Moray MP Douglas Ross has commented on his disappointment after learning that the organisers behind the Burghead Boxing Day Swim have decided to cancel the event this year after the Council deferred discussing the licensing issue until November.
Douglas said “Despite an offer from Stephen Scott of Gleaner Oils in Elgin to pay the licence fee for this event and I know others had similarly offered to do this, the organisers have decided that they cannot rely on these generous donations from the public every year to pay any ongoing licensing of the event which will take money away from the charities who normally benefit from all of the funds raised.
“I was contacted by the Organiser and local Chef Jamie Campbell on Tuesday and advised that the organisers voted last night to reluctantly cancel this year’s event and any future events unless Moray Council have a last minute change of heart regarding the charging of a licensing fee.
“What’s disappointing is that the Council chose to defer discussing this issue until November. This means that the organisers can’t make a decision about the future of this event until one month before it’s due to go ahead.
“I’ve written to Moray Council in the strongest possible terms to ask that this matter be addressed urgently to save this iconic Moray annual event from disappearing from our calendar.
Jamie Campbell said “ As a committee, we are totally shocked and sickened that Moray Council made this decision to charge us a harbour licensing fee to hold this annual fundraising event in order to help fill their coffers. It is a sad day when an annual fundraising event, which is one of the highlights of Moray Christmas celebrations, has to be cancelled because the penny pinching Council see an opportunity to plunder the funds raised to help those in need, just to help them to balance the books.”
