Summer return for festivals
Large-scale events are set to get a green light to return in Scotland this summer.
The Scottish Government revealed it is working on a plan to bring back “major events” in the summer as long as infection rates are kept down.
Details on crowd numbers and safety measures are expected to be published shortly.
Large-scale events are set to be allowed to go ahead in Scotland this summer.
The Scottish Government has revealed that it is working on a plan to help bring back “major events” in the summer months as long as infection rates are kept down.
Details on crowd numbers and safety measures for event organisers are expected to be published shortly to allow festivals and other cultural and sporting events to go ahead.
The Scottish Government’s current route map out of lockdown only allows for the resumption of “small-scale” indoor and outdoor events from May 17 , although these are yet to be defined.
However there has been huge pressure on the government from event organisers and promoters to ensure that Scotland is not left lagging behind England as the vaccination programme is rolled out.
It emerged today that the Belladrum festival near Inverness has been called off for the second year in a row, with organisers stating: “There are still too many uncertainties surrounding potential restrictions that may be in place.”
Guidance for organisers of events in England states that indoor and outdoor venues can reopen from the same date with audiences of up to 10,000, depending on capacity, with all social distancing restrictions hoped to be lifted by the end of June.
The latest announcement from the Scottish Government will raise hopes that the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow will be saved.
Last month organisers of the event, where Liam Gallagher, Lewis Capaldi, the Courteeners, Ian Brown, Twin Atlantic, Snow Patrol and Amy Macdonald are all due to appear, called for the government to make a decision on the event within weeks.
The government decision to give major events the green light in principle also significantly increases the chances of major events like the Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe and the Tattoo going ahead in August.
Van Morrison, Primal Scream, Suzanne Vega, King Creosote, Belinda Carlisle, Altered Images and Edwyn Collins are due to appear at Kelvingrove Bandstand in Glasgow, while Sir Tom Jones, Travis, DMA’S, Michael Kiwanuka, Lionel Richie and Simple Minds have shows lined up at Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and culture secretary Fiona Hyslop have been warned by an official events industry taskforce that festivals, concerts and conferences could be relocated to England unless the Scottish Government published guidelines similar to those set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In new guidance for festival and event organisers, the Scottish Government states: “We are working with Event Scotland to support some of Scotland’s major events to return over summer subject to epidemiological conditions.”
Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “I know how important events are to businesses, our culture and wellbeing. Details on spectator numbers and safeguards will be announced soon.” The latest Scottish Government guidance states: “We are working with the UK Governmentto align our approach and guidance where possible and on the basis of evidence.”