Download Festival Back On As Government Pilot

The three-day event is being resurrected in June as a government test event, to examine how Covid-19 transmission takes place in crowds.

The capacity will be significantly reduced – down from 111,000 to just 10,000 – but organisers say “moshing will be allowed”.

Festival boss Melvin Benn said: “Following the huge success of our Sefton Park event, we are delighted to contribute to Phase II of the Government’s Events Research Programme with the creation of the first three-day camping festival which will be the Download Pilot at Donington Park.

“This massive next step will help us understand and study the safe return of large-scale festivals with no social distancing or face masks over a full weekend – the return of the full festival experience we have all been waiting for and a much needed return to work for musicians, backstage crew, caterers and many more that form part of the UK’s exemplary live music industry.”