Festival boss Geoff Ellis has threatened to take his business elsewhere if Glasgow City Council pushes ahead with an outdoor entertainment tax.

Council leaders voted to introduce a new concert ticket levy to balance the toll taken by big events on city parks.

But DF Concerts chief executive Mr Ellis claims he will turn his back on Glasgow if the levy goes ahead – and claims the city is on a “cliff edge”.

He said: “Quite simply we are now accelerating towards the cliff edge in terms of outdoor events in this city.

“It is of concern to me, and should be to everyone involved in tourism and culture in Glasgow, that promoters and other event organisers will now be encouraged to start events in other cities knowing that our ability to attract strong artistic talent to Glasgow is compromised by hundreds of thousands of pounds per event. I now have to decide whether to lead or follow in that respect and it is the business challenge that I now face. 

“My objection to this tax is that of a fully-fledged business member of Glasgow’s culture and tourism community.

“I have some difficult decisions to make about the outdoor events that I run in Glasgow, which last year saw over a quarter of a million people attend, many of whom came from outside of the city, generating an economic impact in excess of £10 million.”

The new ticket levy would see up to £2.50 added to the price of a ticket at an outdoor event, such as TRNSMT on Glasgow Green.

Last year there were complaints from residents who lost access to the city green space as TRNSMT was followed by a Bruno Mars gig, closing the area to the public for more than a month.

Kelvingrove Park is also used for events, such as last year’s Summer Sessions – which drew similar complaints from nearby residents.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “The feedback we have received from the public is that they welcome large scale events in the city and appreciate the cultural vibrancy that they bring. The public has also told us how much they value our green spaces and how they would like to see a more direct connection between the events we host and income being invested back into
our parks. 

“The environmental levy is about striking an appropriate balance between supporting our green spaces and using parks to host large events. 
“Some of this fund will be ring- fenced for a participatory budgeting pilot to give our Friends of Parks Forum an opportunity to have a say in how this levy is spent in parks across the city.”

But Mr Ellis warned he would take his business to other cities if he had to.

He added: “Stirling and Dundee are very keen for us to make use of their assets and the rental prices they’re offering us are far less than Glasgow. If you’re an event organiser you’re going to go to these places ahead of Glasgow.

“As long as they put this tax in place, Glasgow’s going to suffer and it will be to the benefit of other cities. It’s well-meaning, but ill-conceived and short sighted of the council to introduce a tax of £2.50 on anyone attending an event with a commercial aspect in the city’s parks, including free events across the city. Substantial environmental maintenance sums are already paid by promoters and event organisers to use greenfield spaces in Glasgow as part of other operational costs including policing, medical services, cleaning, stewarding, welfare, staging and power.

“I think the council aren’t as aware of the knock-on impact as they should be. This tax will mean there are fewer events in Glasgow, and fewer people visiting the city, which will hit nightclubs, bars, shops, restaurants and hotels.”

TRNSMT will return to Glasgow Green this year from July 12-14. The three-day festival will include performances from Snow Patrol, Jess Glynee and Richard Ashcroft.