Plug pulled on Ullapool Book Festival; Wester Ross literary event latest to fall victim to COVID-19 uncertainty
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AN eagerly anticipated Wester Ross book festival is the latest event to fall victim to the coronavirus.
The sixteenth Ullapool Book Festival was to have been staged in the Wester Ross village between May 8 and 10.
But organisers this weekend took the decision to shut it down amid growing uncertainty over COVID-19 which has become a fast-developing story since first being detected in Scotland.
The first case officially registered in the Highlands was announced yesterday though many believe the true figure to be considerably higher.
sllapool Book Festival held a committee meeting on Saturday and said later that it was "with sore hearts" it had decided that "in light of the spread of coronavirus to take the very hard
decision to cancel the festival".
That as the situation is constantly changing it was felt best to act now rather than wait until nearer the festival.
Joan Michael, festival chairwoman, said: “We are devastated at having to do this but the safety of our writers, musicians and chairs, the audience members, UBF volunteers
and indeed our community really has to take precedence. But we will be back in 2021 – our 16th festival has just been postponed for a year.”
The festival’s honorary president, author, poet and playwright Chris Dolan added “We will miss it badly – we’ve been looking forward to May 8 for months. But these are strange days and the committee has taken a considered and timely decision. In the meantime I only hope that all our UBF friends stay safe and that this upsetting time will eventually come to a close. We’ll get through it by buying and reading all the excellent books by the UBF 2020 writers!”
Refunds are being organised for those who had bought early bird tickets.
In the last two days, scores of events have been cancelled, amongst them the vast majority of sporting fixtures including Scottish Premiership football and matches right down to school level.
Related: First coronavirus case registered in the Highlands
Ullapool Book Festival passes snapped up within hours
Ross County issue statement on Scottish football being cancelled
