GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL organiser MICHAEL EAVIS yesterday (September 18) unveiled the “invincible” 20 ft superfence he hopes will keep out gatecrashers from next year’s festival.
Eavis revealed the new five-mile fence, roadway, patrols and security guards would cost #1million.
There are also plans to have a 10ft metal roadway running along the outside of the fence which Land Rovers will constantly patrol. The roadway will butt up to the fence to deter tunnellers, and be lit. A report compiled by a group of local councillors led by Jim Mochnacz estimated that 100,000 fence jumpers sneaked onto the Worthy Farm site this year. However, while Michael Eavis dismissed the figure as “pure fantasy” he did concede there had been a serious shortfall in security measures. Had the problem not been addressed the local council was threatening to refuse a licence for the festival in 2001.
“We now have to tell everyone that you can’t get in without a ticket,” Eavis told nme.com. “The old fence had become something of a joke. Part of growing up was to get over the Glastonbury fence.
“I have been doing interviews with television, radio, newspapers and the music press to get the message about the new fence over.”
The new fence will have no nuts and bolts that can be undone or be taken apart without a crane. The prototype on display yesterday was made of steel, but the final version is likely to be mainly aluminium.
Mendip District Council will meet on October 12 to consider fully all the issues of the festival including the fence. Yesterday Concillor Martin Bax, the council’s Regulatory Board, said the council was “pleased” that the “fundamental issue of improving the control of numbers at the festival” had been addressed.
As revealed recently by nme.com, Madonna tops Michael Eavis‘ list of possible headliners at next year’s festival.
Picture: Western Daily Press