Gathering storm over clan bash's new home

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

THE boss of Scotland's national tourism agency has sparked a row by calling for future Clan Gathering events to be held outside Edinburgh.

VisitScotland chief executive Philip Riddle said Edinburgh had benefited more than anywhere else from Homecoming Scotland events and that any future Gathering event would be better somewhere else in Scotland, or even abroad.

His comments came after new independent research today revealed that three quarters of those who visited the event at Holyrood Park in July said they would return to another Gathering if it was held within four years.

City leader Jenny Dawe hit back by saying that the event was a success in Edinburgh and should remain in the Capital.

The war of words comes amid an ongoing wrangle over losses suffered by the event's organisers, which plunged into administration.

Mr Riddle said: "The Gathering was a very successful event with great visitor numbers and great returns for us.

"Obviously I recognise that, behind the scenes, it was not so successful and we have to sort out what happened and make sure that it is viable in future.

"I am not so sure it should be tied to one location. It was obviously successful in Edinburgh but, if repeated, you would have to think about giving other parts of Scotland the chance, or even taking it abroad."

When asked whether it is likely the event would be held elsewhere given that the Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance (DEMA) is preparing to buy the rights to it, Mr Riddle said: "DEMA obviously wants the benefit for Edinburgh but you have to be broad-minded."

The Gathering made a 600,000 loss despite winning 490,500 in public grants.

New research commissioned by Homecoming Scotland shows that 98 per cent of the 47,000 spectators rated the event as either "good" or "very good", and the economic impact on Edinburgh was worth 8.8 million.

Mr Riddle said the figures – together with VisitScotland data showing visitor numbers at Edinburgh and Lothian attractions are up 3.7 per cent on last year – prove Edinburgh has benefited "more than elsewhere" from Home- coming Scotland events.

City leader Jenny Dawe said the new research on The Gathering proves that it should come back to Edinburgh.

She said: "We would certainly hope to have it again and discussions are ongoing on the feasibility of that. It is really positive if people who went to it thought it was worth it and enjoyed it to such an extent that they would go again. The suggestion that it be held abroad is just silly because the whole point of it is that you are bringing people back to Scotland."

Councillor Dawe added that it was "not a good situation" that companies are still owed money as a result of the financial problems at this year's event, but said it now "clearly needs to be run by people who know how to run such events".

In a statement, DEMA said it had "been invited to consider the potential of a future Gathering event" but said that was subject to resolution of the financial affairs of the 2009 event, "with which DEMA is not involved".