Organisers of Scotland’s largest agricultural show, the Royal Highland Show, are introducing a daily limit of 50,000 attendees to the event.
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has also confirmed that people will not be able to turn up to the show on the day without tickets and all tickets must be purchased in advance.
RHASS chief executive, Alan Laidlaw, said plans were well underway for the 200th anniversary show on June 23-26.
“In a change to previous years, tickets and parking for specific days must be purchased in advance,” said Mr Laidlaw.
“This is to allow us to effectively manage numbers on each day and ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
“The benefit of purchasing in advance will ensure visitors can secure their spot for their preferred day as we fully expect the show to be a sell-out due to pend up demand.”
He said RHASS members, who receive free tickets to the show as part of their membership of the society, can still go to the show as normal however they are being asked to let the society knows which days they plan to attend in advance.
“This is to manage numbers and allow the society to sell the additional capacity which will benefit the charity by maximising revenue potential,” added Mr Laidlaw.
He said accompanied children aged 15 and under will still be able to attend the show for free, however their tickets must also be booked in advance.
“The impact of the pandemic is far reaching and we need to make important changes which will allow us to respond quickly and efficiently if required,” added Mr Laidlaw.
“A pre-purchasing system is simple to use and will ensure our visitors are protected and enjoy a safe show. Generally we have had a positive response with people understanding the need for the change.”
This year will be the first time the Royal Highland Show has taken place in its normal format since 2019.
The 2020 show was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and an online live-streamed event – the Royal Highland Showcase – was held last year with £750,000 support from the Scottish Government.