Oban Hogmanay has announced the following arrangements for those people who kindly supported the street party and purchased tickets.

It is now confirmed that The Donnie Munro Band will headline a Hogmanay party along with support + Oban Pipe Band in the Corran Hall (Oban’s town hall).

Skerryvore will be playing in the Skippinish Ceilidh House, Oban on the same night along with support and Oban Pipe Band.

Tickets are will be available for both venues from Monday 21^st December from Visit Scotland in Oban.  You will be able to exchange your street party ticket for either of the alternative venues.

The new tickets will only be for only ONE venue.

If you have bought tickets and do not stay in Oban please use the form below, giving your booking details, and which venue you wish to attend. You will be contacted and arrangements for ticket exchange /collection in Oban will be issued.

Please remember that both venues have restricted capacity therefore one venue will fill before the other. Once this is the case all will be directed to the other venue or a refund issued.

The Skippinish Ceilidh House will be for over 18’s only.

The Corran Halls will allow 14 years and upwards and all 18-25’s will require photo ID.

On completing the priority requirements of the Street Party ticket holders, all tickets for the new venues will be made available for general sale.

For those who have street party tickets and do not wish attend either of the new events,

Please post your tickets for Refund to:

Oban Hogmanay Street Party Refunds
The Corran Halls
Oban
PA34 5AB

We advise the use of secure mail when returning tickets. On receipt, Oban Hogmanay will refund the customer the face value of the tickets using the same method as used to purchase them. Please also include your order details if you have them.

Oban Hogmanay apologise for any inconvenience caused.

We also understand that whilst this is not the perfect solution we hope that everyone will enjoy being in Oban for Hogmanay and wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Oban Hogmanay would especially like to thank the staff and management of The Corran Hall for facilitating this occasion.Likewise we would like to thank the management of the Skippinish Ceilidh House for their consideration and assistance.We would also like to thank the management and staff of the Visit Scotland office in Oban.

The organisers took the decision today after weighing up all the various factors. We acknowledge that this type of event relies on the majority of sales in the few weeks prior to the event and whilst we are not unfamiliar with the uphill struggle to make the event happen we have to take account all the factors. This year we are now faced with a number of external factors totally out with our control. We had hoped for a reduction in running costs from Strathclyde Police however their charge for policing the event will be the same as last year – over £4,000.

We are also very concerned that Visit Scotland recently advertised “This year escape the crowds and over priced party tickets” therefore whilst we are encouraging visitors to come to Oban for the street party the wording of the  Visit Scotland “promotion” can only be damaging to the event. To be fair to them we did receive an apology!

A major concern is that BBC Television in the form of BBC Alba have decided to come to Oban and broadcast a live Hogmanay programme at the same time as the street party. We have made considerable effort meeting with the production company hired to produce the event hopeful that if both events were linked this would enhance the whole spectacle. However to date there has been no contact from the publicly funded BBC with the community run Oban Hogmanay.

There is no doubt that the BBC are hoping to achieve maximum viewing figures by engaging national acclaimed artistes with local connections and making it very appealing to sit at home and enjoy a  Oban Hogmanay. We had booked Donnie Munro, Skerryvore, a choir, pipers and dancers therefore we feel their claim that “we are aiming at different audiences” is incorrect. We do understand their choice of Oban for Hogmanay after the success of The Royal National Mod and two very successful Oban Hogmanay Street Parties however to ignore our community event with Fireworks, Food and Funfair after months of organising we feel is shameful.

The uphill struggle we thought was achievable, however with all these external hurdles we feel our journey is virtually impossible, fraught with risk and certainly not feasible, hence our decision to cancel.

Oban Hogmanay extends apologies to all concerned. Donnie Munro and Skerryvore will be playing live in Oban on Hogmanay, details and arrangements for ticket holders will be announced shortly.

Oban Hogmanay hope that questions will be asked at the highest level in Scotland as to why organisations funded from the public purse can make decisions that can affect community events like The Oban Hogmanay Street Party.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Oban Hogmanay