T in the Park 2018 return ‘not looking likely’, organisers say

THE T in the Park music festival is “not looking likely” to return next year, its organiser has said.

Geoff Ellis said no decision has been taken on the long-term future of the festival and that they are focusing on their other events such as TRNSMT.

The three-day non-camping festival, held in Glasgow last weekend, was created after it was announced T In The Park was to “take a break” this year as organisers look to resolve issues around its recent move to a new site at the Strathallan Castle estate in Perth and Kinross.

Organisers DF Concerts & Events said more than 120,000 people attended TRNSMT, which featured headline performances from Radiohead, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro.

Festival chiefs have already announced TRNSMT will return next year, with tickets going on sale on July 14, but no decisions have yet been taken about the older festival.

Mr Ellis told BBC Radio Scotland’s Kaye Adams programme: “We’ve not formulated any decisions on the future of T in the Park – it’s still too early.

“We want to focus on TRNSMT, the Glasgow Summer Sessions and all the other concerts we’ve got. As soon as we are ready to make decisions and let people know about the future, we’ll tell people.

“The planning constraints are just so complex and costly at Strathallan that we’re just not in a position to say ‘yes, we’ll continue’.

“I’ve always said a major camping festival and something like TRNSMT can co-exist, and they definitely can because they are two different types of event. There are two different needs in the market.”

He added: “We want to come back with a camping event but it’s not looking likely for 2018, I think that’s fair to say, and as to what format it will take in the future, we’ve not decided upon that yet.”

The first version of T in the Park was held at Strathclyde Park in North Lanarkshire in 1994, moving to Balado in Perth and Kinross in 1997.

It moved to the Strathallan Castle estate in 2015 after it was forced to move from Balado, but the move was hit by a battle for planning permission and major transport congestion.

Mr Ellis said TRNSMT can co-exist with a camping festival as they attract different audiences.

He told the BBC: “There are definitely two tribes now – there’s people who like guitar music and people who like EDM music among the under-25s.

“So, when we come back with a camping event it probably won’t feature EDM and it’ll probably be pitched at an older market.”