Winter Festival made city cool £1.8 million
Lights draw a crowd of 80,000
Perth and Kinross Council said this year’s Winter Festival generated a whopping £1.8m and drew in 117,000 people to the city centre.
Councillors are set to discuss a report on the event at tomorrow’s (Wednesday) environment and infrastructure committee meeting.
The council said it spent £339,050 on the festival, including £176,203 on the Christmas lights switch-on.
It is estimated the number of visitors to Perth on the day of the Christmas light event was 80,000.
It is thought of the 117,000 estimated total visitors, around four per cent stayed overnight.
The Winter Festival began with Hallowe’en celebrations and included the Christmas lights switch-on, Festive Feast, St Andrew’s Day celebrations, churches lantern and Nativity parade, Santa Run and Riverside Lights Nights.
The report said the local authority contacted 26 local businesses for feedback and 100 per cent felt that the promotion encouraged people to stay longer in the city and they would be in favour of a similar promotion.
80 per cent of businesses had customers mention using the free parking initiative launched for the first time this year.
Council car parks became free to use at weekends in December to encourage people to visit the city centre. In previous years, free parking was offered on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
Despite this promotion, the council made almost £8000 more from off-street parking charges in December 2017 than it did in the previous year.
Committee convener Angus Forbes said: “The Winter Festival has helped to put Perth on the map for the quality of the events it can offer and the excellent retail, food and drink and accommodation provision available on our doorstep.
“The latest impact assessment for 2017 highlights the continued growth of the festival and the economic benefit it brings into the area, with the Perth Light Nights adding additional appeal for people of all ages from across the country to come to the Fair City.
“In planning for 2018/19 there are a range of factors for us to consider and close revellers turned out in force for the Christmas light switch on consultation and discussion with elected members and the business community will be a vital element to move that process forward.
“We want to programme an effective and extensive array of events and entertainments that contribute both economically and culturally to the city region.”