Bid for Black Isle showground country music drive-in aims to cure coronavirus blues
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A BLACK Isle-based promoter who took a temporary job as a supermarket delivery driver during the coronavirus pandemic has unveiled ambitious plans for a trailblazing first at one of Ross-shire's best-known venues.
Liam Christie, director at North Highland Events and Promotions, saw his successful business dry up overnight when the lockdown saw the plug pulled on large gatherings of people as part of restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of the virus.
Scores of annual events, ranging from Highland games to the Belladrum music festival to the Black Isle Show, are amongst the high-profile casualties of the global pandemic which has wreaked havoc on the live entertainment industry.
Mr Christie has revealed plans for a drive-in country music concert – planned, ironically, for the Mannsfield Showground which hosts the now-cancelled Black Isle Show.
The country music buff, who has become a familiar face to people the length and breadth of the county through his current delivery driver day job with Tesco, has put a string of successful events which include the Hooley in the Highlands at Strathpeffer Pavilion. Along with his wife, Lorraine, he took that event online this year, raising £1200 for the Highland Food Bank and securing an online audience of around 20,000 from around the world.
The drive-in country show planned for Sunday, August 2 will feature Keltic Storm, Owen Mac and Steven Smyth, and be staged observing strict social distancing guidelines.
He said: "We hope that the entertainment licence application submitted will be approved once the detailed guidelines from Scottish Government are released for outdoor gatherings."
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