The artistic control remains with me

Michael Eavis Glastonbury organiser

He is meeting Mean Fiddler managing director Melvin Benn on Tuesday to seek assurances that the company will not try to take control of the line-up or make changes to the event's easy-going ambience.

Mr Eavis was worried by a newspaper article on Monday headlined: "Glastonbury's hippy dream is sold to rock tycoon."

"I'm meeting Melvin Benn this afternoon to see if we can [make sure] Glastonbury loses none of its character and it doesn't have the Mean Fiddler stamped all over it," Mr Eavis told BBC News Online.

"The artistic control remains with me and my people," he said, adding that he hoped festival-goers would not notice any change in the event after the Mean Fiddler deal.

He had enlisted Mr Benn, who is to be Glastonbury's operations director, to control security but said he called the meeting because they "weren't quite clear about what the arrangements were".

The festival's future has been in the balance because of safety concerns, and security must be watertight this year if the event is to survive.

Mean Fiddler events like Reading are seen as being more controlled

"The fence will have to work, the security will have to work and things will have to be very robust."

Mean Fiddler also runs festivals including Reading, Leeds and Homelands as well as a string of live music venues in London.

Its events are seen as more commercial and controlled, with The Times reporting that the company's stake in Glastonbury would rise to 40% after three years.

The paper also reported that the festival was looking for a sponsor for the first time this year, although Mr Benn has said that Mean Fiddler would safeguard contributions to charities like Greenpeace.

When the deal was announced last week, Mr Benn said he and business partner Vince Power had "always loved and respected" what Mr Eavis created at Glastonbury.

"Mean Fiddler Music Group is very pleased to play a role in assuring its future."

This year's Glastonbury is expected to attract 140,000 people

He also praised its "worldwide reputation and... great history".

Last year, Mean Fiddler said it was planning to expand its entertainment empire with more festivals.

Mr Eavis has run the event on his Somerset dairy farm for 30 years, with this year's event expected to attract 140,000 people.

It will take place on 28-30 June, with Blur, Radiohead and Stereophonics among the bands rumoured to be appearing.