Is Glastonbury Festival 2021 Going Ahead?

Pilton Festival, in Pilton

 

Not even the Festival knows. How do we know that?

Because Somerset Independents has been trying to get answers from the organisers of Pilton Festival (a.k.a. Glastonbury Festival), about how the 2020 festival was cancelled and who by. And due to a lack of sufficient reassurances, we remain concerned about 2021.

 

We have now asked the Festival organisers about this twice and have struggled to get straight answers. 

 

More helpful with answers were Somerset's Director of Public Health Trudi Grant and Mendip District Council, who confirmed that they had provided advice to the Festival and that it was the Festival alone that decided to cancel.

 

We will be publishing the timeline of Lockdown in Somerset, including the cancellation of the Festival. UPDATE: Published here.

What the Festival organisers have stated publicly, and what the local authorities have told us, do not seem to tally as we showed in our previous piece on the Festival.

So we went back to the Festival to ask them again. Perhaps they would be more helpful this time?

 

Unfortunately, in response to our second set of questions, and we did ask nicely, the Festival organisers did not really answer.  

We asked Glastonbury Festival organisers:

"Somerset Independents has contacted Mendip District Council and the Director of Public Health, who both told us that advice had been provided to the Festival. This appears to be in contrast to the article in the Daily Mail:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8465591/Emily-Eavis-says-Glastonbury-bounce-despite-losing-millions-forced-cancel.html

"According to Ms Eavis, a mother-of-three, Glastonbury was given no specific advice in the lead-up to its cancellation."

 

Here is the Festival organiser's second reply, for what its worth:

 

 "Due to Covid-19, we are not yet in a position to confirm our plans for 2021. However please rest assured that the Festival always works in line with national guidelines, and that we will continue to work closely with relevant local / national agencies and authorities to ensure that the Festival operates in adherence with our Premises Licence (obtained in 2018). 

We will also continue to closely monitor developments with the coronavirus situation and put in place all necessary measures to protect the public and maximise safety, reviewing our plans as and when circumstances change." 

 

So their replies have not been very helpful, so far. 

 

Unfortunately, because what they have stated publicly in the Daily Mail and elsewhere contrasts with what the local authorities have told us... 

And bearing in mind the washing facilities, loos and general standards of hygiene at a "normal" festival (before Covid-19)...

And as the founder of the Festival says, it is "wishful thinking" whether the 2021 Glastonbury Festival will go ahead, especially after Michael Eavis' recent comments last week to ITV West Country interviewer Max Walsh...

 

Somerset Independents remains concerned about the protection of public health, and the health, noise, traffic and other impacts of Glastonbury Festival on local residents and festival goers.

 

Therefore we have urged Glastonbury Festival to learn from 2020 and asked them:

"Somerset Independents is not opposed to the Festival. It is one of the greatest global musical and cultural events. We also applaud the local work such as the new Co-operative Group shop and Post Office in Pilton that Mr Eavis has facilitated via the Working Mens Club. If only other local business people were so enlightened.

But we agree with local residents who feel that it is already too large and should not grow any more. Local residents also feel that it is not being regulated enough and the impacts on local residents are too much.

We urge Glastonbury Festival to discuss repeatedly and fully with the Director of Public Health and other authorities, as to whether the 2021 Festival should go ahead, in the interests of public health and safety."