Benn agreed to undertake the licensing and operational control of Glastonbury Festival in late 2001/early 2002. Since then the Festival has boasted an annual capacity of 177,500 people.

The statement from Festival Republic today read: "Time moves on and now is the time for Michael and the Glastonbury team to pick up the reins again and build for the future. This will then allow Melvin and the Festival Republic team to focus on growing new Festival Republic events and the ...