T in the Park organisers need to work with local politicians to ensure the festival’s hiatus is not permanent, MP Pete Wishart has said.
The Perth and North Perthshire politician said DF Concert’s announcement that they would be taking a break in 2017 was “seriously bad news for the Perthshire economy”.
Mr Wishart said: “This is seriously bad news for the Perthshire economy and for music fans across Scotland. The annual T in the Park festival was the highlight of the live music calendar for me and for many music fans across Scotland.
“I do not think that the loss to local businesses should be underestimated in any way. The most recent estimates suggest that the festival has contributed £2.7 million yearly to the Perthshire economy.
“I fully understand and appreciate the difficulties that the organisers have faced since the move to Strathallan and I think it is important that local politicians from all parties, the local authority and the organisers all work together to do what we can to see the festival return to Perthshire in the very near future.”
His thoughts were echoed by Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP Roseanna Cunningham, who said the decision to take a hiatus was “understandable”.
She said: “T in the Park has had a long and successful association with Perthshire which has resulted in a music festival which was enjoyed by huge numbers of people and which brought many benefits to the local economy.
“It has been clear, however, that for a variety of reasons, the event in recent years has not been delivering the quality of experience that local people, festival-goers or those involved with the organisation had hoped.
“The decision to take a break is an understandable one but I hope that a way can be found to recapture the early spirit and success of what was a fantastic and pioneering event.”
The RSPB also said the decision to move from Strathallan was “disappointing.
The charity’s head of planning, Aedán Smith, said: “RSPB Scotland worked hard to help ensure that the event could go ahead in 2015 and 2016, while minimising the impacts the festival would have on the wildlife that the site had been home to for many years.
“The fact that the osprey nest that had been on the site for a number of years was able to continue to be successful, and fledge chicks, illustrates how nature and development can often successfully coexist where there is a willingness on all sides to carry out activities responsibly.
“However, it has become clear that there are a wide range of other challenges to running the huge event that T in the Park has become at the Strathallan site. We hope these can be resolved and look forward to working with DF concerts and T in the Park in future wherever opportunities arise.”
A spokeswoman for Perth and Kinross Council, said: “T in the Park was one of the first major events to recognise the potential the Perth and Kinross area has as a venue for big events.
“While it is disappointing that there won’t be ‘T’ in 2017, we look forward to carrying on our positive relationship with the festival organisers as they plan for the future.
“In the meantime we will focus our attention on working with the organisers of other events who are keen to grow the audiences they bring to the area, and to build upon our own successful seasonal events programme.”
