Highland Council has embarassingly postponed a grand unveiling of an ambitious new viewing platform tourist attraction at Inverness Castle until later this year.
It had previously said the project would give visitors a bird’s eye view of the city from this spring, possibly as early as Easter – which is March 27.
But the authority has conceded that the timescale is “no longer achievable.”
The suggestion was that an opening date of late summer or early autumn now appears more likely.
The £360,000 project involves opening up the North Tower complex of the castle with two public viewing platforms.
They would offer extensive views of the city and surrounding countryside, from the Great Glen to the Black Isle.
A spokeswoman for the council has told the Press and Jounral: “The spring timescale is no longer achievable as we have included the North Tower works as part of the wider environmental improvements around the castle.
“The contract has however, been awarded to Laing Traditional Masonry who are also working on the Town House.
“They will be on site next week.
“It is now looking like the contract will run until late summer or early autumn.”
The environmental works are part of a £3million advance on the promised multimillion-pound UK Government “City Deal” status which has been mooted for Inverness for many months.
They upgrading the paths and grounds of the castle, which currently serves as the city’s courts.
City Liberal Democrat councillor Thomas Prag, who served on a working group looking at the future of the site, said he felt it was possible there were difficulties with health and safety, and access to the building.
“It’s clearly very disappointing,” he said. “I know that everyone was working very hard towards getting the viewing platform up and running for the tourist season.”
The platform is the first step in opening up the castle for public use with a new museum and art gallery a possible future for the historic building.