A call for clarity over this year’s Highland Games has been made, amid fears of another fallow year.
The Scottish Highland Games Association (SHGA), which oversees more than 60 events, decided to write-off the whole 2020 season as restrictions on public gatherings were introduced last March.
At the time is was expected there may be normality this summer but with 13 scheduled Scottish events – including the popular Cupar, Kenmore and Strathmore Highland Games – already cancelled for 2021, North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie believes those involved in the Highland Games circuit need urgent support.
Mr Rennie, who was previously the chieftain of the Cupar Highland Games, said: “The Highland Games are iconic celebrations of Scottish culture but organisers are passing the point of no return for this year and they still cannot get a clear answer.
“Without this clarity they are facing another fallow year or worse, the risk of putting together an event only for the government to pull the plug.
“These events are not put together overnight, they are labours of love, months in the making.
“So far the Scottish Government has provided no detail about their plans for travel and mass gatherings through the summer and into the autumn.
“The First Minister must ensure the organisers receive the certainty they need to plan ahead and make sure that the games that have already been cancelled are supported to return at full strength next year.”
His comments come as Ian Grieve, secretary of the SHGA, conceded that the prospects for any games going ahead this summer are “looking pretty bleak already”.
Mr Grieve added: “I’d expect to see a few more cancel in the next month, especially those due to happen in May and June.
“Later ones will maybe hang fire until April before they start committing expenditure.
“Each will have their own cut-off point.
“We just need to keep our fingers crossed that the combination of the lockdown we’ve been in and the vaccine makes things a bit more manageable.
“But it’s all very difficult for everyone at the moment.”
A statement from Strathmore Highland Games, staged at Glamis Castle, said they had “truly hoped” the cancellation of last year’s event would be a one-off situation, while organisers of Cupar said limitations on gatherings were likely to extend into the summer period while travel and tourism was unlikely to return to “anywhere near to normal conditions”.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted she could not provide any certainty for any of the country’s large-scale events this summer, with a further update on the situation expected in the middle of this month.
She added: “I hope, just like everybody else hopes, that by then we will have restored a lot of normality to life, but you know we equally have to be realistic and pragmatic.”
Cancelled 2021 Highland Games:
- Dufftown
- Inveraray
- Strathmore
- Roseneath and Clynder
- Isle of Skye
- Drumtochty
- Old Meldrum
- Kenmore
- Stonehaven
- Lochcarron
- Tomintoul
- Cupar