10,000 more invited for T in 2012

Dec 9 2011 by Greg Christison, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

CAPACITY at next year’s T in the Park will be increased by 10,000 in an attempt to attract music’s elite, it was agreed yesterday.

The fast-tracked bid submitted by organisers DF Concerts was rushed through by Perth and Kinross Council officials after the firm’s boss Geoff Ellis explained it was becoming increasingly difficult to fill the festival’s Friday night bill.

Recently reformed Manchester band, The Stone Roses, are the only confirmed act for next year’s T, but names such as The Killers, Snow Patrol and Katy Perry have been linked.

The raising of the Friday night limit, from 75,000, will see 85,000 revellers descend on the Balado site, near Kinross, on each day of the July 6-8 weekend.

And the decision, taken by the local authority’s licensing committee, was music to the ears of Mr Ellis.

Speaking after the critical meeting, he told the PA: “We are delighted. This makes the booking process a lot easier for us. People want to play T in the Park because of the passion and legendary atmosphere.

“But they go, ‘Wait a minute, there’s ten thousand less people on the Friday, I’d rather do the Saturday or the Sunday.

“Everyone wants to play in front of 85,000, but there aren’t a lot of headliners out there.

Ellis explained to committee members that Scotland’s largest music event was under increased pressure from European festivals organised on the same weekend as T.

He pointed out top Portuguese and Spanish music events, as well as Sonisphere at Knebworth, are now competing with T for the industry’s leading names.

He continued: “It wouldn’t be T in the Park if we didn’t have exciting headliners, but it’s getting tougher to get big bands.

“I will try and tie up some more acts this side of Christmas. There will probably be an announcement on the headliners early in the new year.”

Requesting a consultation period was cut short in an effort to quickly pass their application, DF Concerts’ plans were criticised by three concerned Kinross-shire figureheads in eleventh-hour letters penned to the council.

Independent, Councillor Mike Barnacle, described a “clear opposition” to the proposed increase on the grounds of an increase in traffic on a working day and increased noise.

He also highlighted the short time-scale for the decision to be discussed and a lack of consultation.

David West, vice chair of Kinross Community Council, rejected the plans for similar reasons whilst labelling the consultation phase “inadequate”.

Supporting the community council in her correspondence, “concerned” Councillor Kathleen Baird added: “This is fast becoming a three-day festival.”

In response, agent, Keith McNamara, speaking on behalf of DF Concerts, informed members that the level of noise would not rise significantly and an extra 10,000 people would mean an additional 1500-1800 vehicles on nearby roads, which he described as “a fairly moderate increase”.

Noting no objections from seven multi-agency working groups involved in the organisation of T, the committee approved the application after Councillor Heather Stewart failed to drum up support for her motion to reject the bid.