Belladrum festival cancelled for second year due to pandemic

One of the north’s biggest music festivals has been cancelled for a second successive year due to the pandemic.

Organisers of the Belladrum Tartan Heart event, which is held at Beauly near Inverness, have reluctantly decided to halt plans for the July extravaganza.

In a statement, they said: “After months of considered efforts, it is with deep regret that we are announcing the postponement of the 2021 festival.

“No one wants to be back in the fields at Bella more than us. However, the status of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that delivering an event we all know and love just isn’t going to be possible this year.”

They acknowledged progress with the vaccination programme which “offers signs of light at the end of the very long tunnel”.

But they decided that too many uncertainties surrounding potential restrictions made hosting this summer’s event impossible.

Organiser Dougie Brown said: “To postpone two years in a row is a tough blow and we can’t thank people enough for their support.”

All 2021 ticket holders are being offered an option to transfer tickets to the 2022 event.

The festival is set to return on July 28-30 next year.