Nicola MacdonaldT in the Park organiser DF Concerts has announced that the 2017 edition of the festival will not be taking place, due in part to the ‘mammoth’ move to Strathallan Castle in 2015.
The festival, which began in 1994, was forced to move from its original site in Balado, Kinross after a ‘prolonged fight’ with local authorities, the organiser said.
Over its 23-year history, the Scottish festival has seen performances from global stars such as Blur, Oasis, Eminem, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, The Killers, Rihanna and Beyoncé.
The move to Strathallan Castle in 2015 was plagued with difficulties, with the festival running into major traffic issues, conflict with local residents and issues around planning permission due to a protected osprey’s nest.
Below is the full statement issued by DF Concerts and founding partner Tennent’s Lager:
“To the best audience in the world,
For over 23 years, T in the Park has been at the heart of Scotland’s music scene – with you, by our side. But for now, sadly, we need to take a break.
We launched T in the Park with one aim: to give Scottish music fans an unforgettable weekend with their friends enjoying the best acts from around the globe. And to say we achieved this together is an understatement. T in the Park has become one of the best known, biggest and most loved festivals in the world. When we launched back in 1994 there were only two music festivals in the UK – now there are many and T in the Park paved the way for all that have come and gone in Scotland since. We created more than just a festival; we created a family and decades of wonderful memories.
However, the last couple of years have had their challenges. Against our will, and despite a prolonged fight, we were forced to move from Balado, Kinross in 2015. This move was a mammoth task for the event and one that was compounded by a series of onerous site restrictions placed upon us as preparations for the event in 2015 took place.
As the build up to the festival was well underway we were informed by Scottish Government Ministers that we would have to apply for full planning permission due to the presence of an unregistered, but protected in law, osprey’s nest. The constraints – logistically and financially – that the resulting planning conditions put upon us are simply not workable.
We tried our best to work with the pressures placed upon the site by bringing in an additional team and fixing the first year traffic issues, but ultimately we’re not in control of the overall site layout and the continued restrictions means that the negative impact on our fans and the limitations placed on their experience is too great. We now need to take stock and take a year out to try to resolve the issues so that we can once again deliver the kind of camping festival you are used to and deserve.
Until the next time…
T in the Park”
DF Concerts also released a thank you video to fans: