Pressure has been mounting on the RHASS organisation to cut the multi-million pound deficit which was published in the annual accounts last week.

Following a strong attendance from members at the RHASS annual general meeting, The Scottish Farmer editor John Sleigh spoke to chief executive Alan Laidlaw.

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Q. Is RHASS confident of breaking even in their 2024 accounts?

A. Yes as a result of sound decisions taken around pricing and a strong focus on cost control which has been ongoing since before last year’s Royal Highland Show.

Q. Is RHASS going to turn a profit in the 2025 financial results?

A. We are a charity and we don’t want large profits, but what we talk about is a return to a sustainable position of surplus, while continuing our charitable work and growing our influence. The board is clear that the value and impact of the Society is in our long-term track record of promoting the sector, education, and lifelong learning and it was a conscious decision to keep doing what we are good at and to retain our long-term commitment to the Royal Highland Show.

Q. The Scottish Farmer understands some land is being sold next to the airport, where is the land and what will the cash from the sale being used for?

A. The land is next to the Moxy hotel at the airport roundabout. This was always planned as a second hotel site and we have been waiting for the market to come back to us following the pandemic and the impact of the Liz Truss budget. The majority will be used to reduce the Society’s debt, thereby reducing the cost of servicing that debt.

Q. RHASS is currently in dispute with HMRC over VAT payments, is recouping this money integral to the plans to break even in the accounts?

A. We are currently engaged in discussions with HMRC on how we treat the income from the Royal Highland Show and are waiting on a tribunal that the Yorkshire Agricultural Society have taken to support our case. The values depend on the outcome of those wider actions, but are in excess of £700,000 for the Society.