Red Hot Highland Fling cancellation ‘disappointing’ but hospitality bosses say alternatives are in place including the Kingsmills Hotel and a proposed street party
Reaction has been coming in to the “disappointing” news that the Red Hot Highland Fling has been cancelled this year with prominent local business people looking at the possible impacts.
It was confirmed this week that due to work being done at both the Northern Meeting Park and Bught Park and the cost of infrastructure as a result of that meant the show could not go on.
Alternatives are already in place and some are planning a street party in Inverness though it is not certain that this will go ahead as it remains extremely early days and could involve a significant amount of work.
We talked to local economist Tony Mackay to ask if he was concerned that there would be a drop in revenue for the local hospitality trade, which he said there might be but other areas could benefit.
“It is disappointing,” Mr Mackay said. “However, I live near Bught Park and know what reconstruction work is underway there and in the Northern Meeting Park.
“I doubt if it will have negative impacts on the number of tourists and local businesses such as pubs and hotels. I believe that some of the latter will stage their own events.
“I think that the main economic effect will simply be to change the geographical distribution of spending at Hogmanay.
“That might mean a fall in Inverness but increases in neighbouring towns such as Nairn and Dingwall because some people will choose to celebrate the night there.”
Tony Story, the CEO of Kingsmills Group and the co-chair of Visit Inverness Loch Ness said it was not good news and like others suggested that perhaps it was time to recognise that a rethink might be needed about the venue.
“Obviously I am disappointed, I don’t think anybody is happy about it,” Mr Story said. “The little that I have about it indicates it is largely about the refurbishment of the Northern Meeting Park so is it just on the route to going somewhere better?
“I am also co-chair of Visit Inverness Loch Ness so one of the things we are trying to do at the moment is to look at getting more businesses through conferences into the shoulder season which is proving to be more damaging than normally it is.
“We are working very closely with Eden Court Theatre, with Highland Council and the improvement there could be instrumental in unlocking something further so long as that is the genuine reason it is not going ahead. And from what I am told it will actually be going ahead next year.
“It really should be able to wash its face. A lot of these types of events are seen as economic generators as opposed to profit centres but I think that break even should always be where you are going.
He added: “We put on a Hogmanay of fun and frolics and that has been in existence for many, many years even before my time here so we should be relatively unscathed and I think it is more likely to be city centre hotels.”
Those behind some of the staging of last year’s event – Jo De Sylva and her husband the renowned musician Bruce MacGregor told STV News that they are keen to establish a street party in its place in central Inverness.
The plan as it stands would be to block off Church Street, where the pair have MacGregor’s Bar, and stage a party there.
She said: “I have spoken to some of the businesses and business organisations along Church Street, here in Inverness.We are hoping, very much hoping, that we can put something on along Church Street.
“Get the streets blocked off, and have our own Highland Hogmanay celebrations right in the centre of town involving all the local businesses, all the business organisations, and of course all the people of Inverness.”
