Festival "probably got another three or four years"

[geebus]

While festivals I'm sure have reached Saturation point, it's likely that Glastonbury can 'clean up' to some degree as others go down.

Obviously the current economic climate won't be great in sustaining the seemingly still increasing number of 'festivals'.

As other small festivals may have to cancel etc; I can see big ones like Glastonbury, if they don't sell out straight away, managing to get the punters from these other now defunct festivals.

[abdoujaparov]

I'm not sure that I'd be massively unhappy if the festival only lasted another 3-4 years. Everything has a natural lifespan and nothing can go on forever. Pilton has already changed beyond recognition in the more than 20 years I've been going. Some of that has been good, some of it has been bad. It's very close to becoming a victim of its own success and becoming a monster. I'd rather it ended before that

[ministe2003]

this "news" comes out every year. Emily will take over Glasto when Michael stops for whatever reason. Also, it is part owned by Festivals Republic isn't it? I can't imagine they'd let it die if the Eavis' said they'd had enough of running it.

[binbag77]

I think that ME is probably right if he actually made that quote. I cant help feeling that each year a little more fun is sucked out of the festival.There are far too many rules and regulations that they have to abide by now its a joke. I love the festival and never want it to end.sadly I think that one day it just wont be viable for them to put it on any more.

[BlackHole2006]

Great PR for the festival.

[Morse Code]

Excellent examples of more lazy reporting and there's been misquotation/misinterpretation AGAIN!

I am repeating myself here (go and read the Times Article Thread that was started nearly a week ago when the original article was released) but Eavis in the original article was referring to the festival band wagon probably having 3-4 years to run. The article and the way it is worded allows for misinterpretation. I sadly cant get my hands on the article now as the paper has gone to the great recycling bin in the sky but I certainly did not read the article as Eavis saying Glastonbury has 3 years left.

All this paranoia and worry isnt needed and even if the festival does only have 3 to 4 years left, it has had a very very good run of it and we should all be very thankful that we got to experience and enjoy it when we did.

[Pinhead]

Its the only year I can remember for a while that Eavis has not called it the "Best Ever". Think the Tory Bog Death got him down a bit.

Latest interpretation I've found. Difficult to peel away the context in which he makes the comment really.

Irish Times

He's naturally still paranoid about making a loss again one year and perhaps he can feel the possibility of another 2008 if he just happens to pick the 'wrong' mix of bands. I can certainly see him calling it a day if it ever does fail to sell out. How did it make a £22M loss though if all the tickets all finally sold on the Thursday of 2008? Wasn't there a problem with fuel prices going up unexpectedly that year, setting him back another £400,000 or something?

On the other hand, its not only Michael that has a vested interest in sustaining the operation. Emily has, and possibly other members of the Eavis family (e.g. Michael's brothers - don't they have stakes in the festival too).

Edited July 15, 2011 by Pinhead

[Ommadawn]

*uck yeah! Go out with a hell of a mad bang!

I'm confident that even now with offspring, Emily still sees the festival as her day job regardless of being a mother. When she was younger she used to be openly reticent about taking over the reigns from her father (I mean, who wouldn't be with that enormous responsibility on their shoulders). Now she seems very comfortable and confident with it, handles the press better and has made a good job of all the aspects of it that she has become increasingly involved with over the years as she takes over from Michael. Only her husband was a grey area in terms of what his outside influence would bring, but I see nothing to suggest that his input has been anything but positive thus far. I think he’s valuable support for Emily as well – her rock if you like.

Where abouts on the estate does Michael live now?

[Ommadawn]

I think (but certainly don't know for sure) that Michael found it harder going this year. I've spoke to several locals who have said he didn't look very well in the weeks leading up to and during the festival. Maybe he needs a fallow year as much as the farm. Let's hope he enjoys his holiday next year touring Britain and recharges his batteries.

[Pinhead]

The Pilton Hilton - love it! I expected him to build something on his own land though tbh. Was his new place 'in the family' already, or did he just buy it?

As for ME looking a bit knackered - yes, I picked up on this too strangely enough though I put it down to his recent ill health - didn't he have a cancer scare or something a couple of years back?

[Ed209]

This is a tricky one really. I think you have to remember that this is Michael Eavis's festival on his own farm which is also the family home. Yes it's huge, but despite what many would argue, it's not a commercial enterprise. It's his festival.

As much as I hate to say it, as Michael is now 76 years old, how long is he really going to want to go on for? Maybe the 3 or 4 years comment is significant as it will take up to 80 years old which might be the trigger to call it a day.

Hopefully the draw of substantial donations to charitable causes will encourage him to allow someone else (Emily?) to take the reins but I'm not convinced.

Genuinely hope I'm wrong!

[Ommadawn]

The Pilton Hilton - love it! I expected him to build something on his own land though tbh. Was his new place 'in the family' already, or did he just buy it?

As for ME looking a bit knackered - yes, I picked up on this too strangely enough though I put it down to his recent ill health - didn't he have a cancer scare or something a couple of years back?

