Aberdeen FC to sue over Elton John’s Pittodrie gig
Club claims they’re owed £36,000
Published:
ABERDEEN FC bosses are suing a company after they were forced to re-lay the Pittodrie pitch following a Sir Elton John concert.
The turf was damaged by spilled oil and heavy equipment needed for the gig.
The organisers had said the cost of replacing the pitch would be covered by insurance. But the bill – believed to be around £36,000 – has yet to be paid, five years after the sell-out event.
Aberdeen Football Club has lodged a case against the concert promoter, Marshall Arts Limited, of London.
The club was represented by solicitors Paul & Williamson’s but the firm declined to comment and referred calls to Aberdeen FC.
A spokesman for Aberdeen Football Club said they could not comment on the case because legal proceedings had begun. It was understood Aberdeen FC bosses launched the civil action after the concert promoter failed to stump up for the cost of the pitch repairs ahead of the 2004/05 season. A spokesman for Marshall Arts Ltd said he was not aware of the legal case and could not comment.
The massive gig attracted around 26,000 concert-goers to the stadium in June 2004. But sections of the turf were left badly damaged by heavy equipment.
An oil spill from one of the vehicles used to erect scaffolding, lights and similar gear also affected the pitch.
An Aberdeen FC spokesman said at the time the club had been assured the bill would be covered by the promoter’s insurance.
He said before agreeing to the concert the club had made sure insurance was in place, should such a problem happen, insisting this was standard practice for any sporting venue hosting a large concert.
The main problem he believed had been “compaction” of the ground – crushing.
He said: “Only certain areas were damaged but under UEFA regulations the whole pitch must be re-laid.”
Specialist flooring was used to cover the grass but problems happened after heavy rain for two days before the event.
The oil damage was said to have been caused by a piece of heavy plant equipment with a platform on a hydraulic lifting arm.
The day after the pitch repairs began, a spokeswoman for the concert promoter told the Evening Express the cost of the work would be covered by insurance.
