A beach launch for boating on River Tay

Perth is to be given a beach-like atmosphere this weekend as city bosses seek to make better use of the River Tay for events.

Parts of the city centre will be transformed with a seaside programme of family fun on Sunday.

And, in a long-mooted plan to increase the number of boats and vessels navigating the Tay, free trips are being provided from Tay Street.

The events are part of the Boating on the Tay launch which will open the door to summer sailings on the river.

Around £700,000 has been pumped into providing pontoons opposite the Fergusson Gallery and at Willowgate to welcome boating and other water craft groups to Perth and the edge of the city, with a water taxi scheme something considered for the future.

Boating on the Tay is the latest stage of a project between Perth and Kinross Council and the Tay and Earn Trust, aiming to tap into the city’s key waterway in a similar way to how many rivers are used across the UK and Europe.

The official launch day will see a beach created in Perth city centre, free boat trips on the river, activities such as kayaking, aqua zorbing, and stand up paddle boarding at Willowgate Activity Centre, Stockgreen Lodge, Kinfauns, from 10am and free fun in the city running from noon until 7pm.

Provost Dennis Melloy said: “The River Tay is a fantastic asset for the city but it is a massively under-used resource.

“The programme of boat trips between July and October offers a great opportunity for tourists and residents to view the city from a different perspective.”

David Clarke, chairman of the Tay and Earn Trust, said: “The River Tay is an important and unique asset for Perth city and developing the infrastructure along the Inner Tay to improve access and attract visitors to the area is vital.”