Councilors are to push for mowing the grass at the former Farmers Showfield in Nairn back into the local authority’s work program.

Grass cutting and other work on the site was announced last week to continue this year after advisers agreed to allocate a share of £ 1,470 of funds from the Covid-19 neighborhood discretionary fund. the region under construction.

However, it was also made clear that this only applied to this year as the board was unable to make a longer term commitment to ongoing maintenance as it does not own the site. .

The field is owned by the Farming Society who recently bought a new site at Househill to host their annual show.

The future of the old exhibition field is uncertain, with previous plans for it to become the base of a new supermarket having been scrapped after objections and housing plans at the far end of the field. Lodgehill Road did not continue.

Councilor Laurie Fraser said this is an important community asset.

“The council is looking at all possible opportunities to offload expenses to Nairn’s common good or to remove them from the council’s responsibility if it is not a legal obligation,” he said.

“Historically, the Farmers Showfield has been used as an open public space and apart from the football activities it is practically a public park. Lawn mowing has been done by the council for over 40 years.

Nairnshire Council Committee Chairman Tom Heggie said: “As this land does not belong to the Council, the committee recognizes that this funding is a short-term solution and that a solution needs to be found further. long term to ensure grounds maintenance, and lawn mowing at this site may continue beyond the 2021 season.

“We will discuss this issue at our next committee. “

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