11/04/2008 01:36:00
A recent survey commissioned by Mendip District Council has found that the Glastonbury Festival generated over £73 million last year.
The 177, 5000 people that attended Glastonbury 2007 spent an estimated total of £52.1 million over the three-day festival, which is held near Pilton in Somerset.
According to the report, which was carried out by Bristol-based firm Baker Associates, the adverse weather conditions at last year's event meant that spending levels were not "typical".
It was found that more money was spent on food and drinks than previous years, while expenditure on non-food items (except for waterproof clothing and wellies) was down.
The research revealed that the average person at Glastonbury in 2007 spent an average of £144.11 on-site, while £148.13 per person was spent on items such as accommodation, transport and food and drink in nearby pubs and restaurants.
Harvey Siggs, leader of Mendip District Council, said: "We've always recognised that the Glastonbury Festival is an important event for our district and the country, but have never been able to judge how important it is.
"This information will enable us to better understand how it effects our local economy, which is so important to many aspects of our lives and business, and has shown us in detail how large scale events impact our local area."
The survey also found that the majority of Glastonbury festival-goers (46.8%) come from London and South East England, while a quarter (23.3%) came from South West England.