Glastonbury has become an important source of income for the charities, societies and residents that live and work in the vicinity of the festival.

Some can earn money either by running stalls or stewarding.

For others, it’s an opportunity to raise cash by letting out their homes for festival goers.

Last year, Glastonbury estimated local groups would have lost about £500,000 when the festival took a one-year break.

Here some of those groups tell us why Glastonbury is so important:

About 175,000 people are expected to be on the Worthy Farm site for the music festival but for some the idea of camping is not such an inviting prospect.

Holiday Lettings said many homeowners either leave for the week or even camp out in the garden to make room for festival goers.

Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies from the firm said: “What we’re seeing more and more is actually people going away themselves and letting their own homes out to festival goers and using the money to go on holiday themselves.”

She added the average house would generate up to £500 but had another property advertising a tariff of nearly £3,000.

Kate Lewis owns a farmhouse in Pilton that she has been renting out for the past few years.

She said: “It’s just a bit of extra money – we rent out whatever accommodation we’ve got. We live so close to the festival, you can see it from here and it pays for our holiday as well.

“It is a bit of hard work, but it’s fun as well. We’ve got to meet some great people.”

The rockers also performed tunes from Gallagher’s former band Oasis, powering through hits such as Morning Glory and Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.

Greeting revellers, Liam is quoted by Digital Spy as saying: “It’s never too early for a bit of rock ‘n’ roll aggro, is it?”

Gallagher had previously vowed to never play Glasto again after complaining about the sound after Oasis’ performance in 2004, telling XFM: “The sound is s**t and really quiet. You can hear the crowd talking while you’re playing.

“They don’t put any money into the PA and it’s just full of f**king idiots. Now it’s like Bond Street with mud, with loads of celebrities walking around in their boots and umbrellas. I’m not having it.”

Arctic Monkeys are due to headline the Somerset event tonight (June 28), with The Rolling Stones hitting the Pyramid stage on Saturday.

Mumford & Sons will close Glasto 2013 on Sunday (June 30).

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