Councillors give Glastonbury festival green light

The organisers of the Glastonbury Festival were today granted a licence for the international music event.

In December the regulatory board of Mendip District Council in Somerset refused a public entertainment licence for the event after a number of concerns were raised including security in nearby villages and environmental damage.

But in the early hours of this morning, following a seven-hour meeting at the council offices in Shepton Mallet, the board voted 10-4 to approve the licence for the event to go ahead in June.

Speaking after the meeting, event promoter Michael Eavis said he was delighted the festival was returning to Worthy Farm in Pilton.

“After losing it last time we were worried, but we did a spanking good presentation,” he said.

“I’ve never worked so hard as this in my life with getting people to come along and speak at the meeting.

“It was a really good meeting and we will now concentrate on the problems of the villages for this year’s festival. No-one cares more about Pilton than I do.”

In a packed hall of around 100 people councillors heard opinions from both sides.

Although the application was not formally opposed by police, concerns were raised over problems last year in villages near the site.

Avon and Somerset Police statistics showed that a total of 1,094 crimes were attributed to the festival last year, compared with 2,431 in 2000 and 2,074 in 1999.

In December the board voted 5-4 against granting a licence after concerns were raised which included security for Pilton and surrounding villages, environmental damage and the unsuitability of the site for such a large event.

But last night’s renewed application included provision of a crime reduction manager and team, a villages liaison manager, funding of extra patrols in the villages by police and security firm officers paid for by Glastonbury Festival Ltd, clamping down on unauthorised car parks and one less stage.

The application was granted for up to 150,000 tickets comprising 112,500 weekend tickets, 3,500 Sunday day passes and 34,000 passes for performers between 9am on June 25 and 5pm on June 30.

The hours of entertainment granted were between 10am and 12.30am on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 and between 10am and midnight on June 29.

Conditions include a security fence, a security plan and traffic management plans.

Last year a £1m (€1.5m) 3.5 metre security fence was erected around the site after police and the council threatened to pull the plug on the festival for good.

That followed scenes in 2000 when tens of thousands of people breached security and jumped fences.