Deficit grows for Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland

Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.

1. Rising inflation and higher interest rates led the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) to report a widening annual deficit. The charity said the Royal Highland Show of 2023 was one of the most successful in history, with more than 217,000 attendees and £900,000 pledged in sponsorship. The RHASS said its total income grew 5 per cent across the year to £11.5 million.

However, spending rose by 25 per cent to almost £15.3 million, leading to a net operating deficit of close to £3.6 million, compared to £1.2 million in 2022. Alan Laidlaw, the chief executive, said it had been a challenging year but the