Glastonbury World Heritage row spills into shouting at council meeting

By Laura Linham 13th Mar 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 2 hours ago

A Glastonbury Town Council meeting on the town's World Heritage bid was repeatedly interrupted by shouting from the public gallery before councillors voted 13-2 to pause the process.

Tuesday night's full council meeting moved the World Heritage item to the top of the agenda because of the number of people in attendance. But the debate was repeatedly stopped as councillors tried to speak over interjections from the chamber floor.

Opening the discussion, Cllr Serena Roney-Dougal said that, on behalf of the consultants and working group, she felt "ashamed on behalf of the residents of Glastonbury" over the treatment they had received. She described the behaviour directed towards them as "angry and abusive and harassing and intimidating. And disrespectful."

That drew an immediate response from the public gallery, with one voice shouting: "You are antisocial. You are the ones that are disrespectful."

Mayor Michael White intervened several times to restore order, warning: "We cannot conduct our business with people interrupting." As councillors attempted to continue, other voices from the room shouted: "We are not children," and "It's outrageous."

At one stage, Mayor White warned that people would be asked to leave if standing orders were not respected, saying councillors had the right to speak and the meeting could not continue with constant interruptions.

Roney-Dougal urged the council to move into phase two of the bid, including preparation of a first draft World Heritage nomination dossier, an impact assessment, a town management plan and a programme of community engagement. She told councillors her "primary aim" was to protect "the sacred landscape within which the town is embedded".

But several councillors argued the town was not ready to proceed.

Cllr Lili Osborne said the reports before members showed Glastonbury lacked the funding, staffing, consensus and planning groundwork needed for a credible bid. She also challenged the way opponents had been described, telling the meeting: "You come to a meeting to put your position and you are referred to as a mob." She added: "I haven't seen any of you lot rampaging up and down the street."

Cllr Zoe Price then put forward an alternative proposal calling on the council to pause all work towards a World Heritage application, prioritise a comprehensive town management plan, address anti-social behaviour, improve community engagement and explore alternative landscape protection designations before revisiting the issue.

Price said the working group's final report had identified "substantial resourcing requirements", including the need for a full-time World Heritage site manager and potentially significant bid preparation costs. She also said anti-social behaviour had disrupted working group activity and become a risk to any future application.

The atmosphere remained tense during the debate. At one point, as councillors discussed intimidation and misinformation around the issue, a voice from the public gallery shouted: "Do a parasite cleanse."

Cllr Emma King told the chamber that someone at a meeting on Sunday had said that if World Heritage status went through, there would be an increase in anti-social behaviour. She also alleged that someone behind her had said: "I'm going to do them in now."

After a procedural discussion over how to handle the competing motions, Price's proposal was accepted as an amendment and then carried as the substantive motion by 13 votes to two.

That means Glastonbury Town Council has paused all work towards a World Heritage application while it focuses on a town management plan, anti-social behaviour, community engagement and possible alternative protections.

For previous background, see Glastonbury's World Heritage Status bid: where things stand after three years and Glastonbury consultation day to shape World Heritage bid.