Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Perthshire Amber music festival to take a break
NEXT year looks to be a bad one for music fans after another festival announced it was taking a break in 2017.
Just days after T in the Park announced it would not take place in July, Perthshire Amber announced it will also be absent from the music calendar.
Superstitious organisers claim they fear calamity if they were to push ahead with the 13th annual festival.
Perthshire Amber, which is run by folk legend Dougie MacLean and his wife Jenny, began as a two-day event at Pitlochry in 2005.
It now attracts about 10,000 visitors a year from up to 26 countries and is thought to bring in £1 million to the Perthshire economy.
Festival director Jenny said: “It’s been a wonderful journey so far for Dougie and myself and many of our family and friends through the 12 years of Perthshire Amber. Call me superstitious but I just don’t want to organise a thirteenth year.
“I have a feeling something would go terribly wrong and you can’t argue with gut instinct. We value the support and goodwill that has grown over the years from businesses who became festival sponsors and PALS (Perthshire Amber Local Supporter). So, after a break in 2017 with time to reflect and project, the festival may blaze back with renewed vigour in the autumn of 2018 or beyond.”
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart said: “I am really saddened to hear Perthshire Amber is to take a break in 2017.
“It is a first-class music festival, which has attracted fans from all over the world to Perthshire.
“I fully understand Dougie and Jenny’s decision to take a break for 2017 and I hope to see the festival back up and running in the near future.”