The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Summer shines on area’s coffers with £9m boost
Sell-out events have brought throngs of people to Perthshire
A scorching summer of sell-out events has netted £9 million for Perth and Kinross, analysts have revealed. The 2018 heatwave helped deliver a massive boost to the local economy, with record crowds flocking to family favourites such as the Scottish Game Fair and Rewind Festival. Big name shows, including the Noel Gallagher-headlined BBC’s Biggest Weekend at Scone Palace, brought in the bumper revenues over the last three months. Number crunchers at Perth and Kinross Council have been monitoring each event and assessing its success, based on extra footfall and amount of overnight stays. The summer holiday programme was brought to a close yesterday with a spectacular procession through the streets of Perth, while thousands attended the historic Highland Gathering in Crieff.
The key challenges for the future are attracting new events of scale, sustaining current events, and meeting visitor needs
An action-packed summer of blockbuster events has netted millions of pounds for Perth and Kinross. Former Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher helped kickstart the region’s sun-kissed season in May with a headline set at the BBC’s Biggest Weekend Festival in the grounds of Scone Palace. It was one of several key events that helped to plough nearly £9 million into the local economy. Council officers have been analysing the success of this year’s big shows. They have calculated that among the main attractions, the Scottish Game Fair brought in £2.5m to the area, while ’80s extravaganza Rewind boosted the economy by £1.6m. Figures for the Biggest Weekend have yet to be revealed by the BBC, but it is expected to be around £2.5m. Meanwhile, the Etape Caledonia cycle event made about £1m for the Highland Perthshire patch, and the dramatic weekend of medieval combat at Scone is thought to have generated a similar amount. The totals are based on the amount of extra footfall brought to the area, as well as the boost to hotels, restaurants and shops. The busy summer follows the success of Perth’s burgeoning Winter Festival, which made about £1.8m and attracted 117,000 people to the city. The new Riverside Nights event, featuring after-dark illuminations along the Norie-Miller Trail, has emerged as another feather in the region’s cap, attracting a net additional economic impact of nearly £120,000. Stephen Brannigan, head of house opening at Scone Palace, said: “This summer’s exceptional weather has given Scone Palace a fantastic opportunity to showcase our five-star visitor attraction to guests from both home and abroad.” Conservative councillor Angus Forbes said: “While we look forward to welcoming major events like the Solheim Cup in 2019, the key challenges for the future are attracting new events of scale, sustaining current events, and meeting visitor needs in terms of accommodation and associated services during busy periods.”