Free pictures on behalf of West Dunbartonshire council. 2019 Loch Lomond Highland games at the Moss O’ Balloch. A record number of visitors turned out to watch the popular annual Loch Lomond Highland Games at Balloch today. More than 9,000 visitors attended the event, in Moss OÕBalloch Park, for a range of traditional highland game competitions including cycling, running, hammer throwing and heavy weights and the traditional tossing of the caber and tug-of-war. Dancers entertained the crowds by performing traditional highland dances with their immaculate costumes and perfect hair, and spectators enjoyed music from Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun and Tulliallan pipes and drums. The popular games welcomed visitors from as far afield as Germany and Canada who travelled to Scotland to enjoy the traditional Scottish games and was broadcasted to millions of viewers in China watching Chinese travel programme ÔZhuÕs life in BritainÕ. Aynsley Gouck, Assistant Director of Niagra Highland Dance Academy, said ÒWe are over from Ontario Canada and we are attending four Highland Games during our visit. We love Balloch itÕs a beautiful area of Scotland and weÕve been looking forward to our visit. The Highland Dancing competition is very well organised and the girls are very honoured to be dancing in Scotland.Ó German friends Tina and Arthur Helbig and Kirsten and Volber Rademacher, said: ÒWe are in Scotland for 10 days and although weÕre not staying in Balloch we couldnÕt miss this event. ItÕs a great to see all the smart girls in their beautiful Highland dress and hear the pipe band. We are very excited to be here today.Ó West Dunbartonshire Council leader Jonathan McColl, said: “This yearÕs event was a fantastic day and helped by the wonderful weather. Well done to all the competitors for putting on a great show and thanks to the spectators for encouraging the athletes and putting on a great show. ItÕs always lovely to meet visitors who have travelled around the world to attend this great event. I am proud of our Scottish heritage and the Games are a great way for tourists and visitors to get a true taste of Scotland. Well done to the GamesÕ committee, West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and West Dunbartonshire Council on organising yet another hugely successful event.Ó The Chieftain of the Loch Lomond Highland Games, Major James Macrae said: “I am delighted with this yearÕs event which has been a great success and has been very well attended. WeÕve been really fortunate with the weather the last two years and we are grateful to the thousands who came along, which is great testament to everyone involved in organising the Games. Over the years, the games have attracted contestants and spectators from home and abroad every year and I would like to thank everyone who played their part in making this yearÕs games a huge success. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank our contestants and sponsors, in particular West Dunbartonshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, for their continued support.” For a full round up of results please visit Loch Lomond High Games website at
http://www.llhgb.com Copyright photo by Paul Chappells, 07774730898
http://www.paulphoto.co.uk
Tourism is huge around Loch Lomondside and keeping staff is important.
By Lucy Ashton
LibDem MP Wendy Chamberlain and a cross-party group of 76 MPs and Peers have called on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until March 2022, to protect jobs in the aviation, travel, and tourism sectors.
The call from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation, follows figures released by the Office for National Statistics that showed that 57% of passenger air transport employees remain on furlough alongside 51% for travel agency and tour operator activities.
In a joint letter to the UK Government, MPs and Peers warn that with a lost summer season coming on top of the worst fifteen months in the history of UK aviation, without the continuing support of the CJRS the risk of significant redundancies will become a stark and devastating reality.
The Lib Dem MP said: “Since last March, our aviation, travel and tourism industries have been amongst the worst affected by the pandemic with passenger numbers falling to historically low levels leading to devastating impacts which are being felt across the tourism sector in Fife and the whole of the UK.
“The sudden withdrawal of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will come as a devastating blow to the industry and will inevitably lead to even further job losses. We need to support our local businesses that rely on inbound tourism, such as whisky producers and the many businesses that provide services for visiting golfers, which will not be able to fully recover until travel and tourism can return to normal levels.
“I urge the Chancellor to listen to this cross-party call and continue to protect aviation, travel and tourism jobs and to support these industries through the challenging months ahead.”
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Thought two votes SNP and Nicola Sturgeon was going to sort the recovery.
And here we have a piece saying that Sturgeon has no part in the fiscal policy of supporting the Scottish tourism industry.
Ah, we are but peasants on our own land and led by a windbag who says says one thing and delivers not what she says.
Like failing education, terrible covid results, a huge NHS backlog, and now no ability to help tourism recover, at least our FM can focus on transexual issues.
Whoohee the Wee Pretender.