A new report has revealed what visitors thought about Dundee during Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
More than 80,000 people visited Camperdown Park over the last weekend in May to see acts like Lewis Capaldi, The 1975 and the Jonas Brothers.
The new report says the event was worth £3.7 million to the city’s economy.
It also shows the results of a survey on what people thought of the city, including 33,000 people who came from outwith Dundee.
About a quarter of revellers came from DD6-DD11 postcode areas, 65% were from other parts of Scotland and one in 10 came from elsewhere in the UK – with less than 1% from overseas.
Big Weekend Dundee survey: What went well?
More than 3,500 people who took part in a survey about the Big Weekend praised:
- Ticket price value for money
- Sound quality
- Being made to feel welcome
- Helpfulness of vounteers
- Overall quality of the event
- Attitude of security staff
- Entry to the event including queues
Each scored more than 8.5 out of 10.
Overall, 94% of fans were said to have been satisfied with the experience.
What could have been done better at Big Weekend Dundee?
According to those taking part in the survey, areas for improvement included:
- Exit procedures and transportation – described as “chaotic and unsafe” by some
- Food and drink prices – considered “unaffordable to many”, an issue already highlighted in The Courier’s 5 key takeaways article
- Toilets and cleanliness – “long queues, unclean facilities and lack of bins” identified by revellers
- Line-up and performance scheduling – many felt there was a lack of variety and that stage times and locations in the venue were not made clear enough
- Security and crowd management – some reported aggressive behaviour and drunk people causing problems
What did visitors say about Dundee?
Just over half of people (51%) who took the survey said their impression of Dundee had improved.
Of those visiting Dundee from other parts of Scotland:
- 98% said it was great to see Dundee host the event
- 87% said the city was represented well
- 84% felt Dundee was a friendly city
Feedback from attendees who lived elsewhere in the UK showed:
- 98% had a quality time with friends and family
- 83% said Dundee was a friendly city
- 63% felt more positive towards Dundee than they used to
Words visitors most commonly used to describe Dundee included vibrant, safe, exciting, inclusive and cool – though a small number described it as old-fashioned (11% of UK attendees) and dull (10%).
Fans planning to return to Dundee after Big Weekend
One fan who spoke to the Big Weekend report, Emily from Beith in the west of Scotland, said: “I’d never been to Dundee before so I didn’t really know what to expect.
“I’d definitely like to come back for a visit.
“I’m born and raised just outside Glasgow and have never had the opportunity to visit Dundee before and I thought it was great.”
Anthony, from Falkirk, said: “Dundee has always been a city I pass through going to and from work and not a place I had spent a significant amount of time in.
“Collectively, as a family, we were all in agreement that we would be visiting the city more in the future with our other children as well.
“The event brought a lot of attention to the city and showcased the modern city with a lot of historical features to the audience of many, would not be surprised by this having a huge impact on tourism going forward.”
Conversation