RAF Balado Bridge there were also Fulmars, Fireflies, Martinets, Barracudas, Expeditors and a rare Fairchild Cornell FT673. Three Expeditors were all that remained in 1955. It was also used from 1946 for light aircraft and gliding until its final closure in 1957. Following decommissioning as an RAF station, part of the site served as a NATO SATCOM Satellite Ground Listening Station, which operated from 1985 to 2006. From 1997 to 2014 Balado was the home of the annual T in the Park music festival, however, due to safety concerns about an oil pipeline lying directly underneath parts of the airfield the festival was
Cheltenham Music Festival Cheltenham Music Festival The Cheltenham Music Festival is a British music festival, held annually in Cheltenham in the summer months (June, July) since 1945. The festival is renowned for premieres of contemporary music, hosting over 250 music premieres as of July 2004. John Manduell was the first Programme Director ("de facto" artistic director) of the festival, for 25 seasons from 1969 to 1994. Subsequent artistic directors of the festival have included Michael Berkeley and Martyn Brabbins. During Brabbins' tenure, the Festival Academy ensemble was established. The most recent artistic director of the festival has been Meurig Bowen, since 2007. In