Edited July 15, 2011 by Ommadawn

[GlasstoLuver]

I might be wrong... but I was always under the impression that Emily was in charge of running The Park? I always thought this was her dad's way of 'training' her before she took charge?

If they cancel Glastonbury I'll become fairly suicidal tbh.

[stuartbert two hats]

I might be wrong... but I was always under the impression that Emily was in charge of running The Park? I always thought this was her dad's way of 'training' her before she took charge?

If they cancel Glastonbury I'll become fairly suicidal tbh.

Edited July 15, 2011 by stuartbert two hats

[chris northwest]

No, you're right, she runs The Park. I'm pretty sure the plan is Emily will take over, I thought this was pretty much common knowledge and in the public domain. Maybe I misunderstood, but I doubt it. I would be very surprised if Emily doesn't take charge before the next fallow year, which should be around 2017 (not withstanding any Olympic shenanigans). At the latest I'd say Michael will have retired and Emily running the show by 2018.

In fact, after a bit of Googling, Michael said a couple of years ago that he'd hand over to Emily after this festival:

Eavis 'handing over Glastonbury in 2011'

Then he changed his mind for a bit

Take with the usual Eavis bucket of salt, but I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that the only thing with 3 or 4 years left in it is Michael's tenure.

Anyway, who cares what I think. Emily herself has a much more nuanced take on things

Sorry for the link overkill, got a bit carried away with thar old Interweb!

[markeee]

i cant see it stopping within 3-4years, I think he just means the festival baloon and lets not kid ourselves..everyone involved makes a nice sum of money from the festival..way more than they would earn per year in a normal job?

whilst it may be a lot of work, and takes planning etc - the farm is a working farm the rest of the year, and I recall that one of them pays rthemself 65k for running the festival

way above the average wage, and whilwe it may be hard work and require lots of planning it's not all year round 40hours a week

so i cant see many people involved being too keen on stopping it!

[LusciousLucy]

Hold the phone...

Eavis, in today's Times in a supplement HAS actually said he reckons the festival has 3 or 4 years to run. Heyho.

[AnnaGrant]

Help.

Its a grim prospect with just Glastommbury to entertain us if the big G finishes.

[River]

Hold the phone...

Eavis, in today's Times in a supplement HAS actually said he reckons the festival has 3 or 4 years to run. Heyho.

[rexclark]

We'll just have to see. It'll be interesting to see what he says after another two or three years of sucessful, quick sell out fests. I wouldn't be too worried yet.

[cheeseisamazing]

can i add this.

ignoring the pinch of salt about what he says or possible marketing flaw, maby the mans just a bit tired and down? hear me out

Glastonbury takes a month to put togther and a month to assemble roughly (if thats wrong, i don't really care), thats pritty tirring plus hes probbaly got loads of papper work, i'm sure the death of camerons friend also didn't help, his farm is probaly still a state just from the mud/erosion damage alone. all the fun of the festival is gone and emily has a new family so Evais is probbaly alone a lot more. hes doing his accounting, which probbaly is a bitch with the amount of ins and outs and has had a talk with his friend mr Bean* whos probbaly up to his knees in shit as latitude and R&L havent sold out, considering R&L has sold out on ticket day from 2006-2010 (again correct me if longer).

might be worth on top of this he probbaly reads the papper (or some form of news) and every other day theres a article about how the economy is f**ked, plus i think its fair to suggest eavis also hasn't much faith in the conservative (i mean he brought back leftfield due to the obvious case they were coming to power) and obvioulsy dosen't agree with a lot of things they do, like he mentions tution fees in the conversation.

basically, what i'm saying is the mans proobaly a little down, rather tired and a bit worried. give him a year to relax and lets see what he says

*(reffering to melvin bean, the head of festival rebulic ,i.e reading and leeds, & organiser of glastonbrys car parks among other things ) (hes obviosly spoke to him to get the figures & facts about r&l & latitude)

[Pinhead]

On the other hand, Eavis has invested massively in the site infrastructure over the years - bridges, reservoirs, communications etc. Also, there's quite a substantial local economy of scale going on around the festival with quite a number of local services and industries depending on the contribution made by the festival each year. Add that to the fact he has always said he wasn't a particularly successful farmer and that the festival came about largely as a diversification exercise to save the farm and keep it profitable. Reckon Michael may retire in 3-4 years, but the festival will go on at least until the next site entertainment license (PEL) review.

[Ommadawn]

On the other hand, Eavis has invested massively in the site infrastructure over the years - bridges, reservoirs, communications etc. Also, there's quite a substantial local economy of scale going on around the festival with quite a number of local services and industries depending on the contribution made by the festival each year. Add that to the fact he has always said he wasn't a particularly successful farmer and that the festival came about largely as a diversification exercise to save the farm and keep it profitable. Reckon Michael may retire in 3-4 years, but the festival will go on at least until the next site entertainment license (PEL) review.

[General Lee]

I would take what he says with a pinch of salt - best festival ever, next years headliners already booked etc - he says these things every year and is usually good for a quote.

Emily is keen and I can't see any way Glastonbury will stop in the near future, even if Michael decides he's had enough.

[Pinhead]

Which is in 4 festivals time.