The spectacular Highland Military Tattoo continued to hang in the balance last night after crunch talks over its future.
An emergency meeting at Fort George ended inconclusively yesterday, but there was fresh hope that the pageant will survive next year.
Board members recently revealed that poor ticket sales and a funding crisis had cast a shadow over its future.
Event organisers previously reported that they were facing a £40,000 loss in the last three years and its survival hinged on financial backers.
Speaking after lengthy board discussions at the doomed barracks, tattoo director Major General Seymour Munro said: “We had an extremely positive meeting and we’ve been extremely grateful for all the support of a number of public bodies and businesses and other organisations.
“We’ve also had positive messages from many performers and from many people who have attended the tattoo.
“We’ve decided we need further discussions between now and December 1 when we will make a announcement.
“There are a few further discussions to be held before we feel it sensible to take a final decision.”
Those talks will involve the board, local public bodies and sponsors.
The biggest tattoo outside of Edinburgh has been held at Fort George for the past three years.
Previously held at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness, it was scrapped after 60 years in 2011 due to cost-cutting measures, before being reborn in 2014.
Maj Gen Munro said the fort’s future would not affect the tattoo in the short term.
“Indeed,” he said, “we saw that we must grasp the opportunities of the military leaving the fort of devolving the tattoo in a number of ways and perhaps ensuring that there is considerable benefit to the local area by continuing to hold the tattoo.
“It’s sad that the military will be leaving the fort in a number of years time but we in the tattoo must seize the opportunities to make the best use of the fort going forward.”
Fort George remains a preferred venue.
A number of the tattoo’s directors have pledged personal guarantees against loss. However, they have also emphasised the need for a strong commitment from sponsors.
Recent funding amounted to £30,000 from the public sector, £43,000 from commercial sponsors and £33,000 in “help in kind” from other private sector backers.
