Bristol Junior Chamber

Minutes Tuesday 2nd August 2016 6pm At-Bristol

Members Gemma Alaway, Sarah Atkinson, Lucy Baldwin, Veronica Barbaro, Robert
Barnes, Amy Bracey, Jill Brown, Oliver Brown, Sarah Burt, Jack Callow, Charles Chami,
Alexandra Cross, Emma Custance Baker, Chris Dowling, Laura East, Tom Gable, Ewelina
Golebiewska, Kerry Grove, Rebecca Harries-Williams, Michael Holder, Owen Jennings,
Benjamin Kenny, Alastair Kimpton, Russell Landau, Hannah Mingo, Alexandra Momtahan,
Leon Musmann, Miles Nesbitt, Robert Nye, Lorraine OConnor, Carly ODwyer, Alice
Peacock, Benjamin Pean, Jade Poole, Rebecca Purchase, Heather Rees, Ashley Sandeman,
Toby Saunders, Andie Spragg, Matthew Smith, Nicole Spurling, Ben St Quintin, Paul Staples,
Kirsty Swan, Megan Turnbull, Dan White, Joe Williams, Jonathan Williams, Mastane
Williamson. Total Members; 49. Joe Allotey, Dominique Allotey, Danielle
Argent,
Elena Ayala Tello, Mimi Avery, Henry Bacon, Hannah Batchelor, Chris Burton, Pippa
Dobbing, Daniel Edmund, Federica Fuda, Andrew Gadd, Niki Goddard, Adam Hodgkins,
Nina Hurrell, Louise Jeffreys, Lizy Kidwell, Chris Learoyd, Becky Miller, Amy Perrin, Harry
Sedman, Toby Thomas, Helen Wood, John Whittington, Pam Williams, Alexandra Wyatt
Total Guests; 26. Total turnout; 75
Oliver Brown Welcome from President and introduce Amy Perrin of The
Marmalade Trust.
Amy Perrin Description of The Marmalade Trust and the work they do, with older people
suffering from loneliness. Increase in numbers/reach to 60 people over the past few years.
Oliver Brown Introduce our speaker Michael Eavis founder of the world famous
Glastonbury Festival. 2009 named by Time magazine, one of 100 most influential people in
the world. 5 minutes on festival start, questions from President and questions from
audience.
Michael Eavis, Glastonbury Festival

1970; dairy farmer at Worthy Farm & went to a festival, decided to set up on own.
Left the blues festival and called venues for phone numbers called Council said
theyd do it for 500. 1 entry, ended up with T-Rex rather than original headliners.
Perfect headline set for 1,000 people at 1. Paid 100 a month for 5 month.
Through the 70s, 80s went like mad! Rich were paying for poor for about 5 years.
120,000 people coming. Licensing made things much harder.
Bevan Brittan instrumental in creating a license, and enabling Glastonbury to do
what they like.
3 million have pre-registered to come for next year, 2000 can come.
Headliners good for next year, looking good.
40 years in still a top show, and we love doing it. Daughter has come in.
Question Brand; Glastonbury came in at number 3, can you tell us a bit
about that? Nike is number 4. Aston Martin is number 7. Ive got no idea! People
like what we do, weve been doing it for many years and people just like it. Wed
never sell the show. People love it for what it is, were doing something right.
Michael Hestletine deserves a pat on the back for closing down Stonehenge, made it
different and gave it a bit of grit.
Question How did you go about finding bands and artists To start with
we had to tell a few porkies to start with. We wouldnt have believed it, if wed been

told. Go to agents/make appointments, going in to look for Peter Gabriel at Genesis.

Its a lot easier now, U2 and Coldplay and Radiohead want to come back. Stone
Roses did half a job once! Headliners sorted for a couple of years.
Question - Some amazing acts over the years, any who you would still like
to get Fleetwood Mac are the only act that havent played. Other agents, when
they are involved, make it difficult. Can you think of anyone? Grateful Dead would
be great. Led Zepplin, dont get on with each other just give up, well never do it.
Question Do you ever go to other festivals Used to meet up with bands,
and talk them into coming. Trying to run a farm as well! Trying to get cows out to
grass sowing 20 tons of grass seed, rain recently has been brilliant!
What is your greatest achievement with the festival to date Its incredible
fun building it, creating it. Doing new things with all the new areas those things
are all developing and present stuff not TV stuff. Its improving it all the time, our
biggest achievement is all the people that want to come. Were all involved in
meetings, and developing new ideas lots of expense. Its the huge audience who
want to come.
What is your biggest regret in terms of artists Theres always a few, and with
on the running order. Echo & the Bunnymen & The Levellers. Its only gossip.
Stories about relocating? Trying to move it in 2019, just to prove we can do it
somewhere else; three locations being considered. Going to Gloucester next week for
the third one. Save a lot of money on the rent, 22 land owners that deal with it at the
moment. Wanting to prove we can a bit businessy/political.
How do you cope with all the people travelling/all logistics Marvellous
team, 5 major roads coming into Worthy Farm. This year was very wet! Traffic
managed very well, very lucky we have 5 major roads.
Whats the hard bit? Rain!
Imitation, WOMAD copied/helpful? Lovely crowd, but when I started the
whole thing in 1971 WOMAD copied us, stole Simple Minds in 1988/1989 so
cross!
How big is your team? 34,000 people (all stewards, security) working with 50
people there, team leaders etc. 20 people around me every day. When we go on sale
that will grow, in October. Huge management thing. 20 or 30 really fantastic
managers. This year, because the arena was so crowded with Adele if you dont
alter it I will resign (worked for Glastonbury for 40 years) Arena is big enough for
140,000 people. Management all the other people come up with ideas every day.
Keeping all the balls in the air! Gave him until 15th August to make his mind up!
Did you expect/intend it to get as big as it has done? Less than 1,000 is how
we started, did not anticipate this! Couldnt imagine this.
Are you planning to write an autobiography? I get calls every day! People
offer me 200,000 to write it but how do you do that without slagging people off? I
dont need to, do I? I suppose it would be interesting? For something to be revealed
after Ive died?
My Way performance come about? Chris Martin came to my 80th birthday
party, and sang it there. He said you should sing it after my set. He said I must do it!
2 weeks prior, he called me. He insisted! He was really keen glad I did it! All the
hard times, get through it my way got offered to make a record, cant believe it!
Spared that one, that wont happen!
Whats the best performance? The Smiths in 1985, only played for 30/40
minutes. Morrissey has been a few times, a bit grumpy! A Smiths reunion would be

