JLS all set to 'have a blast' in Dingwall!
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ROSS-SHIRE is gearing up for the biggest event the county town has ever staged.
Organisers are predicting a last-minute rush for tickets for the JLS/Olly Murs gig which will herald the arrival of Ross County FC's Victoria Park as the Highlands' newest concert venue.
The pop idols, thrust to stardom on the back of successful X-Factor appearances on TV, will be the star attractions at the Saturday evening open air concert.
Work is now underway to transform it for the show - and to protect the hallowed turf by laying special flooring.
The club is expecting a last minute rush for the final tickets as people take advantage of the good weather.
"The great thing about this concert is that everybody is up close and personal," said club chairman Roy MacGregor. "If you are in the stands, you are still very, very close, you won’t be far away from JLS and Olly Murs anywhere in the ground."
It’s also a huge day for the town. The Dingwall Business Association is hosting an afternoon of family fun with live music, stalls and children’s entertainment on the High Street throughout the afternoon.
An Armed Forces parade will take place through the town at lunchtime.
Liz Doogan Hobbs, whose company, Liz Hobbs Group, is producing the concert, specialises in staging music events at sporting venues such as race courses and football clubs.
"Artists love performing to fans at new venues and JLS are no exception," she explained. "The normal tour route is London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, so they like towns they’ve never been to before."
"The boys are really looking forward to it. They’ve said, ‘We’re going to have a blast when we get to the Highlands’."
She said concert goers are not only helping to make Victoria Park Stadium a viable music venue, they’re also ensuring a healthy future for the Staggies.
"It takes three to five years to establish yourself as a music venue so to be getting JLS and Olly Murs for the first gig is fantastic," said Liz. "We’d love to know what bands people would like here in the future as we’re already planning 2012 with the club."
"People have been asking about how best to travel to the concert," said Ross County’s chairman Roy MacGregor. "The club has been working alongside local transport providers and parking facilities to develop additional services that will hopefully help to reduce the worry of congestion and parking and make everyone’s day even more enjoyable."
The club has partnered with Stagecoach to offer frequent bus transport to and from the concert. The special bus timetable will shuttle fans between Inverness, Invergordon, Alness, Evanton and Dingwall.
A park and ride will open from 2pm onwards on July 2 at the Auction Mart, Dingwall. This will be a "securely parked service" with a charge of £5 in place on the day.
A ‘JLS Express’ train has been organised to transport fans from Inverness at 14.39 and will return after the event from Dingwall at 22.54. The length of the train has been extended for the event - but it is recommended that tickets are purchased in advance to avoid disappointment.
Tickets, travel and parking information are available from the club’s website: www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk/jls or by telephone on 01349 860 860
Gates to the concert will open at 5pm.
Bus Service:
A special service 927 will leave Inverness bus station on Saturday from 15.00, running every 15 minutes until 1845, and then return from 22.15 every 10 minutes until 23.35.
Service 925 will depart Invergordon at 15.00 (then Alness 15.10, Evanton 15.20) running every 30 minutes until 18.30 and then returning from 22.15 every 15 minutes until 2330.
The buses will drop off and pick up passengers on Tulloch Street in Dingwall.
Fares on the bus routes will match the current single and return fares on the local bus routes:
Inverness - Dingwall £4.50 return
Invergordon – Dingwall £5.50 return
Alness –Dingwall £5.50 return
Evanton – Dingwall £3.90 return
Going to the show? Look out for full coverage in words and pictures in next week's Ross-shire Journal. Share your thoughts on the big day by emailing us at editor@rsjournal.co.uk
