Glastonbury feels economic bite

By Georgie Rogers
6 Music news reporter

Glastonbury has already sold 100,000 tickets for next year

Michael Eavis has said this year's Glastonbury Festival was his favourite, but for the first time in recent history the event did not make money.

He said a rise in fuel prices and general costs meant there was no margin for investment in next year's event.

Despite that, organisers said they still managed to give �1m to charity.

Glastonbury was not the only event to suffer tough economic conditions. Bestival did not make a profit either, its organiser Rob Da Bank said.

Eavis was speaking as he picked up three prizes at the UK Festival Awards.

Glastonbury won best major festival, outstanding contribution, and most memorable moment, for Jay Z's rendition of Oasis' Wonderwall.

Eavis told BBC 6 Music: "It was hard work making it work last year because costing had gone through the roof and the diesel costs had gone up by about �200,000. All the other costs had gone up as well.

We still made �1m for the charities we work for, but we didn't make any beyond that, so there's no money to reinvest

Michael Eavis

"Glastonbury costs �22m now, it's huge. The infrastructure, the fencing, the roads, the water and the loos, the marquees, the management, the security and the police, it goes on and on so we do have to sell out in order to make it work."

"We still made about �1m for the charities we work for," Eavis continued.

"But we didn't make any beyond that. There's no money to reinvest or anything."

But the line-up for next year is looming large and Eavis is sure tickets will be snapped up. "I'm very confident with the bands that we've got next time that we will sell out," he said.

One hundred thousand tickets have already been sold for next year's festival.

The Glastonbury Festival has been held on Eavis' farm since 1970

Bestival mastermind Rob Da Bank, meanwhile, told 6 Music they did not do festivals for profit. "We put so much heart and soul into these things, we don't make money," he said.

"It really is all about the love. To win best new festival for Camp Bestival, which was a massive risk, is a really good reward."

Scotland's T In The Park was awarded best line-up, and after topping the bill at some of the most high-profile shows this year, US Rock gods Kings Of Leon took home best headliner.

The Ting Tings were the other major winners, taking a trio of gongs for best festival pop act, best live newcomer and anthem of the summer for That's Not My Name.

BBC 6 Music's breakfast presenter Shaun Keaveny hosted the awards, which featured performances from Pete and the Pirates and Ocean Colour Scene.