Whatever challenges T in the Park’s new Perthshire venue presents, lessons will be learned for future years, Police Scotland promised.
After 18 years at Balado, Kinross, the major music festival will this year be staged at Strathallan Estate near Auchterarder which has taken the organisers and police into new territory.
At a community engagement event held in Auchterarder Chief Inspector Ian Scott moved to reassure residents about what to expect but admitted the venue switch would inevitably cause some issues they would learn from.
“We have to be open and honest this event will bring 85,000 people into the area,” said Chief Inspector Scott at the event in Aytoun Hall.
“The majority of concerns expressed today have been about traffic congestion and anti-social behaviour.
“Will there be noise? Will there be gridlock? These are legitimate concerns and our plans will reduce and mitigate these concerns.
“It is a new venue and we are still learning. Significant challenges lie ahead but we will learn from this year about what worked and what didn’t work so well.”
Councillor Mike Williamson who has championed Community Watch which was launched earlier this year said it would be a useful tool to keep the community informed throughout.
Run by Perth and Kinross Community Safety Partnership the initiative shares information by email and he was actively encouraging all visitors to Aytoun Hall to sign up to receive alerts.
He said those who had attended yesterday, around 100, had expressed mixed opinions about T in the Park coming to their area but he hoped what they had heard reassured them.
“This is a brand new venue, there are always going to be concerns about something like this,” he said.
One member of the public convinced that T in the Park will be an asset to Strathearn was haulage contractor Matthew Aitken, 54, from Aberuthven.
He said: “I think it is a great thing for the area, local businesses and for Strathallan Castle. I do not think there will be a problem once they get the teething problems sorted out.”