Residents of an Inverness-shire village have hit out at plans for their local shinty pitch to be used as festival staff accommodation.
Belladrum returns to the north later this month, with three days of music from the likes of Travis, Bastille, Peat and Diesel, Sam Ryder and Sigrid.
Organisers plan to use Lovat Shinty Pitch at nearby Kiltarlity to house security and festival staff over the weekend.
But some residents have raised concerns after last year.
One resident said she called the police over “bad behaviour, drunkenness and rubbish” that was left at the site after the festival. There were also claims one elderly one was so scared by the disturbance she “barricaded” herself in her home.
A petition was even launched afterwards and presented to the organisers, with locals saying they did not want a repeat.
Belladrum festival staff will be staying at the shinty pitch
Petition organiser Jane Fraser told The P&J today that, to date, she has had no reply to the concerns raised in the petition.
So she said she was shocked when she received a letter this week from the shinty club telling residents of Balgate Drive that the pitch would be used again this year.
The club issued a letter to residents of Balgate Drive to say that after consideration it had been agreed to allow Kilimanjaro Live Events, who run Belladrum to use the pitch again this year.
Miss Fraser is is disappointed their complaints appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
She said: “The noise up and down the street with buses coming and going was terrible. had to phone the police.
“We are not against the festival, we have managed with it for 15 years, but there are new organisers, so it is no longer Joe Gibbs that we can go to for help when things go wrong.
“They don’t care.”
She said last year neighbours were not informed that there would be people sleeping at the shinty club, until two coachloads of security guards were shipped in.
Petition was sent to the organisers
Miss Fraser added: “After last year we organised a petition and sent it to them, but since then we have not heard anything.
“All we want is the same as the people who live at Belladrum get. They get eight tickets for the festival per house. We have to put up with all of this and we get nothing, we are expected to have days of disruption and not be compensated, it is not good enough.
“I love the festival, but I don’t like feeling I am getting trampled over as if I don’t matter.”
Another woman, who did not want to be named, said: “The children can’t even play outside as there are so many cars and people coming and going at all hours.
“We just don’t feel like we have any say in the matter.”
A letter put out by Lovat Shinty Club said: “As the whole village benefits from the festival therefore we thought it would be correct decision to allow them to use the facility.
“Staff will be arriving at the park on July 26 and leaving on July 29.
“The club has asked Belladrum to ensure that their staff keep any noise or disruption to a minimum and be respectful of the local resident.”
The club declined to comment further.
Kilimanjaro Live Events has been asked to comment.
