Director of Highland events company devastated as it goes into liquidation
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A Highland events company, which was forced to cancel a Black Isle festival due to poor ticket sales, has gone into voluntary liquidation.
Inverness-based North Highland Events and Promotions is now in the hands of advisory firm Quantuma.
North Highland Events director Liam Christie, who has personally lost £35,000, said he was devastated.
"Personally, I am beyond distraught that this has happened," he said. "We are working hard with the team to make sure everyone gets their money back."
Two months ago, the company was forced to cancel the Isle Be Back two-day festival due to take place at the Black Isle Showground in May.
Mr Christie had planned to use the event as a fundraiser for Highland Hospice in memory of his father.
But ticket sales did not add up to make it viable and subsequently led to it being cancelled.
Mr Christie is a well known speaker on the north of Scotland dinner circuit and host at fundraising and other events including the annual Highland Business Dinner last month.
"It feels like a part of me has died at closing the business," he said.
"The business has struggled since covid kicked off.
"Basically we put so much money into it to make sure we kept running."
"I have lost about £35,000.
"We were hoping we could have found a source of funds. It was just not to be."
Mr Christie was unsure what he would do next.
"I am absolutely devastated," he said. "At this moment, it is a bit raw to know what to do."
Reflecting on the previous achievements of North Highland Events and Promotions, which was formed in 2014, he singled out staging a drive-in live music event at the Black Isle Showground in 2020.
"We were the first business in Scotland to run an outdoor event during the pandemic," he said.
A meeting in Glasgow last week agreed North Highland Events and Promotions should be wound up.
It passed a special resolution "that it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and it is advisable to wind up the same and, accordingly, that the company be wound voluntarily."
