Ullapool's Loopallu music festival to be held in 2018 By Steven McKenzie

BBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter Published duration 15 November 2017

image copyright Steven Gourlay Photography Ltd image caption Loopallu's blue tent at Ullapool pier earlier this year in an image taken by Steven Gourlay

Scotland's Loopallu music festival is to be held next year after organisers' earlier concerns that this year's event would be the last one.

They had thought an increased demand for visitor accommodation in Ullapool had made it harder for festival-goers to attend the event.

But many Loopallu's regular festival-goers have been calling for the event to continue on.

The organisers said Loopallu will be held so long as there was an audience.

Preparations have begun for the staging of the festival on 28 and 29 September next year.

'Genuinely humbled'

image caption Loopallu marked its 13th year this September

Loopallu's Robert Hicks said: "During this year's event festival goers told me that regardless of whether Loopallu continued or not, their accommodation for 2018 was booked so they would be making their annual journey to Ullapool.

"The levels of affection for Loopallu were highlighted this year as everyone shared stories of the number of years they have attended, the friends, future husbands and wives and festival family they have met.

"We are genuinely humbled, and indeed overwhelmed by what our, no, your event means to you.

"So as long as you want to keep coming, we will try and keep putting it on."

This year's acts included The View, Glasvegas, The Pigeon Detectives and Hunter and the Bear.

Crime writer Ian Rankin also gave a talk during the festival, which this year was being held for the 13th time.

In previous years, The Wonder Stuff, Twin Atlantic and Mark Radcliffe's band Galleon Blast have played at Loopallu - which is Ullapool backwards.