WE’VE LET IT GO PAST £300K
Frozen tribute among acts hired by councils
Singers, bands and a Frozen tribute act have been paid more than £ 300,000 to appear at various council events.
The total includes more than £ 100,000 spent on Aberdeen City Counci l event s , with the vast majority going to acts appearing at the Fifty Plus Festival.
It saw £ 85,035 spent on singers, bands, sheepdog demonstrations and ceilidh dancing.
Perth and Kinross paid £ 34,900 for a package of entertainment at their Christmas lights switch-on last year. It included singer Billy Ocean, tribute band Only One Direction and a Frozen tribute show.
The council said: “The ca l cu lat ed economic impact of t he l ight s switch- on weekend, the increase in footfall over those days and beyond, and the reputation of Perth as an events destination all justify the money invested in the weekend.” Stirling Council paid TV survival expert Ray Mears £ 2616 to open last year’s fishery season.
In 2015, the Paisley Christmas light switch-on saw appearances by Ben Haenow, paid £12,000, and S Club Par ty, who got £3000 with £1554 on top of this for flights and accommodation.
A total of £8250 of this was paid through sponsorship.
Not all stars charged for their time.
Tennis superstar Andy Murray made a guest appearance at Dunblane High School for free.
Singer Emel i Sande appeared at the Al ford Campus opening event in Aberdeenshire for free.