Tickets for the Glastonbury festival have sold out in under two hours.
Tickets for the Glastonbury festival have sold out in under two hours.
Fears that a registration system, designed to prevent touting, would put off fans were not realised when 400,000 signed up.
Fears that a registration system, designed to prevent touting, would put off fans were not realised when 400,000 signed up.
Organisers said the 137,500 tickets available to the public were snapped up just one hour 45 minutes after going on sale on Sunday at 0900 BST.
Organisers said the 137,500 tickets available to the public were snapped up just one hour 45 minutes after going on sale on Sunday at 0900 BST.
They added that they were happy with how the sales went despite websites and phone lines struggling to cope.
They added that they were happy with how the sales went despite websites and phone lines struggling to cope.
Sell-out
Sell-out
In 2005, when the last Glastonbury Festival took place, tickets sold out in less than three hours - a record in the event's history.
In 2005, when the last Glastonbury Festival took place, tickets sold out in less than three hours - a record in the event's history.
The Arctic Monkeys will headline this year's Glastonbury Festival
The Arctic Monkeys will headline this year's Glastonbury Festival
The Arctic Monkeys, Dame Shirley Bassey and The Who will all perform at the festival, but the full line-up will not be released until June.
The Arctic Monkeys, Dame Shirley Bassey and The Who will all perform at the festival, but the full line-up will not be released until June.
Michael Eavis, who owns the farm where the festival is based, said: "We had a quarter of a million of people queuing up to get through. It's probably the fastest time we have ever sold out.
Michael Eavis, who owns the farm where the festival is based, said: "We had a quarter of a million of people queuing up to get through. It's probably the fastest time we have ever sold out.
"We had coach package tickets as well and people were forced to buy those at the tail end of the sale."
"We had coach package tickets as well and people were forced to buy those at the tail end of the sale."
Second chance
Second chance
He was also pleased the system of registering and then using a reference number had worked well.
He was also pleased the system of registering and then using a reference number had worked well.
"Its a great system. It's the first time it's ever been done - it's just gone so well it's just unbelievable. The system has worked really, really well and it's a first.
"Its a great system. It's the first time it's ever been done - it's just gone so well it's just unbelievable. The system has worked really, really well and it's a first.
"Unfortunately there will be a lot of people that will be disappointed. Only two in three get through, but such is the demand of the festival - but that is in itself great after 37 years of trying to get it right."
"Unfortunately there will be a lot of people that will be disappointed. Only two in three get through, but such is the demand of the festival - but that is in itself great after 37 years of trying to get it right."
He added that there would be another chance to buy tickets on 22 April at 0900 BST, when those transactions which had failed would result in more tickets being put back on the market.
He added that there would be another chance to buy tickets on 22 April at 0900 BST, when those transactions which had failed would result in more tickets being put back on the market.
Licence agreed
Licence agreed
Tickets without coach travel cost £145 with fans able to buy up to four each.
Tickets without coach travel cost £145 with fans able to buy up to four each.
Over the years, Mr Eavis has massively increased investment into preventing gate-crashers and drug dealers entering the site.
Over the years, Mr Eavis has massively increased investment into preventing gate-crashers and drug dealers entering the site.
Earlier this week Mendip District Council in Somerset approved a four-year licence deal, securing the festival's future until 2010.
Earlier this week Mendip District Council in Somerset approved a four-year licence deal, securing the festival's future until 2010.
The 177,000 capacity event takes place in Somerset from 22-24 June.
The 177,000 capacity event takes place in Somerset from 22-24 June.
Did you manage to get tickets for the event? Was it a frustrating experience trying to get through?
Did you manage to get tickets for the event? Was it a frustrating experience trying to get through?
