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OVER the past few years we have detailed the troubled saga of the Highland Housing Fair, now re-named Scotland's Housing Expo.

Described as the single most important ?architecture and design event to take place in Scotland for a decade, it has been beset by avoidable own goals (choosing a protected greenfield site for a sustainable housing fair, for instance) and other factors outside its control ?(the recession).

More recently, however, it looked to be in calmer waters, with work on the 50 new "green" homes at Balvonie Braes well advanced ?and everything gearing up for the 1st August opening.

But it has now emerged that poor advance ticket sales, combined with a lack of sponsorship, have created cash flow problems and Highland Council will be asked tomorrow to guarantee a further 100,000 to ensure the bills are paid.

This may not be a major problem. Most of the 30,000 visitors organisers hope to attract will make their decision to attend on the day, or at best a few days before when they have seen the weather forecast.

If they turn up in their expected numbers the local authority's cash should not be needed.

The expo is a bold initiative which ought to tap the growing interest in energy efficient homes and green technology. However, over the coming weeks greater effort needs to be put into raising its profile across Britain so everyone knows what is happening here in Inverness.

It would be the biggest own goal of all if, after so many problems, we put on a great show which failed financially because too few people are aware it is taking place.

Either way councillors have little choice but to agree to the funding request tomorrow ?because the consequences of the event being cancelled now are too great to contemplate, both economically and in terms of the city's reputation.