Glastonbury could go bust if cancelled again next year, organisers warn

The Glastonbury festival is in danger of going bankrupt if the coronavirus pandemic forces another cancellation next year, organisers have warned.

This year’s event would have been taking place this week in Somerset had the world not been engulfed by a health crisis.

Michael Eavis, who founded the world-famous festival 50 years ago, told the Guardian another year away could have disastrous financial consequences.

He said: “We have to run next year, otherwise we would seriously go bankrupt … It has to happen for us, we have to carry on. Otherwise it will be curtains. I don’t think we could wait another year.”

Emily Eavis, Michael’s daughter and the festival organiser, said they would be in a “very serious situation” if next year’s event was axed.

She added: “But then the whole live industry will be hanging in the balance if we have another summer without festivals, and we don’t know what level of Government support there will be for this industry.”

However, Emily remains upbeat about Glastonbury’s future prospects.

She said: “We’ve navigated choppy waters so many times. This festival has always evolved and found ways to survive, and I’m confident that we will again. Mutate to survive!”

Sir Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar were set to headline the Pyramid Stage this year to celebrate Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary.

The BBC will mark the cancelled festival by airing classic performances, including by Adele, Beyonce and David Bowie, across the weekend.