Eco-charge ‘is a threat to concerts in Glasgow’
ADDING an environmental charge to music tickets poses a threat to efforts to hold concerts in Glasgow’s parks, the man behind the TRNSMT festival has warned.
Geoff Ellis, chief executive at DF Concerts, said the city council’s proposal to add a £2.50 levy could discourage people from attending events and dissuade promoters from staging them.
Mr Ellis said: “The extra charges for concerts in the Glasgow City Council budget, will ultimately have a negative impact on the city’s economy, with promoters facing increased operating costs and fans facing increasing ticket prices.
“Glasgow’s parks could become the most expensive venues in the UK to hold events.
“And with the charges seeming to apply almost exclusively to music events, ultimately it is music fans who will suffer.”
CONCERTS held in the parks of Scotland’s largest city could be put under threat if extra charges come in, the man behind the TRNSMT festival has warned.
Geoff Ellis, chief executive at DF Concerts, said Glasgow City Council’s proposal to add a £2.50 environmental levy on to tickets could backfire by deterring people from attending events and putting off promoters from staging them.
The debut TRNSMT festival at Glasgow Green two years ago contributed an estimated £10 million to the city’s economy, while the Summer Sessions – which have seen musicians including Eminem and The Killers perform in the city’s Bellahouston Park – attract tens of thousands of fans each year.
While stopping short of saying he would ever consider pulling the plug, Mr Ellis warned introducing the surcharge could see fewer events held in future and make Glasgow the most expensive place in the UK to stage them.
The plan was contained in budget proposals unveiled by the local authority earlier this week, with the aim of raising £650,000.
Mr Ellis said: “The extra charges for concerts in the Glasgow City Council budget, will ultimately have a negative impact on the city’s economy, with promoters facing increased operating costs and fans facing increasing ticket prices.
“Promoters already pay substantial sums to use greenfield spaces in Glasgow, in addition to other operational costs including environmental maintenance, policing, medical services, cleaning, stewarding, welfare, staging and power.
“Glasgow’s parks could become the most expensive venues in the UK to hold events, and with the charges seeming to apply almost exclusively to music events, ultimately it is music fans who will suffer.”
He added: “An additional ticket charge will potentially deter promoters from using Glasgow parks and deter people from attending events, all while reducing the number of visitors to the city.
“Major events generate significant economic impact for Glasgow; including spend in hotels, bars, restaurants and taxis; and additional charges such as this puts that all at risk. Some events may also see this charge as an insurmountable cost to operation, resulting in fewer events being held in the city.”
The promoter, who also organised T in the Park, called on the council to abandon its plans saying: “We don’t want to increase prices for any of our events, because ultimately it’s the fans who make them a success. I hope that the council will vote against the introduction of these charges, by considering the wider economic and societal implications they would have.”
Phil Bowdery, chairman of the Concert Promoters Association, also spoke out, saying: “The introduction of an additional charge for those attending live music events in Glasgow poses a significant threat to the provision of live music in the city.
“Glasgow is a proud Unesco City of Music, and we hope the Council will reconsider what looks to be a tax on music fans.”
Glasgow Councillor Anna Richardson said: “There is no better place for live music than Glasgow and the popularity of big events in our parks and open spaces is clear.
“To continue to hold successful events in a sustainable way, we need the consent and support of Glasgow’s citizens and that means helping everyone, from park users to neighbours, to share in the benefit.”