UK's Reading and Leeds music festivals to go ahead this summer

The two popular festivals will go ahead, while Glastonbury is cancelled

Stormzy is among those on the line-up for this year's Reading and Leeds festivals. Reuters

The Reading and Leeds music festivals will go ahead in England this summer after the government this week announced a timetable for relaxing coronavirus restrictions, the organisers of the festivals said on Wednesday.

"Following the government's recent announcement, we can't wait to get back to the fields this summer. Let's go," the organisers said in a tweet.

The festivals are due to take place in late August.

Headliners confirmed include Stormzy, Post Malone, Liam Gallagher, Queens of the Stone Age and Lewis Capaldi.

In January, the organisers of Britain's Glastonbury Festival, the largest greenfield music festival in the world, cancelled the event for a second year running. Glastonbury typically takes place in June.

“With great regret, we must announce that this year’s Glastonbury festival will not take place, and that this will be another enforced fallow year for us,” organisers Michael and Emily Eavis said.

“In spite of our efforts to move heaven and earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the festival happen this year. We are so sorry to let you all down.”