Nairn Games facing 'single biggest change in a century' as this year’s edition set to run without Highland Council’s logistical support
The team behind a major Nairn event is facing its “single biggest change” in a century as organisers are left to their own devices by the local authority.
Last autumn the Nairn Games committee was told that Highland Council would no longer undertake the logistics support they used to provide for preparing the Nairn Links area for the hugely popular event.
This included the transport of equipment from various locations to the arena, marking out tracks for the various sporting activities on the day and clearing the space again after Games day is over, among others.
Convener of the Nairn Games since 2023, Hugh Allison, having been involved with the committee for more than four decades, explained the challenges that lie ahead.
“We first heard of the change in autumn last year, after the last Highland Games,” he said.
“It's a function which has always been undertaken by the local council since time immemorial, but due to financial constraints this year the council is not going to be able to offer the Nairn squad for this purpose as usual.
“This is the single biggest change for the Nairn Highland Games in over a century.”
To help deal with the situation, the committee requested funding support of £12,000 from the Nairn Common Good Fund, which was approved by councillors at the most recent Nairnshire area committee meeting.
“We requested the funding in order to cover the costs of manpower, transport and logistics to set up the games in August,” Mr Allison said.
“The funds which have been allocated from the Nairn Common Good Fund, will help us navigate this transition period.
“There is no doubt that this has led to a range of challenging issues for us as a committee. But we feel that with the support and the encouragement of many businesses and individuals throughout Nairnshire, we have risen to the challenge.”
The committee has also been working to secure charitable status, something it achieved in April.
This will open up new funding opportunities, and will allow sponsors, both existing and potential, to reclaim tax relief on any donations they make to the Nairn Games.
“We're trying to be as innovative as we can in order to deal with a changing backdrop,” Mr Allison said.
“Another aspect we will be improving is maximising the very generous donations made by those who attend. So we will still bring the buckets, but those who carry them will have vests and flags to make them easier to spot, as well as having a QR code for anyone who prefers to donate using their mobile devices.”
However, he said, admission to the Games will remain free – with the exception of the premium ringside seats – keeping in place a long-standing tradition for the Nairn Games.
The committee is now at a healthy 23 members and, despite the new challenges ahead, Mr Allison said there is also an element of excitement and positive challenge in adapting to the new circumstances.
“Genuinely, there's an element of excitement to it too, because we're in uncharted water and we're working really hard to think how it’s going to be,” he said.
“Who's going to do this? Who's going to do that? Who's going to do the next… Which bits can we take over ourselves in order to save a bit more budget?
“It’s about finding ways in which we can work smarter.
“Yes, it's challenging. Yes it's a huge change, but there is a genuine buzz to it as well.”
The Nairn Highland Games is one of the largest and most popular amateur Games gatherings in the north of Scotland.
First held in 1865, the Games have been a central part of the town’s summer calendar for more than 150 years, with interruptions only during the world wars and the pandemic in 2021/22.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Following discussions after last year’s Nairn Games, The Highland Council announced that it would not manage the organisational side of the Highland Games Arena this year due to resource constraints and will no longer provide logistical and organisational support of the setup of the event.
“However, it continues to manage all letting arrangements for traders and the Showman’s Guild, which provides the funfair.
“The Highland Council is working with the Nairn Games committee to develop a transition plan that will allow the games to be managed independently by the committee, like many which are independently run in Highland.
“While The Council does not have an events team dedicated to the Nairn Games, officers are working to ensure that a plan is agreed and in place for this year’s event. A review will be conducted after the games to assess the effectiveness of the new approach.”
