Glastonbury entertainment licence hearing

Glastonbury Festival has its Public Entertainments Licence (PEL) hearing tonight. Without the PEL, the Festival can't take place. The granting of the licence is decided by the local councillors who make up Mendip District Council's Regulatory Board.

Last year this was a real touch and go issue - the future of the Festival depended on a positive outcome. After the success of the new security measures this year, a positive outcome looks more likely than it did a year ago, although at a public meeting on Monday a larger than expected group of locals expressed their displeasure at the annoyance the Festival caused them this year, and this factor could yet lead to the PEL being refused.

It's known that the police - who had such strong concerns last year - have less reservations this year. But after the large numbers of unticketed persons outside the fence during this year's Festival - many of whom caused the annoyance to locals, and who committed a number of varying crimes, nothing can be guaranteed. But it seems reasonable to assume that less people will turn up without a ticket next year in the hope of getting over the fence, as now they know they will be wasting their time.

Updates will be posted onto the forums from around 6pm tonight, live and as it happens. Like last year, we should be first to bring you the news, whichever way it goes.

Please don't refresh the forum page too frequently, as everyone doing that may overload the server, to no ones benefit. It's unlikely that fresh information wll be posted more often that every 15 minutes.

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18:00 (ahem) Michael Eavis has arrived - everyone say "we are not worthy"
Cautious optimism expressed to press questioning.

18:08 It has begun.

18:24 Introductions over. Security plan first up - Neil says it's "confidntal" ...what can he mean?

18:31 MDC outlining their legal responsibility. The license application will be for 150,000 (inc. workers/performers) as already reported - a 10k increase on 2002.

18:37 - Ambulance and Fire Brigade - no objection!

18:39 - Parishs - no objection!

18:51 Mark Cann (of Glastonbury Festivals) making presentation - "main issues are outside the site".

19:34 Ok, bit of a round up of Mark Canns presentation...
The ticket split will be 112,500 for sale, 34,000 staff, 3,500 Sunday tickets.
Music curfews to be the same as last year - 12.30 Friday & Saturday, 12.00 on Sunday.
The pass-out system will change yet again - no details for obvious reasons.
35% increase in security mainly focussed outside the site.
The campervan field will be it's own secure area with it's own route into the festival site (yay).
To help with traffic flow off the site on Monday production/market vehicles will be held back to let festival goers off first.
There will be one new venue ("The experience?" - Neil) (completely wrong - one LESS venue I said! ... I presume that's the Experience Tent, but it wasn't actually stated!- Neil
The cinema screen is moving - this is because of problems from the noise spilling into the village.
More action will be taken to prevent unauthorised fireworks.
There will be more urinals to combat pollution of the streams and rivers.
There will be less litter.
The new message is "no ticket, no festival - you've saved the festival - now let's give it a future!"
Along with the extra security GF have promised to pay for 1 x Sergeant and 6 x Constables up and above what the police deem neccessary for extra coverage in the village. Looks like GF are taking the loudly voiced concerns of the locals at the public meeting on Monday very seriously indeed.
Obviously he was keen to extoll the way the festival has made changes in response to all concerns as outlined in last years report claiming success in all areas from crowd control to keeping the travellers out.
With every postive good news item, grumbles from certain locals...
MC says "It's always been a great festival, now it's a well managed & planned festival as well"
"You don't give a stuff and you never have!" came a reply!!

20:11 - MDC now giving opinion on GFs application - locals concerns ARE being addressed, they think.
A&S Constabulary much more behind the festival than last year.

20:36 They're having a break now. There was lots of dicussion of various aspects after MCs presentation. The regulatory board asked for commitment on A&S staff from GF. An environmentla officer from MDC said he was happy to go ahead if the pollution is controlled better this year with more loos as promised.
Hostility from a small but vocal group of locals now being aimed at councillors. Assertions from GF camp that ongoing meetings with locals have been fruitful and satisfactory - disputed by small-but-vocal-locals who are clearly unhappy with how things are going.
Think its the polices turn next....

8:52 - I've just noticed the official site appears to have jumped the gun and announced that the license for 2003 has been granted. Weird.

20:59 They've restarted and the A & S bit was over in a jiffy.

21:20 Pilton parish have had a say, more comment from MDC.
The public are now being given their chance to speak.

21:48 Ongoing questions and answers session with the pubilc getting a chance to cross examine the police etc - crime being the main concern.

22:00 - Sounds like the publics turn is over. The regulatory board have passed more comments, Neil says they don't sound very positive ...eek
Mark Cann now summing up. It can't be long before they vote now.

22:22 - 2 of the 7 are definitely against, 1 for.
Looks like it's going to be a much closer thing than most of us thought.

22:29 - to clarify, I think each member of the board is having a say and Neil is gauging how they're going to vote by what they are saying.

22:46 - The license has been REFUSED!! 5 to 4 against.

22:52 - I can't beleive my ears, Michael Eavis is being invited to submit another application.....for another location!

23:01 - The meeting is over. Michael Eavis apparently looked gutted.
The option now is to appeal which means making the case in front of a magistrate. With the main reason for the refusal being crime in the local area despite the totally positive support from the police, surely the courts must come down on the side of the festival. I hope so.
Michael Eavis is speaking to the media... "We'll fight it through the courts now, we'll appeal tomorrow..."

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