Inverness cricket club hit for six over plans to evict it from Northern Meeting Park
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Shocked members of the Northern Counties Cricket Club were alerted this week to relocation proposals
Council officers say the relocation would enable more money-making events to be held at the venue which has hosted concerts by bands such as Madness, the Kaiser Chiefs, Simple Minds and The Pretenders.
The idea for the club to enter ground-sharing arrangements with Highland Cricket Club, based at Fraser Park, was put forward as part of a plan after concerns were raised earlier this year at the amount spent from the public purse on staging the Red Hot Highland Fling.
The Hogmanay event, which attracts up to 12,000 spectators, costs about £120,000 to stage and generates an estimated £350,000 or more for the local economy.
A report discussed by Inverness councillors this week suggested the park, which is owned by Highland Council and managed by High Life Highland, could bring in more money to offset the costs – especially at a time when the festivals and events budget is being reduced.
Members of the Northern Counties club, which has operated from the Northern Meeting Park for 150 years, met council representatives on Wednesday – just hours before the council meeting was due to take place – to discuss the report.
Afterwards, club committee member Jon Ford felt there had been progress.
“There were some frank and constructive discussions and some enlightenment on both sides,” he said.
“As far as the cricket is concerned, there is a chink of hope.”
He felt officials had acknowledged a ground share would not be practical.
In the longer term, the Love This Park group – of which Mr Ford is a member – would pursue plans to transfer ownership of the park to a community-run group, with the aim of making greater use of the field and buildings.
A trial opening of the park to the public proved successful last year.
“We would be a registered charity and would have access to funding for the buildings which the council doesn’t,” he said. “We have the same idea as the council in that we want to see the park used more.
“If the community owned it, the council would not have a problem with the Hogmanay party.”
The report presented to councillors on behalf of a working group said there was no evidence of commercial sponsorship being available for the Red Hot Highland Fling.
It also ruled out the introduction of an admission charge as it could not predict what if any additional income or spending would be generated.
