Inverness' 2024 Hogmanay party cancelled

Inverness' Red Hot Highland Fling Hogmanay celebration will not take place this year due to capacity issues and rising costs.

The event has been held for several years and 2023's featured an event dubbed the world's largest Hogmanay ceilidh with about 4,000 people taking part.

Highland Council said there was currently limited access to the city's Bught and Northern Meeting parks due to refurbishment work.

It said the celebration would return in 2025.

Inverness provost Glynis Sinclair said: "We have to ensure that all our community events can be delivered successfully and noting the unique circumstances posed by the redevelopment of Northern Meeting Park we have decided that we will reserve our resources for an exciting return of the much loved Red Hot Highland Fling in 2025."

Don Johnstone, chief executive of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, said many people would be disappointed by the news but the early announcement would help businesses plan ahead.

He added: "By making this decision early, it will hopefully provide local hospitality businesses the opportunity to further enhance their own offerings, which play an important part in the new year celebrations for both locals and visitors."

Work started the £5m Northern Meeting Park project in January.

Its Victorian grandstand - which dates back to 1864 - is being refurbished and a new community pavilion building will be constructed.

Bught Park's shinty facilities are being revamped in a £7m project.

The park is home to Inverness Shinty Club and is regularly used for Camanachd Cup finals, Scotland’s shinty-hurling internationals and MacTavish Cup finals.