The Glastonbury superfence was first erected in 2002 to prevent gatecrashers.
The festival returned in 2002 after a fallow year in 2001, when organisers used the break to rethink security and crowd management. The new perimeter fence, widely known as the “superfence,” was a substantial barrier designed to stop people entering without tickets. It dramatically reduced unofficial attendance and brought the crowd closer to the number of paying ticket holders.
The security overhaul followed years when large numbers of people climbed or breached relatively weak barriers. In 2000, the festival's official audience was swollen by many gatecrashers, creating serious concerns about safety, sanitation and the event's future. The Mean Fiddler Organisation became involved in logistics and security for the 2002 festival.
The change was controversial because some festivalgoers felt the smaller crowd made Glastonbury less spontaneous. Nevertheless, the fence helped establish the modern ticketed festival model. In 2002, about 140,000 people attended, while ticket prices were £97.