Big Weekend’s £3.7m value to local economy

The BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend music festival held at Camperdown Park in Dundee generated £3.7million for the local economy, it was revealed today.

An evaluation of the event identified a huge range of economic and social benefits, from boosting the city’s image and civic pride to creating rewarding opportunities for volunteers.

The Big Weekend was held at Camperdown Park from May 26-28, with star names taking part including Lewis Capaldi, Jonas Brothers, The 1975, Niall Horan and Wet Leg.

The event was organised by the BBC and Dundee City Council, with support from EventScotland and other partners.

Key findings from the evaluation, carried out by James Law Research Associates, include:

• The festival attracted 33,652 visitors to Dundee, generating over 10,000 bed nights and resulting in a £1.5million boost for the accommodation sector;
• Visitors also spent an estimated £1.8million in Dundee, while residents’ event spending took the total economic impact to £3.7million;
• Feedback from the festival was very positive, with net satisfaction overall recorded at 94%;
• The majority of attendees indicated that Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee has changed their impression of the city positively;
• Local residents described feeling “proud” of Dundee, and 74% agreed they felt more positive about the city than they used to; 
• Media coverage was extensive, including millions of people watching on the BBC’s live and catch-up channels.

Dundee City Council leader, Councillor John Alexander, said: “The Big Weekend was an absolutely fantastic experience for everyone who attended and Dundee really put on a show to remember.

“As this evaluation clearly demonstrates, the event has brought significant benefits to Dundee and the surrounding area as a whole.

“It’s particularly heartening to read comments from people surveyed about Dundee being a warm and friendly city, about how much it has changed for the better, and of course about their intentions to come back for a visit.

“The Big Weekend has given us a chance to show people from across the UK and beyond what us locals already know – that it’s a great place to live, work, study or visit.”

BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend was the biggest event of its kind ever held in Dundee. Over 81,000 people attended over three days.

Attendees praised the overall quality of the festival, the ticket price value for money, site cleanliness and information about the event.

Dundee City Council’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Convener, Councillor Steven Rome, said: “Putting on an event of this scale was a huge undertaking.

“This report shows the investment of time, effort and resources has paid off many times over – not just in the memories made and the experiences enjoyed, but also in terms of the millions of pounds generated for the local economy.

“There was a real buzz around the town over the weekend, with shops, restaurants, bars and hotels enjoying a boost.

“Events are a key part of our visitor strategy, which was worth more than £284million to the Dundee economy last year and contributes to our shared vision for a strong, smart and sustainable local economy with jobs and opportunities for all.”

Comments from attendees gathered by the researchers included:

• “DCC did a cracking job with even the artists giving you guys a shout out. It was great to see an event of this scale and calibre in Dundee and you could tell the audience really appreciated it”;
• “The people were really friendly. Friendly faces that made visitors feel really welcome...big well done!”;
• “Attending the event made me feel proud to be from Dundee."

Aled Haydn Jones, head of BBC Radio 1, said: “We’re very grateful to everyone in Dundee for all your help in putting on one of the best Big Weekends ever.

“A big thank you to Dundee City Council, all the artists who performed, all the fantastic local businesses and staff, and most of all, everyone who attended or listened on Radio 1!”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director Events, said: “EventScotland was proud to support Dundee City Council to host this year’s BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend at Camperdown Park with the city showcasing why Scotland is the perfect stage for world-class events.  

“Events play an important role in our communities, allowing us all to connect, enjoy and share memorable experiences while also bringing social and economic benefits to the host region as demonstrated by the evaluation report. 

“Congratulations to Dundee and the BBC for delivering a fantastic event that has provided such positive impacts for both the audience and the wider community.”

The full evaluation report is available for download.

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