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MusicInverness – Inverness Chamber Music Society – made 'virtually insolvent' by high cost of accessing Inverness Town House


By Val Sweeney

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Gordon Adam outside Inverness Town House. Picture: James Mackenzie
Gordon Adam outside Inverness Town House. Picture: James Mackenzie

MusicInverness – the working name of Inverness Chamber Music Society – also says it often feels regarded as an interloper in the building which is owned by the Inverness Common Good Fund.

It has written to members of Highland Council’s Inverness area committee urging them to commission a business case on improving public access to the building, which it says is one of the most expensive venues for its size in Scotland, and suggesting it could become a visitor attraction.

Chairman Gordon Adam, who is also a former councillor for the Black Isle, said the society had brought national and international chamber musicians to perform in the town house over the past 25 years.

“Right now, we are almost certainly having to break our link with this magnificent music venue because of years of frustration with Highland Council management,” he said.

“It is not simply because the costs are unreasonably high, it’s also that the civic officers generally fail to see welcoming members of the public into the town house or responding to any issues that crop up as part of their work.

“We often feel regarded as interlopers in a council facility.”

The society programmed its Springfest series of recitals in the town house believing it would cost £60 for the hall and £30 for a civic officer per hour.

But it was charged £170 per hour, an 89 per cent increase, which had rendered MusicInverness virtually insolvent.

“We are told that it is not within the powers of officers to show flexibility – despite the fact we were not informed in advance of this charge increase – and that [Highland Council’s] Inverness committee has to make the decision,” Mr Adam said.

He said he and other councillors had previously suggested transforming the town house into a more accessible public venue and also make a profit for the Common Good Fund.

They included affordable rental costs for charitable and commercial users and allowing other organisations, such as Eden Court, to use it as a performing space and developing it as a visitor attraction including guided tours.

But Mr Adam said he had found no appetite from the council to investigate these proposals seriously, despite the fact it could make money.

A council spokeswoman said: “We fully reject any allegation that our staff within the town house have not given every assistance to the highest professional standard to MusicInverness.

“Every other organisation who uses the town house has nothing but compliments for the high professional standard applied by our town house team.

“Going forward we are looking at ways to allow more expanded use of the town house and plan to discuss the option further with the Provost, on the potential to extend public access to the town house, particularly as a venue for the arts.”


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