Big top touted to stage Highland Games as work on Bught Park continues

Councillors on the Inverness committee are considering hiring a big top as one of the options to stage this year’s Highland Games because Bught Park “would be largely out of operation due to construction.”

Part of £20 million in UK government Levelling Up cash is funding the work to upgrade the sports facilities which will see the old grandstand demolished and replaced with up-to-date facilities with contractors already on site.

But that presents a problem with the staging of the Highland Games with consideration already being given to the hiring of a grandstand with a capacity of 500 people or, alternatively, a big top with a capacity of 3000.

The big top idea is considered “costly” but a grant application has been made with the result of that known in March – though it is not clear which organisation would provide the cash.

There are a number of unanswered questions about holding a Highland Games under canvas – including how some of the traditional events like tossing the caber could be staged.

The big top would also provide a ready made venue to stage a ceilidh at the close of the games but that would be determined if “the Red Hot Highland Fling was successful, this would be good publicity for a further ceilidh at the Highland Games.”

Last year councillors were told that the Highland Games at Bught Park were “delivered successfully” but the event cost a total of £122,945 and only brought in £88,876 – so it made a loss of £34,069.

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