjoy the same benefits per person for one £10 monthly fee.

Alliance & Leicester offers a range of market leading current accounts, with competitive rates of interest and value added benefits. To find out more information on Alliance & Leicester's Premier current accounts, visit your local Alliance & Leicester branch, call 0845 300 2887 or go to www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/currentaccounts.