Michael Eavis leads tributes to Pyramid stage designer, revealing he 'liked the idea but was slightly wary of the reality'
Bill Harkin - who designed Glastonbury's world-famous Pyramid Stage - has died, aged 83.
Last updated 11th Mar 2021
He's said to have come up with the idea after seeing it in a dream.
Paying tribute, festival founder Michael Eavis said his "enthusiasm and dedication led to what we have now".
Glastonbury will return in 2022, after being cancelled for two years in a row due to the pandemic.
Mr Eavis said:"Bill Harkin first came to Glastonbury towards the end of 1970. He was delivering products to the health shops in the town and decided to walk up the Tor where he met Andrew Kerr.
"They both became aware of very powerful feelings of spirituality and agreed the need for a new age of looking at life towards a utopian society.
"After more intense discussions these conversations led to the idea of a large music festival with a Pyramid as centre stage. That’s when they came to me for a suitable site.
"I liked the idea but was slightly wary of the reality, although was captivated by their childlike excitement.
"Bill was a top-flight architect working for British Leyland car launches at the time but he soon became caught up with the festival to be named Glastonbury Fair, and came up with the very first Pyramid at Worthy Farm.
"His enthusiasm and dedication led to what we have now – thank you so much Bill! In more recent years he was involved with the design of the structures at the Eden Project, first in Cornwall and now across the world.
An inspirational life well lived – and simply loved by us all."