Reading Festival: Teens will be emotional, says boss

The return of Reading Festival will be a "real emotional time" for teenagers following the Covid-19 pandemic, the event's boss has said.

Reading Festival is returning after it and its sister event Leeds Festival were cancelled last year.

Headliners include Stormzy at the event from 27 to 29 August.

Festival Republic managing director Melvin Benn said he was thrilled to be able to put on the event after "the worst 18 months" for teenagers.

Reading Borough Council said more than 100,000 revellers are expected to attend the three-day event in Richfield Avenue.

Describing the pandemic, Mr Benn called it "the worst 18 months for that generation almost since the invention of the teenager in the late 50s when teenagers became a thing".

"I think the festival will be a real emotional time for them all, and very pleased to be able to host it for them," he said.

Ticket holders will have to demonstrate proof of full vaccination, proof of a negative NHS lateral flow test, or proof of natural immunity.

It comes after more than 1,000 people later tested positive at Latitude Festival in Suffolk - also organised by Festival Republic - according to government figures. About 150,000 attended the four-day event.

Speaking on the Covid figures, Mr Benn said Latitude went "really well" and he thought Reading "will be the same" in line with expected figures.

Karen Rowland, lead councillor for culture, heritage and recreation at Reading Borough Council, said the event may be "one of the largest festivals in the country this year".

She said: "There has been a lot of work, but we're not without the knowledge that there aren't obviously some sort of risks.

"The best things we can do is to ensure we have mitigated it to the levels we are certainly required to and Reading Festival working closely with us is providing the safest festival we can."

It comes as Reading Festival marks its 50th anniversary, which is being explored through a Reading Museum exhibition including photos and memorabilia from the original 1971 event.

You can keep up with Reading and Leeds Festival with exclusive coverage on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 1 and BBC One.

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