ONE of Scotland's biggest air shows has been cancelled following a row between the organisers and the council over funding.
Organisers said they had "no choice" but to pull the plug on the Scottish International Airshow, an event that was expected to draw a crowd of over 100,000 to Low Green in Ayr next year.
The organisers said that the have had to cancel all the aircraft and displays booked for September's event.
It came after councillors at a specially convened summit last week agreed to rip up their £250,000 contract to back this year's show.
Also cancelled are hundreds of hotel rooms and dozens of sub-contractors who, they said brought "significiant economic and tourism benefits" to Ayrshire.
They said they will be contacting everyone who has bought pitches or tickets and arranging refunds.
Since 2014, the Scottish International Air Show has been bringing spectacular flight displays which has included the world-famous Red Arrows.
A promo for the 2016 Airshow.
It has has been held in Ayrshire since the closure of the Leuchars Airshow in 2013, attracting 160,000 visitors over two days from as far afield as Hawaii, Australia and across Europe, as well as the UK.
The decision to cancel follows a public row over a payment of £80,000 by South Ayrshire Council (SAC) to the Airshow.
The authority said it was made in error but Airshow organisers insist it was an advance on the council’s £250,000 grant support.
The organisers said: "South Ayrshire Council have withdrawn the funding and 'in kind' support of the 2020 Scottish International Airshow in Ayr. We have no choiced but to cancel...
"We asked to meet with SAC leaders numerous times to talk about the dispute with the Airshow. They would not meet with us.
"We asked that we attend the meeting of the councillors last week to explain what has happened and why the Airshow could still go ahead. They refused to talk to us and held their meeting in private."
In a statement the council said a failure to refund that £80,0000 was a breach of a funding agreement and it had "no choice" other than to terminate its contract with the event organisers.
"South Ayrshire Council do not run the Scottish International Airshow, we simply provide grant funding under an agreement with the organisers," the council said.
Flashback to the Airshow's early years.
In a Twitter statement, the council raised questions about where the £80,000 had gone.
But Danny Anderson and Doug Maclean, directors of The Airshow (Scotland) Ltd, which is behind the event deny any breaches and claimed the council would not neither go to litigation or go to arbitration over the dispute.
"The final option was to cancel the funding and withdraw support for the Airshow, in effect cancelling the Airshow. That was the choice of South Ayrshire Council," the company said.
"For the council to say that there was no other option than to cancel the Airshow funding is untrue. This was a choice made by South Ayrshire Council."
It added: "We also feel a duty to do the best we can for the people of South Ayrshire and Scotland. That is why we created The Scottish International Airshow in the first place.
READ MORE: Red Arrows wow the Ayrshire crowds at the Scottish International Airshow
"SAC suggested and agreed £250,000 to part fund TSIA 2020. It was their desire to have the biggest Airshow ever run in Scotland and all of this grant would go towards the cost of running TSIA 2020, which could cost over £500,000 to stage.
"The three-day Airshow was projected to bring in at least £3 million to the local economy, and potentially up to £6m depending on weather and other factors.
"We are very sad that TSIA 2020 will not be held in Ayr and do not see the need for acrimonious press statements. It is very regrettable that this dispute has been played out in public on social media, damaging the reputation of the event, the organisers and the council.
"Can we say thank you to the hundreds of thousands of you who have supported the event over the years, whether by attending, paying for car parking, buying a programme, being part of the enthusiasts and photographers packages or just sharing your wonderful photos and experiences with us.
The Airshow's 2017 promo.
"We hope that we’ve inspired a next generation of pilots, engineers and aviation enthusiasts and given you all great family memories.
"We are proud of the achievements of our marvellous small team and volunteers and to put our names to this statement. We hope to see you somewhere in the future."
There was no Airshow in 2019, but the organisers said the 2020 edition would be the "biggest yet" with three days of action. It was indicated that the Airshow could be looking for an alternative venue in 2021 in conjunction with Fife Council.
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