Scotland’s Boat Show 2022 cancelled

Scotland’s Boat Show 2022, which was due to take place this October, has been cancelled. The decision comes after the 2021 event was also cancelled.

A post on the event’s Facebook page states: ‘Along with the rest of the country, Scotland’s Boat Show has been subject to rapidly increasing infrastructure costs, some of which have more than doubled, together with a critical shortage of boats available for sale, both new and pre-owned. Given these unfortunate circumstances we have had to take the decision to cancel Scotland’s Boat Show 2022.’

The boat show was due to take place this October at Kip Marina, Inverclyde. According to the post, the team is looking into the possibility of holding a smaller alternative event at Kip Marina if possible and will update the public in due course.

Potential exhibitors and visitors alike responded with disappointment at the cancellation of the boat show, with several in support of a smaller event. More than 13,000 visitors attended the 2019 edition of Scotland’s Boat Show.

The team behind the event said it was the right decision to make the announcement now ‘rather than risk a postponement later with a potentially damaging financial impact to our exhibitors.’

“Despite the huge effort already made by our team in preparing Scotland’s Boat Show again this year, we believe this to be the sensible course of action given the present circumstances, and one that our partners and exhibitors understand,” says Holt Leisure managing director Gavin McDonagh. “In the meantime we would like to thank everyone for being so supportive of the show and all those who put so much in to creating the event.”

Holt Leisure Group operates three marinas in Scotland – Kip Marina and Fairlie Quay on the Clyde estuary, and Craobh Marina located north of the Sound of Jura.

The 2021 edition of the show was cancelled following the uncertainty at the time surrounding the ongoing restrictions imposed upon large scale events due to the Coronavirus pandemic.