Glastonbury has been branded a “ticking time bomb” and a “disaster waiting to happen” by a former senior manager who warned that dangerously high levels of overcrowding risk a fatal crush.
The whistle-blower, who held a senior role at last year’s festival, warned that the event has so far avoided tragedy “through luck and goodwill”.
In a damning interview with the Mail, he alleged that irresponsible crowd management and even drug taking among staff could lead to deaths at this year’s festival.
He told the Mail on Sunday: “Worst-case scenario, people are going to die, I think we are going to have some massive issues this year.
“How has it [Glastonbury] survived this long without a major disaster?
“It's got to be a mixture of luck and a mixture of good will, the jewel in the UK's crown is actually something of a ticking time-bomb.”
The ex-manger pointed to major issues with last year’s festival, with projected overcrowding at a DJ set by Charli XCX prompting an emergency meeting of senior bosses.
The concern was that the much smaller stage, Levels, would be flooded by tens of thousands of people coming from Dua Lipa’s set on the main stage.
An emergency plan was, however, ultimately not required.
He also raised concerns over widespread drug use leading to constant calls for medical assistance for those who have overdosed or collapsed in the middle of crowds.
He said that firefighters were tasked with fighting through crowds to reach people that needed urgent medical attention, with these incidents occurring every 15-20 minutes.
The insider also claimed that this drug taking extended to staff, including some who’s job involves driving vehicles around the site.
The 900-acre venue at Worthy Farm is set to host 210,000 music fans in less than a month’s time, this capacity having increased by 7,000 in 2022.
Glastonbury 2025 will see headline performances by Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Neil Young and Rod Stewart.
Overcrowding has already been an issue at previous festivals, especially at the smaller stages which sometimes struggle to accommodate huge floods of fans.
Last year saw an act called Bicep forced to halt their set due to fears that spectators at the front could be crushed.
A spokesman for Glastonbury has since denied claims that firefighters were made to fight through crowds and insisted that staff drivers were tested for drugs and alcohol.
The spokesman said that the festival management used a “system of robust and dynamic crowd-management planning”, with a 500-strong team, which ensures “that at all times...crowd safety is at the forefront of everyone's minds”.
