The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
No last dance for music festival
Event cancelled
An annual dance music festival at Cairngorm has become the latest victim of the problems affecting the snow sports centre’s funicular railway.
Organisers said yesterday they had decided not to run Groove CairnGorm, due to take place in February, citing uncertainty over the mountain railway’s operation as a major reason.
It is the latest blow to the local economy since owners Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) announced the funicular had been taken out of service while concerns over track support structures are investigated.
At the weekend it emerged centre operators CairnGorm Mountain (CML) had, without HIE’s knowledge, decided not to open its ski school this season, leaving dozens of instructors out of winter work. CML has also told catering workers they will not be needed while the train is out of action.
Groove CairnGorm, which has taken place at the ski centre and Badaguish Outdoor Centre for the past two years, announced it would be taking a “year off ” in 2019, but hoped to return the following year.
Organiser Dougie Brown said: “There are a number of reasons why we have decided to have a year off, but the uncertainty over the funicular has played a large part.”
The growing crisis at Cairngorm will be discussed by HIE board members for the first time today at a meeting in Inverness.
HIE, which owns Cairngorm Estate, including the ski area and its facilities, first flagged problems with the mountain railway on October 1, announcing it would be closed for “several weeks”. The investigation results are expected in early December.
Although HIE said it was working with CML to “deliver the best possible skier experience without the funicular”, chief executive Charlotte Wright has slammed the company over its decision not to run the ski school in the 2018-19 season.
Ms Wright said: “HIE was not consulted on this announcement, and we do not support the course of action that CML has chosen.
“At a time of considerable uncertainty, this will undoubtedly have caused further distress to local businesses and the wider community.
“We have made our position clear to CML and are discussing the issue with the company as a matter of the utmost urgency.”
Last night Ewan Kearney, chief operating officer at CML’s parent company, Natural Retreats, said the decision was “not taken lightly” and extended the firm’s thanks to ski school staff for their “hard work and commitment”.