Pioneering Outsider festival falls victim to continuing credit crunch

Organisers reveal their disappointment at poor ticket sales

By jane candlish

Published:

Organisers of a Highland music festival last night announced its shock cancellation, blaming the recession and poor ticket sales.

Unique Events said the Outsider Festival, due to be held at Rothiemurchus Estate, near Aviemore, would not go ahead on June 27 and 28.

The event, which celebrated the outdoors, was scheduled to return this year after its postponement due to lack of funding in 2008.

This year’s festival was to have included headline performances by Scottish singer Sharleen Spiteri and rock band The Futureheads.

The programme was also set to include mountain bike and running races, along with intellectual debate, film and comedy.

In a statement, Pete Irvine, managing director of Unique Events, said: “Due to the unremitting economic downturn and audience numbers now projected, we feel that we cannot produce an event that provides a festival experience at the level that is expected and deserved.

“Clearly a recession is not the time to realise this bold new concept, but we still believe the Outsider was right for its time and perfect for its place, and are hugely disappointed that it is not going ahead.”

He apologised to those who had bought tickets and said they would receive a full refund.

Earlier this year tickets were slashed to just £50 for the weekend, a move billed as “recession-busting” by the organisers.

It also got a £20,000 grant from the Highland 2007 legacy programme.

The inaugural festival in 2007 was one of the flagship events of Highland 2007.

About 9,000 people attended despite rain which turned the fields into quagmires.

KT Tunstall and Crowded House were among the acts.

Aviemore Business Association spokesman Jon- athan Gatenby said he was “shocked” at the news.

“It is really sad that the Outsider has had to be cancelled this year. It will have a big impact on the businesses in the area.

“We hope that a similar event could grow in its place and possibly start with a less ambitious line-up and grow organically.”