Glastonbury planning to grow

Melvin Benn (Managing Director of Mean Fiddler, who since this year are responsible for organisational issues for Glastonbury Festival) was interviewed on Radio 1 the other day, and confirmed there are definite plans for a festival next year, and that they hope to apply for a bigger licence.

After the success of the new security measures (introduced this year to keep out the fence jumpers), it's hoped that Mendip District Council (MDC) can be persuaded to grant a Public Entertainment Licence for a total of around 160,000 - the 2002 licence was for 140,000 (only 100,000 tickets were sold, the rest were for staff, performers, kids, etc.).

Following the 2000 festival, MDC published a very long report on all aspects of the event. Although there was major criticism of the numbers that had gained entry to the site (estimated at 200,000) - putting safety at risk - it stated that the site coped well overall with those numbers.

We hope that some of these extra tickets can be used to accommodate the mad-cap element that was sorely missed this year - although 2002 was a very mellow and relatively crime-free event, there was definitely a spark missing. It's still far and away the mother of all festivals, but too much more of that will see it lose what makes it so special and become just another festival.

Rumours for next year already include Lamb, Idlewild and Suede (who played at this years Pilton Party), and the Rolling Stones - who, according to The Sun (so it must be true :-) - struck an agreement earlier this year after space couldn't be found to include them in 2002.

The Rolling Stones are known to be a favourite of Michael Eavis who runs the festival, and a band he's wanted to appear. Me, I wonder how much a band fronted by the Margaret Thatcher praising Mick Jagger fits the Glastonbury ethos.

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