incredible. He is good, but an attitude! Oasis, will happen? Have been on 5 times
already; do we really want them to make a comeback?
Have any headline acts ever not shown? No, they all turn up! We dont need
standby acts wed nudge them up! we had a problem with the Stone Roses, so we
moved up Pulp in 1987. They were a huge success after that, because the Stone Roses
couldnt play.
Which do you prefer, farming/planning the festival The farm has been
around for 150 years, its important to me. The festival is a bit of a party, not the day
job! The farm!
How long does it take for the land to go back to normal? About 5 weeks,
20,000 worth of grass seed this year. By early September it will be lovely, with cows
grazing (500). In the shed during the festival. They get played music all the time!
Theyll be glad to get out!
Riders/demands, how do you cope? Got a chap working full time on riders.
Whiskey/Jack Daniels as long as it makes them work! I can sing without drinking!
Chap working on that is full time.
Do you know how many people jump/climb under fences We took it down
one time, just to let them in. Got ticked off for that. More dangerous outside, than it
was inside. People throwing ladders over, and charging people to climb over. Not
many get in now, but back in the 80s more people got in for free, than those who
paid thats why the numbers got so high. Year 2000 was too much, 300,000 people
there, was getting a bit busy!
Put on more than one Glastonbury? No, one event is enough!
Would you consider adding a day or two on? No, not really maybe one
day, but people come on Wednesday at 7am and dont leave until Tuesday or
Wednesday its a whole week! Dont think we could cope with any more!
Rumours this year, that Radiohead would make a secret performance
We cant say anything at the moment! Favourite all time band at the moment, in
1997 they were amazing. Bands would rather not be announced, so they can sell
tickets for other shows they make real money from their own shows.
What is the biggest life lesson you have learnt? To follow your commitment,
if you believe somethings going to work dont be put off by people. You can do it.
4th October at 9am on Sunday morning tickets released, sell out in half an
hour. Break even with giving charities 2million, everybody gets paid! Expensive
with tractors/mud/wood chip and things but better than cancelling the show! We
would never, and will never cancel the show. We will make it work whatever. The
money is reinvested into the site, to build new things and make new stuff - 60,000
fee but didnt take it for 3 years, I have a proper day job at the farm! I dont need the
salary, took 180,000 for that straight into a new milking parlour back into the
farm. Huge benefit to Somerset, massive economic exercise.

------- Move to general meeting

Oliver Brown

A huge thank you to Michael Eavis. Visitors tonight; we get good speakers!

Creative Youth Network, Bob Durie is looking for somebody in legal or property
sector to get involved in this charity as a trustee will be on the email tomorrow
morning.
Three weeks ago the BJC made an award to invest in a start-up in Bristol called
McCoys Kitchen a Caribbean delivery business, looking to expand this with the help
of BJC. Mentors thank you and looking for some more.

Becky Purchase Events

21st October Members Dinner (Friday) these will go on sale at the end of the
month.
1st December Christmas Party we will be selling Marmalade Trust decorations, if
youd like to get involved in making them please let me know.

Ben Kenny & Jack Callow Treasurer

Please pay! Sending out reminder emails end of this week please let us know,
reminder invoices will be sent.

Kirsty Swan Business & Enterprise

12th October Property talk, first time buyer/investment buyer Speakers for this
event.

Robert Barnes Heritage & Culture

Bristol Records Office tour Sold out within a day, there is a waiting list 1ST
September.
15th September Press night for The Rivals at BOV.

Megan Turnbull Education & Skills

More school interviews before Christmas.

Ben Pean Charity

Next month going back to Engine Shed Quartet, Social Enterprise. Projects for BJC
to get involved.

Emma Custance-Baker Marketing & PR

No updates.

Gemma Alaway Balloon Fiesta

Three tickets for the Balloon Glow left!

Alice Peacock Honorary Secretary

No updates.

Heather Rees Membership Secretary

New members introductions wait another month. Please come see me.

--Close up 20.00 and head to Pitcher and Piano --