the Glastonbury licence hearing

The licence hearing for Glastonbury Festival is happening today at the Mendip District Council offices in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, and may run into tomorrow. Whether it does or doesn't, the decision won't be announced before tomorrow.

Although it seems unlikely that a licence will be totally refused given the good running of the more recent festivals, as this is the first licence that's been applied for under the new licencing laws there's always that possibility.

Melvin Benn for the Festival has applied for a premises licence for 177,500 people for (just) the six days (Wed 20th to Monday 25th June) that the site is open, with music for the defined 'Principle' and 'lesser' stages limited to running (as in previous years) from 10am until 00:30 on Friday and Saturday, and until midnight on the Sunday.

There's been representations to the Council from people living in the locality of Worthy Farm, many of which state their objections to the festival going ahead as applied for in the licence. What many of these objections have missed however, is that although Worthy Farm would gain a 'permanent' licence for the next four years, the licence is limited to just one event a year, for the six days that the Festival site is open. Festival organiser Michael Eavis has just told eFestivals that even he'd object to the Council about his farm becoming a year-round festival/entertainment venue.

The other main objection - to the increase in numbers - could prove to be near-enough a non-issue, as it's planned for all the extra tickets to be sold with included coach travel, meaning that there won't be a huge increase in the traffic arriving at the Festival site.

We'll bring any important updates from the licence hearing as they happen - but we're hoping that there won't be anything to report, other than the final result of (we hope) the licence being granted.

Glastonbury Festival will take place at Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th June (with the gates opening on the Wednesday).

Check out the latest and best Glastonbury rumours - there's new details being added nearly every day. If you hear of a band that's playing, please let us know.

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