Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis wants to do a smaller version of the festival in September

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has said he wants to do a smaller version of the festival in September.

Eavis was speaking after it was announced that Glastonbury 2021 was cancelled, for the second year in a row, due to coronavirus.

Chatting to radio station LBC about potential side plans for Glastonbury, the 85-year-old said: ‘I would like to do something in September. "I would like to do something smaller somewhere around the anniversary date of when we started, which was the 18th of September in 1970, and I would like to consider possibly doing something around that time."

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If a smaller iteration of the iconic festival were to happen, he also suggested artists of the calibre who play the real thing could be booked for it. The likes of Kendrick Lamar and Pet Shop Boys were booked to play 2020.

Replying to radio host Tom Swarbrick's question, Eavis responded: "Yeah, but I do need to get reassurance from the ethics people and everything."

The 2021 cancellation came after Michael had said back in August last year that the Worthy Farm event might not return until 2022. In June, he revealed a fear of going bankrupt if the festival couldn't take place in 2021.

At the end of last year, UK MPs warned that Glasto and other festivals may not be able to go ahead in 2021 if their insurance wasn't underwritten due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Announcing this year's cancellation, Michael and daughter Emily - who helps run the festival - wrote: "With great regret, we must announce that this year’s Glastonbury Festival will not take place, and that this will be another enforced fallow year for us.

"In spite of our efforts to move Heaven & Earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen this year. We are so sorry to let you all down.

"As with last year, we would like to offer all those who secured a ticket in October 2019 the opportunity to roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the chance to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2022. We are very appreciative of the faith and trust placed in us by those of you with deposits, and we are very confident we can deliver something really special for us all in 2022!"

The cancellation means Glasto's 50th anniversary celebrations - originally planned for 2020 - have again been put on hold.

[Photo: Andrew Allcock]

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Commercial Content Editor, follow him on Twitter

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