Glastonbury Festival gets licence until 2024

Yesterday the organisers of Glastonbury Festival were granted their new licence application that covers the Somerset Festival until 2024.

The application which was reviewed by Mendip District Council's licensing board means plans to increase the capacity to raise the number of workers allowed on site, whilst keeping public capacity the same have been agreed to keep the event running safely and smoothly. 

Organisers will not increase the number of public tickets on sale to the general public which stands at 135,000, or up the 5,000 Sunday tickets for those living near the festival. But they do are now able increase staff tickets from 37,500 to 63,000 depending upon demand making the total capacity on site a maximum of 198,000.

Festival organisers are now able to expand the staff ticket numbers this year depending on the need. Mendip District Council have granted the licence without the need for a public hearing. In the past, Glastonbury Festival's licences have been subject to scrutiny in a public hearing because of objections from the public or concerns from those with an interest in the safety of the event such as the police, fire or ambulance services. This year, the new application, submitted by festival director Robert Richards, received only a few representations of which all concerns were satisfied by the deadline.

Cllr Nigel Taylor, portfolio holder for regulatory services which includes licensing, said: "The partnership work between Mendip District Council, festival organisers and other authorities, and the dedication to continually improve this event every year, means that this new application has received no representations.

"This is all down to the effective working relationships we have, and the drive to make this one of the best-run festivals in the world - and this has been rewarded in the past on a national level."

Jeannette Marsh, chair of the licencing board added "We aren't complacent - just because Glastonbury Festival now has a licence until 2024, this doesn't mean it escapes the close scrutiny that any event this size will have. We will continue to work with the organisers to ensure this remains one of the safest events anywhere, and if we have any doubts about this we will take action.

"We recognise how important it is to get this world famous event right, and the huge impact that it has on the local area and community, both positive and negative. It is our job as the local district council to ensure we use the opportunities it brings and mitigate the effects it has on local people - and we are confident that the new licence takes these issues on board and addresses any concerns." 

Robert Richards Glastonbury Festival Director said; "I would like to thank all the Mendip council officers who have worked together with the Glastonbury team to finalise the new license.  It's an example of the same team spirit that makes the Festival the success it is."

These days the Festival's licence application meetings and their outcomes are much different from those in it's past.

1983 was the first year of the licence brought into being by a local MP thought by many as an attempt to try and stop the event going ahead.

In 1984 farmer and Glastonbury CND Festival founder Michael Eavis found himself in court with five charges of breaching the very first licence he was given. His defence was successful. 

In 1986 the Council refused the festival a licence, but Mr Eavis took it to court and won, and in 1987 Local villagers voted against the event taking place in a referendum, and the council refused the licence again. Once again Michael Eavis managed to get the decision overturned, and the festival went ahead.

In 1989, after a fallow year, the police were officially involved in planning and organisation of the event, and the licensing issues were lessened during the nineties after some teething problems, as the event became the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts.

Glastonbury came into this Millennium having too many attendees; the numbers of people gaining unticketed entry resulted in there being no Festival in 2001, and Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn, who had been involved in the event sine the 80's, agreed to undertake the licensing and operational control of Glastonbury Festival before the 2002 festival, to ensure that event went ahead and increased security measures were installed including the now familiar superfence.

In 2003 Mendip District Council in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, denied permission for the Festival following a five-hour meeting. They rejected the licence application by five votes to four, when the application was for 112,500 weekend tickets, 3,500 Sunday passes for local residents and 34,000 passes for performers, stewards and staff. Eventually the Festival got their licence after adding new measures including extra police and security presence, and CCTV coverage. There was also no alcohol for sale in Pilton, and local pubs were shut to lessen problems and disruption in the village. 

As the year's have progressed the event has become bigger and safer, and these days it seems the event is so well managed that there are few licence issues. Licences have also not had to be re-applied for annually for since a change in the licensing laws in the early Noughties with fallow years often falling between licence applications. There appears to be no obvious provision for a fallow year within this latest 10 year period.

This year's Friday headliners are Arcade Fire, plus Dolly Parton, Disclosure, Blondie, and Lily Allen are the first officially announced acts for this year's Festival run smoothly over five full days from  Wednesday 25th until Sunday 29th June 2014 across over a 1,000 acres of beautiful countryside at Worthy Farm, Somerset.

There is likely to be a resale of returned tickets in the spring, and eFestivals will let ticket buyers know beforehand when the re-sale will be (sometime after registration closes on 20th April).

Anyone aged 13 or over (when the Festival starts) who wishes to buy a ticket must be registered. Registration requires providing basic contact details and uploading a passport-standard photo. Once the photo has been approved, registers are sent a unique registration number that will need to be quoted to book a ticket.

To register click here.

As usual eFestivals will bring you the very best-sourced rumours, allowing festival-goers to see who is playing long before the bands are formally announced - keep your eyes on the Glastonbury 2014 rumours, updated as we receive information. Help us to help you - if you hear of a band that's playing, please let us know. 

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