Glastonbury Festival has confirmed it lost over £3 million in 2021 due to the cancellation of that summer’s event.
The Worthy Farm event was in line to return last summer, celebrating 50 years at its Somerset site.
Sadly, COVID meant this was unworkable, with the team opting for their digital-only Live From Worthy Farm event featuring Coldplay, the debut of Radiohead project The Smile, Jorja Smith, and more.
Billboard reports that the cancellation caused huge financial repercussions for Glastonbury, who saw annual turnover fall from £45 million to just £950,000.
The impact of this shortfall results in a £3.1 million year-end loss for the festival, one of Europe’s biggest outdoor events.
A spokesperson from Glastonbury confirmed this figure to the NME, and it sits in line with previous statements from the festival.
Awarded funding though the UK government’s Cultural Recovery Fund back in April 2021, at the time Glastonbury wrote they two COVID cancellations resulted in them “losing millions”.
We’re grateful to have been offered an award from the Culture Recovery Fund. After losing millions from the cancellation of our last two Festivals, this grant will make a significant difference in helping to secure our future. @ace_southwest @DCMS @ace_national #HereForCulture
— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) April 2, 2021
