Glastonbury 2020 cancelled amid COVID-19 fears

Despite having just announced their line-up last week, Glastonbury 2020 has been cancelled, over growing coronavirus fears.

Michael and Emily Eavis, the organisers of the British festival, which was set to take place from June 24-28, have issued a statement about the decision:

"Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week – and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty – this is now our only viable option.

"We very much hope that the situation in the U.K. will have improved enormously by the end of June. But even if it has, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on the farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields.

"We would like to send our sincere apologies to the 135,000 people who have already paid a deposit for a Glastonbury 2020 ticket. The balance payments on those tickets were due at the beginning of April and we wanted to make a firm decision before then.

"We understand that it is not always easy to secure a Glastonbury ticket, which is why we would like to offer all those people the chance to roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the opportunity to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2021. Those who would prefer a refund of that £50 will be able to contact See Tickets in the coming days in order to secure that. This option will remain available until September this year. For those who are happy to roll their deposit over, that will happen automatically. Further information – including details on rolling over coach packages, official accommodation bookings and local Sunday tickets – will be added to our website in the coming days."

Read their full statement here.

This year's Glastonbury was set to be the festival's 50th anniversary, with Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Diana Ross, Lana Del Rey, Thom Yorke, Pet Shop Boys, Haim, Dizzee Rascal and many more set to perform. The news follows major festival cancellations around the world, including Coachella.