On 31st October Michael Eavis lodged an application for a Public Entertainment Licence with Mendip District Council to hold a festival on 28th, 29th and 30th June 2002. The process that follows involves consultation with local people (a public meeting will be held at the Council Offices at 6.00pm on 7th November) before a meeting of the Regulatory Board, who consider licence applications, on 29th November. As all festival supporters will know, the festival was prosecuted for having too many people on site in 2000. The level of concern was such that Glastonbury Festivals did not apply for a licence in 2001. All aspects of the festival organisation have been reviewed and after an enormous amount of research and consultation, particularly with the Police and Mendip District Council, Michael has put a package together to respond to the problems of fence jumpers that the festival had in 2000. This will include; a new purpose built fence, a new communications centre, a complete change to how fence security operates, and an enhanced management structure. The package will guarantee the safety and security of the site but will involve additional £1.5million expenditure. After covering costs and making payment to the charities the festival supports the 2000 festival only broke even. As a result there is no carry over of profits so it is essential to generate more income to pay for the safety package. Everyone knows that Glastonbury is great value for money, but Michael is loathe to raise ticket price beyond inflation, as that could mean many of our traditional audience may not be able to afford to buy tickets. Therefore to raise the necessary income, Glastonbury Festivals Ltd has applied for a licence for 135,000 - 100,000 being ticket holders and 35,000 being for performers, site workers, traders, children, stewards, security etc, etc. There may be resistance to this increase of 20,000 tickets for sale, but if it is not forthcoming, it is difficult to see how there could be any future festivals at Glastonbury. Whether there will be a festival is now in the hands of the Councillors who sit on the Regulatory Board. The bottom line is that those who came without tickets in 2000 have seriously threatened the future of this unique event! If we get a licence Michael plans to hold festivals for the next four years, before reviewing the situation so all supporters of the festival must tell anyone they know who previously jumped the fence that the days of freeloading are over. If people turn up without tickets again, there will be no more festivals. It's a simple as that! The festival office has already been contacted by a number of traders and performers who are interested in Glastonbury 2002. However at present there is a huge workload so please do not contact us yet. As soon as the conditions of the licence have been considered and deemed financially viable then details of how to apply will appear on this website. In other words watch this space.

Dick Vernon, Glastonbury Festival Office.