Glasgow's Lord Provost’s Burns Supper is to be scrapped for the second year running.

The showpiece event, which raises tens of thousands of pounds for local charities, has been cancelled for January 2020 due to a lack of interest.

The decision comes in the wake of the departure of former Provost Eva Bolander, amid a row over her expenses. Last year Ms Bolander announced that the event would now take place only every two years - but it appears it may not now take place again, as our sister title The Herald reports.

The council is currently preparing to appoint a new Lord Provost but whoever is chosen is not expected to be in place until mid-January. 

READ MORE: Lord Provost apologises to Glasgow after stepping down over expenses row

However the Herald understands that it was the fact that only 14 out of 56 tables had so far been sold that led officials to pull the plug.

Paul Carey, Labour councillor for Anniesland and Drumchapel, said this was a 'poor excuse' and said a decision should not have been taken until a new Provost was appointed, or alternatively, a decision should have been taken with the involvement of the Deputy Lord Provost Bailie Philip Braat. 

"We were told last year the event was only going to take place every two years, and that was outrageous," he said.

"This event raises a lot of money for goodwill charities and many of them depend on it."

He said it was embarrassing that last year Ms Bolander had cancelled the Glasgow event then flown out to take part in a Burns Supper in Germany. 

"It made us look pretty foolish that she had to fly thousands of miles to another country to celebrate Burns and we couldn't do it in our own country."

READ MORE:  Lord Provost Eva Bolander to quit over expenses row

"This should be a political decision, not one made by council officers. I think there will be a backlash from the public.

"We should wait until Glasgow has a new Lord Provost and it will be up to him or her to decide." 

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “The Lord Provost’s Charity Burns Supper 2020 has been cancelled due to lack of interest.

"Unfortunately numbers have been dwindling steadily in recent years so the decision was taken to cancel the event due to be held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel on Friday 24 January 2020. Next year’s event was proving financially unviable to run.

"A decision will be taken on future events at a later stage.”