The organiser of a festival in memory of her late Dundee daughter has vowed to return – after this year’s event was cancelled at the last minute.
Freystival had been due to take place in Errol over the weekend.
The event, first held last year, was marking what would have been the 11th birthday of Freya Skene – who died in an accident in Perthshire in 2020.
But mum Brooke Reid was forced to pull the plug on the weekend’s festivities late on Friday.
It came after what she called a “malicious and false” complaint was made to Perth and Kinross Council about the event.
It is claimed someone contacted the local authority to say an illegal rave was being held.
That led to the council telling Brooke she did not have the correct licence to hold Freystival, which was a ticketed event.
‘Malicious lie forced cancellation of Freystival’
Although she could have gone ahead with the event by making it free of charge, she felt it was too late to change the arrangements and called Freystival off.
However, she insists she is working with the council to allow her to bring the event back in 2024.
Brooke – who runs the Freya’s Wish organisation in memory of her daughter – told The Courier: “(The complaint) was a vile and malicious lie, absolute nonsense.
“The event was supposed to be a happy family day to make memories and have fun.
“My heart is actually broken for not just me, but for all involved, by the horrific actions from a member of the public trying so hard to bring me and Freya’s Wish down.
“I tried so hard to go ahead but basically due to regulations which I wasn’t aware of, because I was charging for tickets, I would have required a licence which I didn’t have.
“Perth and Kinross Council were amazing and tried to help.
“I could possibly have had buckets for donations but it just wasn’t feasible to go ahead given the outlays of so many people.”
Brooke – who held a small event at the Freya’s Wish premises instead – added: “I now have Perth and Kinross Council on my side for next year’s Freystival and I’m so grateful for all their help.
‘Freystival will be back better than ever’
“This is definitely a learning opportunity and next year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.”
Brooke says anyone who paid for a ticket to the event will be refunded, or they can choose to transfer it to next year’s festival – the details for which are still to be announced.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “We gave advice to the organiser regarding the proposed event, licensing requirements and the options open to them to run the event in a way which would not require a licence.
“It was therefore a matter for both the organiser and landowner to determine whether and how they wish to proceed.”
