The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Emeli wows Glasto
Showbiz: Stars draw festival to end as organisers take break ‘for chance to reflect’
Glastonbury Festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis are already booking acts for the event’s 50th anniversary in 2020.
Singers Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran headlined the final night of this year’s five-day event, which has seen performances from Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Stormzy, Katy Perry – and Jeremy Corbyn.
Revellers have enjoyed mainly dry weather, with Wednesday seeing dozens treated by paramedics after the festival’s hottest day in its 47-year-history.
Avon and Somerset Police said crime figures were
“It’s the best thing in the whole world. I’ve had a great time”
lower than last year, with 140 crimes reported by Sunday morning compared to 160 the previous year.
There have been 64 arrests - mainly for theft and drug offences – since the musical extravaganza opened, an increase on the 35 made last year.
In an interview, Emily Eavis described 2017’s event as “the best one yet”.
“The weather has definitely helped but there have been so many wonderful things,” she said.
“It’s the atmosphere around the site. It’s been incredible. We work so hard on this festival, that you can almost forget how good it is.
“It’s the best thing in the whole world. I’ve had a great time. Everyone has.”
Ms Eavis and her father Michael, 81, insisted it was right for 2018 to be a fallow year to allow the land, village and local wildlife to rest.
“We’ve got lots of reasons why we need a fallow year,” Mr Eavis said.
He added: “It gives us a chance to reflect. Everybody has time to recover and come back with fresh ideas.
“We’ll be back here at the farm in 2019 and we’re definitely here in 2020 for our 50th birthday.”
Dairy farmer Mr Eavis added: “We’re already booking acts for that one.
“Half a century. It’s an incredible feat actually. We’ve been through so many struggles to get here.”
He also spoke of plans for an event off the Worthy Farm site, called Variety Bazaar, which he described as “the last big gamble in my life”.
“We have no plans to stop doing the festival here, but we want to try something in another location away from the farm, possibly in 2021,” he said.
Music fans have already been speaking of their plans for 2018.
Claire Herbert, 32, from Llanelli in South Wales, runs a shop at the event in Pilton, Somerset.
“I don’t know what I’ll do really,” she said.
“It is great that the event has a fallow year.
“It is not good for me because it means I have one less festival to work, but it gives me time to prepare for the others.
“I will use the time, but I will miss it.”
Alistair Monty, 29, from London, said: “This is my third year here. Next year, I’ll be hard at work in the office.”
Thomas Driscoll, 28, from Dartmouth, said: “This is my fifth Glastonbury. I will be lost without it next year. I have no idea what I’ll do.”
Holly Maddick, 19, from Buckingham, has attended the event for the past two years.
“I think it is nice to have a break because obviously the amount of work of everyone, it must be nice to have a summer off for the organisers.
“I haven’t got anything planned, I might go to BoomTown to make up for it.”
Jackie Goldup, 59, from Kent, said: “I’ve got the Isle of Wight and Reading Festival this year.
“My plan was to do two festival in my 60th year and my husband got me tickets for Reading.
“I have two to look forward to. I’ve left my husband and grandkids behind.”