Glastonbury: securing the future

It’s been announced that Mean Fiddler (who run the Reading & Leeds Festivals, as well as others) are to have an involvement in Glastonbury 2002.

To help convince the Police and Mendip District Council that Glastonbury Festivals Ltd are capable of running a safe and secure event – and to gain the license – the organisational structure had to be beefed up.

As part of this, Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Mean Fiddler, has been recruited as Operations Director for Glastonbury 2002. Melvin is one of the most experienced people in the business, and had worked for Glastonbury Festival before his employment at Mean Fiddler.

His experience will prove invaluable in this crucial year. After an estimated 100,000 people gained free entry in 2000, the Festival is spending over £2M extra on new security measures, and every effort is being made to ensure they work. Melvin's appointment puts the nuts and bolts in place to ensure that operationally everything will go to plan, including the all-important security and the effectiveness of the fence.

There is of course a price to be paid for his expertise. Michael Eavis this morning told eFestivals that Mean Fiddler are to have 20% of the net profits from this years Festival, part of which will go to Workers Beer Company who helped Michael with the negotiations. The WBC have a long association with the Festival, and run the beer tents at many festivals – including Glastonbury - and raise money that goes directly to grassroots organisations - trades union branches, campaigning groups, solidarity organisations and voluntary groups.

The profits – which are calculated after the donations to the charities and good causes have been made – are expected to amount to around £100,000 at best, and so 20% of this would amount to £20,000.

The internal and artistic aspects of the Festival – the stages, markets, etc. - will continue to be run by the same teams, and in the same manner, as at previous Festivals.

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