Glastonbury Festival: What the Authorities Told Us

 

2020 Cancelled - 2021 Unknown

Somerset Independents has been asking questions on Covid-19/Coronavirus on behalf of local residents and Festival goers.

Regarding the cancelled ("forced fallow year") 2020 Festival The Director of Public Health for Somerset, Trudi Grant, told Somerset Independents:

"There was a multiagency discussion, that considered a number of issues but focused particularly on the capacity of partners to support the  festival given the emerging pandemic. This information and viewpoint was fed into the festival organisers for them to take the decision."

 

"PHE (Public Health England) and SCC (Somerset County Council) Public Health worked jointly to consider the public health advice. A representative from PHE, who has worked closely alongside us for many years regarding the festival, attended a meeting to give our jointly agreed advice. We ensured festival organisers were aware of the current position of national guidance on mass gatherings."

 

"By working in partnership with PHE and other partner organisations, we made festival organisers aware of national guidance regarding mass gatherings and the capacity of local partners to be able to support the festival. Festival organisers then used this information to help inform their decision.

 

Mendip District Council told us:

“Mendip District Council did not make any recommendation to the organisers prior to their decision to cancel on 18th March 2020, but we ensured they were made aware of advice from Public Health England at the time included this advice from Central Government published on 16th March 2020 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings”

 

Regarding the 2021 Festival, Ms Grant said:

"There is no advice currently as it is impossible to look that far into the future with this current virus. This will depend on the situation nearer the time and the evolution of the pandemic."

In contrast, Festival organiser Emily Eavis told the Daily Mail that she had received no “specific advice in the lead up to its cancellation".

 

Please see our other articles for what Somerset Independents have done in response to this apparent contrast - here.

 

Putting Somerset Residents First