Perth and Kinross Council has highlighted the global spin-off of the royal visit to Perthshire as a council chief claimed its cost was “publicity which money simply could not buy.”
New figures revealed by the local authority show that they spent £46,000 on the visit by the Earl and Countess of Strathearn to Crieff on May 29 and also £27,000 on “supporting” St Johnstone before and after their historic Scottish Cup win over Tayside rivals Dundee United.
on Wednesday, councillors will hear how these two events featured on international TV broadcasts and also took over the front pages of many newspapers in the UK.
A full council meeting at the chambers in High Street, Perth, will hear details in a report on how preparations are under way for the biggest sporting event to be held in Perthshire the Ryder Cup 2014 along with the Junior Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. Information will also be provided on the financial backing of the royal visit and St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup success.
Councillor Ian Miller, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said he felt the funding of both these events was worth it.
“On what other occasion would an area feature on the pages of everything from Hello magazine to the front page of the Guardian?” he said.
“Royal watchers from around the world saw the Earl and Countess visit Strathearn Campus and MacRosty Park in Crieff, taste whisky at Glenturret Distillery and speak to local food producers at a farmers’ market in Forteviot that is publicity which money simply could not buy.”
He continued: “Even (newspaper) readers who prefer the back pages to the front were reading about Perth and Kinross this year as St Johnstone celebrated a historic Scottish Cup win on their very first time of trying.
“Each of these events has benefited local businesses in real terms as they attracted people into the area, and they have raised the profile of Perth and Kinross significantly and this is even before we’ve had the events we knew were going to happen this year.
“Now we need to take advantage of the successes of the first six months of this year, and make the planned celebrations and legacy for our communities from the upcoming Queen’s Baton Relay and the 2014 Ryder Cup and Junior Ryder Cup even bigger and better,” added Mr Miller.
The council report sets out the ways in which events in the remainder of this year will be marked, and how each one is being planned and managed to promote Perth and Kinross as a leisure, tourism and business destination, and to ensure that local communities are encouraged and supported to take part.
Councillors will also hear details of the planning for the Queen’s Baton Relay when it visits Perth and Kinross on July 4 and 5, with the largest event scheduled to take place in Perth itself.
A range of street activities have been organised for July 4 in the Fair City, followed by a free open-air concert and celebration on the North Inch in the evening, featuring former Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates.