Electric Fields could return to Dumfries and Galloway
- Published
Hundreds of acts performed over the three days of the festival in 2018
The organiser of Electric Fields wants the music festival to return to southern Scotland.
The festival is taking place at the SWG3 venue in Glasgow in July after a five-year stint at Drumlanrig Castle near Thornhill.
Organiser Nick Roberts blamed the rising costs of outdoor festivals for the surprise switch.
But Mr Roberts said he "would love" for the event to return to Dumfries and Galloway.
Asked on BBC Radio Scotland if he would like Electric Fields to return to the area next year, he said "totally".
He continued: "We would love to continue doing stuff there, it is in our blood, it is where we are from. It is really important to us.
"You don't spend five years building something to then go, ok cool let's take it away."
Dumfries and Galloway Council has described the venue switch as an economic blow to the region
Ticket-holders for the event, which takes place between 4 and 6 July, were initially offered a partial refund but after an outcry on social media, organisers issued an apology and admitted: "We got that wrong".
Mr Roberts said the refund issue had been handled in a "hammy" way by his team and admitted, "we could have communicated it better" but said full refunds were never in doubt.
'Not a easy decision'
In a statement posted online, external, Electric Fields had blamed "ongoing logistical and transport challenges" for the move to Glasgow.
Mr Roberts said the venue switch had not been an "not a easy decision to make".
He continued: "We have put everything into it over the last five years to make it a successful festival.
"This year has been tough, I wish it was as easy that you set your budget in September and everything stays that way.
"It is a really fluid thing putting on a festival and it just got to the point where there was various costs coming in that made it a decision where you can't sit back and bury your head in the sand."
More than 8,000 fans saw Noel Gallagher in action last year
It was estimated that last year's Electric Fields generated £1.5m for the local economy in southern Scotland.
More than 8,000 watched the Friday night headliner - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - in a new attendance record for the festival.
Metronomy, The Vaccines, Sleaford Mods and Frank Turner are among the acts due to take part in this year's event