Glastonbury organisers plead for help to save 2021 festival

Virgin Radio

14 Dec 2020, 16:09

Glastonbury, the legendary festival, could be at risk thanks to the pandemic. 2020's event had already been postponed and now next year is in doubt too.

Organisers Michael and Emily Eavis have made a public plea to the government, asking for more financial help to protect them if next year’s festival is cancelled. 

This year was the 50th anniversary, and the Coronavirus pandemic forced them to delay the Worthy Farm event to June 2021. 

They are cautiously making plans for the new dates, but with the pandemic continuing they are hoping the government can provide insurance. 

Emily told The Sunday Times: "In a usual planning cycle we would already be well into organising the next festival. The best solution would be for the government to offer … direct financial support in the event of Glastonbury, and other events, being forced to cancel once they’re well into the preparations."

They are appealing to the government to help: 'If the government can share the risk by offering direct financial support, then it gives everyone the opportunity to move forward with the planning in the hope that things will be safe to run in the summer, and in the knowledge that backing is available if we’re simply not in a position to go ahead.’ 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport responded: "We know these are challenging times for the live events sector and are working flat out to support it. We have invested £1bn so far through the culture recovery fund to protect tens of thousands of creative jobs … with £400m more support still to come."

Fingers crossed.