“IT was hard work, it was laborious, but it had to be done and it meant we could come out and have a great time.”
That’s the message from the organiser of Reading Festival after he put together a five-day event for 100,000 people in just six weeks.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, told the Chronicle about the extraordinary challenges he and his team faced in producing what was an “unbelievable” festival.
READ MORE: Pictures and traffic from Reading as campers leave festival
Planning for the 2021 edition of the “greatest festival in the world” started in 2019 after tales went on sale for the 2020 event.
But with the pandemic cancelling last year’s music, all eyes turned to making sure organisers were prepared to put on a show for the 2021 festival.
Declan McKenna performs at the Reading Music Festival, England, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt).
Melvin said: “What’s really interesting is that until July 12 [when the government announced Covid restrictions would end], nothing was confirmed.
“The acts were confirmed, but they didn’t know whether they were coming.
“It's been put together in six weeks, really.
“And it’s on the back of a pandemic, it’s on the back of Brexit, it’s on the back of the lack of a supply chain.
READ MORE: Reading Festival-goer dies at hospital
“And that’s real! There isn’t a b***** supply chain!
“Half the toilets at Leeds Festival are Glastonbury toilets because there were no other toilets to hire.
Members of the public cheer at the Main Stage of Reading Music Festival, in Reading, England, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt).
“There just wasn’t enough toilets in the country because they’re in the test centres and the schools and the hospitals.
“We had six weeks to get it together and to be honest it’s been unbelievable.”
Asked what has changed about Reading Festival off the back of an 18-month pandemic, Melvin said the event was “pretty normal” with “not a massive amount of change” compared to recent years.
The “only mitigation” for getting the festival up and running was the requirement of proof of a negative Covid-19 test to gain entry.
READ MORE: Video appears to show teenager losing part of finger at festival
“It was hard work, it was laborious, but it had to be done and it meant we could come out and have a great time.”
The festival organiser conceded there will be a spike in Covid cases following the event but suggested youngsters who get the virus will “shrug it off.”
Elijah Hewson of Inhaler performs at the Reading Music Festival, in Reading, England, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt).
He added: “It’s August bank holiday weekend, the weather’s been pretty reasonable, and if this festival wasn’t on, everybody out there would have been in the parks, in their mates gardens having barbecues, they’d have been doing all that they’re doing now apart from the live music anyway.
“But they’d have been doing it in an environment where they wouldn’t have known if the people they were with had been vaccinated, or had done a Covid test.
“Everybody here has done a Covid test.
“There will be a spike, there will be an increase. But it’s an increase we’re all planning for, an increase we’re all expecting.
READ MORE: Gallery of festival-goers on final day of music
“And of course because of the audience profile we know that in the main they’re going to shrug it off.
Festival goers relaxing by their tents at the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. Picture date: Thursday August 26, 2021. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire.
“If the choice for them was ‘expose yourself to a little bit more Covid and shrug it off and come to the greatest festival in the world’ or stay at home… I mean, is there a decision to be made?
“You don’t need to spend much time thinking about it, do you?”
Tragically, a 20-year-old girl with a pre-existing health condition who was camping with friends at Reading Festival died after being taken to hospital on Friday, August 27.
Melvin said festival staff worked quickly to get her to hospital from the campsite but “unfortunately, it ended in tragedy”.
Apart from this single, tragic incident, the festival went “really well”, Melvin said.
Members of the public cheer at the Main Stage of Reading Music Festival, in Reading, England, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt).
His highlight, he added, was simply “being here” and saying “thank you” to all the acts.
Melvin continued: “Just being here is my highlight, to be able to go and say thank you to Blossoms and Wolf Alice and Stormzy and just say ‘thank you for being there, thank you for your amazing sets.”
“It’s just being able to thank them for bringing so much amazing happiness and joy and excitement.
READ MORE: What it's like to hand out at Reading Festival's guest area
“It’s just really special.”
Festival goers walk past tents at the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. Picture date: Thursday August 26, 2021. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire.
And planning is already underway for Reading Festival 2022, with excitement building among Melvin’s team.
The organiser said: “We feel really happy we’re going to be planning with a full year’s planning, the line up is looking extraordinary.
“We’re very excited about it but I’m trying not to give away just how excited I am about it!”
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