If you didn't get tickets today, don't forget that there should be another chance to buy on 22 April when they resell any failed/cancelled tickets.Sarah,
Yeah!!!!!! What a result... Got tickets and able to get friends tickets. Once I got in, there was no problem buying tickets. Apart from me shaking with excitement! Thought the system could of been better, but you have to put the effort in. We had 4 laptops, 6 mobiles, 1 land line on the go & only my laptop got through after an hour of trying. Still I'm not moaning!!! See ya there if you got a ticket!!!Dave, Bury St Edmunds
Am hugely frustrated having wasted 2.5 hours trying to get onto the website only to be told that tickets had sold out when i eventually got there. Considering that only 400k people were tring to get tickets compared to over a million last time, seems like a huge backward step to me. Anthony, Maidenhead, UK
Very frustrating, however with the aid of 5 computers and 2 phones we got our 4 tickets at the last minute, so now very happy. Sorry to all who missed out on what will be an amazing festival. Rock on!Rob, London
After an hour and a half I managed to get into the website. As it processed my payment details, the website crashed. I doubt we've got tickets as we weren't given a confirmation number. It is so frustrating. There should have been some kind of queuing system in place at least.Sarah, Leighton Buzzard
Yes!! 45 minutes and i had mine booked. this system is much fairer - everyone had a fair crack. Max, london
I tried getting it online at 8.50am, but couldn't get the site until 11.40am. I was continuously re-dialling on the phone all that time. Eventually I had the chance to buy the Coach Package tickets, which rather stretched my budget (the standard tickets having sold out), but I thought "what the hell", so now my daughter & I have tickets on order! Yay!Steve, Sudbury, Suffolk
I managed to get a ticket and so did all my friends! The system worked for some people and not others though as one girl I know managed to get 17 tickets online and another girl did not get anywhere close to getting on the site!It was worrying that the site was blocked half an hour before tickets even went on sale as well!Sian, Cardiff, Wales
Throughout the entire two hours my PC was unable to reach the ticket booking website, yet a friend in another part of the country could get to it immediately whenever he wanted - I got him to book the tickets for me, but it did seem a bit odd.Henry, Southampton
It took a hour and a half of constantly attempting to enter the website and 4 phones constantly ringing before we hit paydirt. I got tickets but cant help feeling for those who didnt, in 2005 I was one of the unlucky ones and know how it felt then.Andy, Manchester
Only 15 minutes on the webpage of slamming F5 and voila had 2 tickets. 3 years running it has taken no more than 20mins to get tickets - whats the problem?tom, guldford
After about one hour and 20 minutes of trying via two computers and two phones, we managed to secure tickets, just minutes after my other friends secured theirs. All seven of us are going to be there - yay!Helen, Oxford
After about one hour and 20 minutes of trying via two computers and two phones, we managed to secure tickets, just minutes after my other friends secured theirs. All seven of us are going to be there - yay!Helen, Oxford
Nightmare! Two-and-a-half hours of no web page and constant network unavailability/engaged on the phone. Did get tickets, but coach ones. Not sure it's environmentally friendly - have to drive an hour away from home in the wrong direction to catch a coach back!Ben, Taunton
Nightmare! Two-and-a-half hours of no web page and constant network unavailability/engaged on the phone. Did get tickets, but coach ones. Not sure it's environmentally friendly - have to drive an hour away from home in the wrong direction to catch a coach back!Ben, Taunton
I managed to get one ticket for me... but none of my friends have managed to get one... really frustrating system! The phone lines shutdown for ages!Holly, Reading
I managed to get one ticket for me... but none of my friends have managed to get one... really frustrating system! The phone lines shutdown for ages!Holly, Reading
Tried for two hours to get through. Constantly engaged. Two out of three people got through? I don't believe it!Paul, Peterborough
Tried for two hours to get through. Constantly engaged. Two out of three people got through? I don't believe it!Paul, Peterborough
Yipppeeeee. We got tickets. We're so happy. It took us one-and-a-half hours to get through. We were trying by phone and PC at the same time and eventually got through online. This will be our second time and man, are we looking forward to it. Oh and somebody please beg Kylie to reconsider!Thomas & Simon, Guernsey
Yipppeeeee. We got tickets. We're so happy. It took us one-and-a-half hours to get through. We were trying by phone and PC at the same time and eventually got through online. This will be our second time and man, are we looking forward to it. Oh and somebody please beg Kylie to reconsider!Thomas & Simon, Guernsey
Words find it hard to express my frustration, I've just wasted 2 hours trying to get through online and via the phone. Whilst I applaud the attempt to stop touting, it was far from the brilliant success Eavis claims. I do sincerely hope those who got tickets have a great time, any spares?Andy, London
Words find it hard to express my frustration, I've just wasted 2 hours trying to get through online and via the phone. Whilst I applaud the attempt to stop touting, it was far from the brilliant success Eavis claims. I do sincerely hope those who got tickets have a great time, any spares?Andy, London
Surely it would be a fairer system to operate a lottery for those registered as this would have saved hundreds of thousands of people their sunday mornings and sanity! It has left me feeling resentful as I will now not be able to get tickets and feel I have put so much effort in.Eleanor, Somerset
Surely it would be a fairer system to operate a lottery for those registered as this would have saved hundreds of thousands of people their sunday mornings and sanity! It has left me feeling resentful as I will now not be able to get tickets and feel I have put so much effort in.Eleanor, Somerset
It took 1 hour 15 minutes to get a connection to the web site. I was quite pleased with that - I expected to be trying all day and then for it to be sold out. I used two different computers and two phones - the phones were engaged the whole time. David, Manchester
It took 1 hour 15 minutes to get a connection to the web site. I was quite pleased with that - I expected to be trying all day and then for it to be sold out. I used two different computers and two phones - the phones were engaged the whole time. David, Manchester
