'Let's go' Reading Festival organisers confirm 2021 event will go ahead this summer
It was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic
Last updated 24th Feb 2021
Organisers have announced the Reading and Leeds music festivals will go ahead this summer.
Stormzy, Post Malone and Liam Gallagher have already been announced as the headliners for August's events.
The twin events will run on the August Bank Holiday weekend from 27-29 August.
It follows Boris Johnson's announcement on Monday (22 February) where he outlined England's roadmap out of lockdown, which says the government plans to remove all legal limits on social contact by 21 June.
In a post on Reading and Leeds festivals' official Twitter page, organisers said:
"Following the government's recent announcement, we can't wait to get back to the fields this summer. LET'S GO"
No further details have been announced yet or whether any social distancing measures will be in place.
In January Glastonbury was cancelled for a second successive year after organisers said they had tried to “move heaven and earth”.
Greg Parmley, chief executive of Live, a trade body for the live music industry, welcomed the news but said the festival season was still in danger.
He said: “Today’s confirmation that Reading and Leeds music festivals will be taking place in August is a great moment that will give people hope of better times to come.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday has given some organisers confidence but there is still a large amount of uncertainty ahead of us. With the Government only committing to provide a week’s notice on the lifting of all restrictions, this will mean for many it will just be too late and we will see further cancellations.
“This is why, despite the good news today, the Government must commit to further sector-specific support for our industry in the budget as we start our long road to recovery.”
In response to the threat posed by the pandemic, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee launched an inquiry into the future of festivals.
Last month the committee wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to ask him to extend Government-backed insurance schemes to music and performing arts festivals.
Festivals added £1.76 billion in gross value to the economy in 2019, with almost one in three Brits watching Glastonbury on TV.