By Dave Lord

DESPITE SIGNIFICANTLY increased ticket sales, this year’s T In The Park festival will be as safe as ever, Perth and Kinross Council has stressed.

Councillors welcomed the local authority’s continued association with Scotland’s top music festival, held for the last nine years at Balado near Kinross.

Meanwhile, festival organiser Geoff Ellis has said Perth and Kinross is a “natural home” for the flagship event.

Following a recent review of conditions it was agreed that the number of festival goers would increase by 7000 tickets per day, taking the maximum number of ticket holders to a record-breaking 69,000 per day.

“There have also been alterations to the size and layout of the festival site,” said a council spokesman.

“The council is content with the growth of the event, subject to a matching increase in appropriate amenities and services for festival goers.”

After taking part in a special meeting organised to brief members of the Perth and Kinross Licensing Board, convener Alan Grant said he was looking forward to the event.

“Over the years the council has gained considerable experience and knowledge on the regulation and organisation of such a large event, as T In The Park is,” he said.

“This is strongly reflected in the substantial conditions that apply to the event which have had input from all the agencies involved.

“From a licensing perspective we are satisfied that the increase in size for this year’s T In The Park is well within safe capacity for the site,” Mr Grant continued.

“I look forward to another successful festival this year—I understand it has already completely sold out—and hope our association with T In The Park will continue in the future.”

Mr Ellis is happy to work alongside Perth and Kinross council.

“Last year T In The Park won the UK Festivals award for best facilities and organisation, which is testament to the fantastic working relationship the T In The Park multi-agency working group has enjoyed for a number of years now,” he said.

“Balado has always felt like T In The Park’s natural home and we are delighted we can work with the council to develop the site to allow more fans to enjoy some of the biggest bands from across the music spectrum.”