Glastonbury Festival 2020 to allow space for thousands of tickets?

6 January 2020, 12:26 | Updated: 13 January 2020, 12:20

According to reports, the Somerset festival could grow even larger as plans are being reviewed to extend its size for its 50th anniversary.

Glastonbury could be set to accommodate thousands more fans in time for 2020.

As Somerset Live reports, the local council has confirmed plans are underway to increase the capacity of the famous festival for its 50th anniversary.

The outlet says the huge event, which takes place this year from 24-28 June this year, could see numbers grow by an extra 7,000 people - with a local council spokesperson revealing plans are being reviewed for camping provisions.

According to Somerset Live, Mendip District Council actually gave the festival the green light to increase its capacity back in 2018, but this was not taken advantage of the following year.

If extended for 2020, it is thought the total amount of tickets available for the Worthy Farm event would be 210,000 with 142,000 now accounting for public tickets, which will join the 63,000 tickets for staff and 5,000 for local Sunday tickets.

The paper adds that it was noted in a Mendip District Council licensing board meeting that the extra 7,000 people would all have to travel by public transport "in order to avoid an increase in the ticket price".

The local consultation period is set to take place in the coming months.

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Last year, Glastonbury organisers already announced changes would take place, with a brand new campsite confirmed for 2020.

In a bid to reduce waste and the amount of discarded tents at the festival, organisers have introduced the Sticklinch campsite, which will offer a range of pre-erected tents, podpads, tipis, yurts and bell tents.

Although the festival already houses pre-erected sections, the Sticklinch site promises to be more affordable and "unpretentious" for those who are on a budget, but would rather not carry their accommodation to the festival.

Organisers explained on the website: "Like our existing campsite at Worthy View, Sticklinch will offer unpretentious, custom-made and pre-erected Festival accommodation a short walk from the Festival site. The Sticklinch pre-erected campsite will be home to a range of Podpads, Tipis, Yurts and Bell Tents, as well as a limited number of the Festival’s signature scout-style tents, and offers a more gently undulating walk to the Festival site, ideal for those who find the climb to Worthy View challenging. The Sticklinch car park is in the adjacent field, a short walk from the accommodation, but we would encourage guests to travel by public transport wherever possible."

Find more information about the Sticklinch campsite here.

So far, two acts have been officially confirmed to headline the festival with The Beatles legend Paul McCartney topping the bill on the Pyramid Stage on the Saturday night and Taylor Swift closing the Sunday night of the festival.

Macca was the first to announce the news, taking to Twitter on Monday 18 November by sharing an image of Philip Glass, Emma Stone and Chuck Berry - who each represented a syllable of the famous Somerset Festival’s name.

Later that day, Glastonbury Festival confirmed the news, writing: "We are incredibly excited to announce that @PaulMcCartney will headline the Pyramid Stage on the Saturday night of Glastonbury 2020."

Macca then retweeted their post, adding: "Hey Glasto - excited to be part of your Anniversary celebrations. See ya next summer!"

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December saw Taylor Swift drop the news of her headline slot by sharing an image of herself posing with a Glastonbury Free Press newspaper cover with the pun-ridden headline: "Sunday night Taylor made for Glastonbury!"

She wrote in the post's caption: "I’m ecstatic to tell you that I’ll be headlining Glastonbury on its 50th anniversary - See you there!"

Also confirmed for the Somerset Festival is Motown icon Diana Ross, who will play the Sunday legends tea time slot on the Pyramid Stage.

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