Inverness club search for new home

AN appeal has been by Inverness Petanque Club for help in sourcing a new venue with the relevant facilities in order to keep attracting national and international competitions to the Highland Capital.

The club previously had a piste at Fairways, which also provided catering and use of their toilets, but a plan to extend their current building means the club are now on the hunt for a similar set-up somewhere else in the city.

They have been told by High Life Highland that they can use the piste that was originally constructed for them at Bught Park and the plan for members is to train on this until the season ends in August.

With doubts about the suitability of the site that they played on for nearly three years, Inverness Petanque Club treasurer Gordon Scott is trying to source alternative options, especially if they come with the other amenities they require close by.

"We had been at Fairways for 11 years and it was the ideal place for us," said Scott, who is also a past chairman of the city club.

"It had everything we wanted — a piste, catering facilities and toilets, while nearby there was accomodation for people when they visited us to play in tournaments.

"Playing at Bught Park, where the surface is not the most desirable, will not allow us to host national and international events, "This is not just disappointing for the club. The city as a whole faces missing out because anywhere between 70 and 100 people would play in these competitions.

"The piste at Bught Park simply isn’t big enough for any competition and you need to be playing in these if you are to improve your game.

"We have looked around to see if there is anything else available in Inverness that would meet our needs, but if there is anyone local who feels they have an area big enough which may be suitable then we would be delighted to talk to them."

Meanwhile, club members Gordon Scott, Pat Scott, John Mudd and Christine Mudd have been celebrating a significant triumph after victory at the Celtic Challenge in Northern Ireland last month.

The quartet were part of the Scottish team that successfully defended the trophy at Pickie Petanque Club, Bangor.