Festival bosses told: Buck up your act or T in the Park’s toast
A SCATHING report on l ast year’s t in the Park festival has warned the plug will be pulled unless dramatic improvements are guaranteed.
the Perth and Kinross Council dossier detailed chronic traffic problems and a catalogue of management blunders which resulted in the 2015 event being the most complained about in almost 20 years.
traffic snarl-ups caused huge delays and forced hundreds of festival-goers to wander dark roads to pick-up points.
‘Basic’ requirements such as briefing stewards and installing signs were not met, planning conditions were breached and the finalised traffic management plan was not submitted until July 8, the day before the festival started.
t in the Park moved to strathallan Castle in Perthshire last year after safety concerns at its former home in Balado, Kinross-shire, forced organisers to find a new venue.
But Perth and Kinross Council environment service director Barbara Renton said confidence in organiser DF Concerts
‘The relationship will be recalibrated’
had been ‘diminished’ by the 2015 experience. she warned future festivals would not go ahead in the council area without proof there would be no repeat of the mayhem.
Miss Renton said: ‘the relationship with DF Concerts will have to be recalibrated, with considerably more prescription and scrutiny for any future event.
‘DF Concerts needs to demonstrate it can deliver the event successfully whilst adhering to all the planning conditions.’
she recommended failure to comply with planning conditions should result in a temporary stop notice ‘irrespective of the impact on the delivery of the event’.
Miss Renton added: ‘It will also be necessary to explicitly reemphasise to organisers that their failure to provide comprehensive plans timeously – and meet planning conditions – will create a risk that the event will not be allowed to proceed.
‘there will be a greater need for much more detailed plans on security, stewarding and a revised transport management plan, with an offsite park- and- ride facility for day-ticket holders strongly recommended.’
she called for ‘tighter monitoring of the organisers’ and said it should be clear the event could be formally suspended if terms are not met.
DF Concerts last night accepted the council’s verdict. A spokesman said: ‘We have worked with Perth and Kinross Council for the last 20 years to deliver t in the Park. We’re incredibly disappointed that, for the first time, we did not achieve the high standards of event management and customer service we have set for ourselves, which the council and our customers have, quite rightly, come to expect.
‘We note all points of Perth and Kinross Council’s report as published and remain focused on implementing key changes for 2016. We will not be disappoint- ing ourselves, Perth and Kinross Council, the local community and especially our fans in 2016. In truth, we look forward to being able to demonstrate that.’
Last week, DF Concerts parted ways with its 2015 traffic management firm and appointed two former police officers to oversee transport and security at this year’s t in the Park, which will be headlined by the stone Roses.
the spokesman said: ‘these are just the first examples of the important changes Perth and Kinross Council and our valued audience can expect for 2016.’