The Aberdeen Gin Festival will be postponed until early next year as Storm Arwen continues to torment the region.
Organisers, Scottish Gin Festivals, announced that they had been unable to contact Ardoe House Hotel, the festival venue, since the storm on Friday.
With the festival due to take place less than one week away on December 4, they have decided to postpone until early next year.
The decision was made in advance to ensure that all ticket holders and stakeholders could be contacted before travelling to Aberdeen for the event.
The festival will now take place at the Aberdeen Science Centre on January 15.
Power cut at Ardoe House
In an email sent to ticket holders, Scottish Gin Festivals explained that Ardoe House Hotel had suffered damages during Storm Arwen.
They said: “Unfortunately the venue we had booked for the event, Ardoe House has borne the brunt of the storm and we are up till now unable to make contact with them as their power and phone lines are down.
“This coupled with the continued issues caused by Arwen, we feel it is in everyone’s best interest to postpone the event until January next year.”
In a post on Facebook, Ardoe House Hotel announced that their power had been restored on Tuesday afternoon.
They said: “As we open the doors on our advent calendars tomorrow, we will also be reopening the doors here at Ardoe House Hotel & Spa!
“Our power is back and the team are busy behind the scenes getting everything ready for you, so pop in tomorrow and say hello!”
Even though the Aberdeen Gin Festival will not take place there this weekend, the hotel will be open to guests.
Keeping festival goers safe
Scottish Gin Festivals said that the safety of their festival lovers was at the heart of their decision to postpone the event.
“SGF would like to send our well wishes to all who have been negatively affected by Storm Arwen,” they said.
“We hope you and yours are safe and sound and getting through the aftermath.”
Many who were planning on attending the festival contacted the company to voice their concerns about people travelling to the event.
Scottish Gin Festivals thanked those who did this: “Thank you to the many ticket holders who have reached out to us with their concerns with regards to travel and highlighted the problems they are facing and wish them well.
“We have listened and we promise to bring you an extra special event in January.”
All tickets that were purchased for December’s festival will roll over to next year’s date.