TEN YEARS AGO
Friday April 25, 2014
Public hearing will decide fate of Clock Lodge
Lochgilphead business owners have the opportunity to plead their case to prevent the Harbro development of the Clock Lodge from going ahead when a public hearing is held later this year.
At a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, councillors agreed to defer a decision on the development until it had heard directly from the business people who fear the development will take business away from an already struggling Lochgilphead town centre.
The planning application, submitted by Harbro, would, if agreed, see a Harbro Country Store built in the grounds of Kilmory Clock Lodge, with a new access from the A83.
The store would give Harbro larger premises than its existing outlet at Kilmory Industrial Estate and include 200sqm of retail space and 300sqm for storage.
Harbro has agreed to make the derelict Clock Lodge wind and water tight at a cost of £226,000 before handing it over to the Lochgilphead Project, which hopes to transform the building into a community asset.
Planning officers at Argyll and Bute Council have recommended the application for approval upon the condition Harbro only sells a small amount of the goods which are already available in town centre shops. And things such as pet food and outdoor clothing will be confined to 12.5 per cent of the total retail space.
But this does not go far enough, according to business owners Lena Ferguson and Archie MacGilp, who fear Harbro’s increased visibility will take people away from established shops selling pet products and outdoor clothing.
‘Businesses are struggling as it is because of internet shopping and people are more mobile now so this will only make it worse for businesses in the town,’ Mr MacGilp said.
Ms Ferguson added: It is the best thing that could have happened; now everyone can have their say.’
Consultant Graham Taylor, of G Taylor Associates, spoke on behalf of Harbro and the Lochgilphead Phoenix Project.
He said: We look forward to the hearing and the opportunity to demonstrate and reinforce the benefit and value of the project to the community.’
TWENTY YEARS AGO
Friday April 23, 2004
Lochgair cleans up beach
The Lochgair Association held a beach clean on the morning of Easter Saturday.
A total of 43 people, including children, took part despite a rainy start and the beach was cleaned from just south of the fish farm at Ardcastle to just north of Otter Ferry West, including all of Lochgair.
In the afternoon, in improving weather, more than 60 people enjoyed a barbecue, including an Easter egg treasure hunt for children.
The events were sponsored by Jewsons, The Argyll and Bute Trust, Forest Enterprise, Argyll and Bute Council and West Loch Fyne Community Council.
Pontoons to open by end of month?
Work to repair the yacht pontoons at Tarbert has started. The pontoons were closed indefinitely after an inspection and cleaning operation revealed ‘unacceptable wear’ on some of the mooring chains.
This caused concern in the village, as the pontoons were out of use over Easter weekend, but Tarbert Harbour Authority has this week released a statement explaining how the closure was dealt with and outlining the action being taken to restore the pontoons to regular use.
It said: ‘Advice by the Harbour Authority Engineers that all vessels should be moved off the pontoons presented harbour staff with a massive logistical problem.
‘All affected boat owners had to be contacted and alternative berthings arranged while repairs were carried out. The understanding and co-operation of everyone concerned was the key to success of this part of the operation.
‘Fish quay users have also co-operated by freeing up some quay space to allow as many leisure craft as possible to have access to the harbour.’
At the same time arrangements were made to have repairs carried out as quickly as possible.
On the back of the engineers’ recommendation the authority trustees agreed that complete renewal of all mooring chains should be undertaken.
The authority said: ‘Sourcing the necessary amounts of appropriate grades of chain proved to be difficult. Many firms were contacted but most could only offer delivery dates ranging from eight to 12 weeks.
‘Supplies have now been secured from two separate sources. A heavy ground chain has been brought from Holland and a consignment of standard weight is arriving this week from Suffolk. Divers began work on Saturday, preparing the seabed mooring blocks and anchors in readiness for the chain connections.
‘Chains will be cut into the appropriate lengths and fitted in accordance with the engineer’s guidance.’
The authority said it intended to open the pontoons for use, with the objective of completion by the end of April and added: ‘The Harbour Authority will advertise Tarbert’s facilities as widely as possible once the pontoons are again fully operational.’
The statement also said that the opportunity was being taken to install additional mooring blocks and upgrade the mooring layout to cater for the steadily increasing number of boats taking part in the annual Bell Lawrie Scottish Series in May.
Despite various concerns that have arisen over the last week or so, Tarbert Enterprise Company has said that the series will go ahead as planned.
FORTY YEARS AGO
Friday April 27, 1984
Inveraray beach clean
Mr Ian MacKinnon, Environmental Health Officer with Argyll and Bute District Council recently led a squad of 12 volunteers from Inveraray Youth Club on a foreshore clean up on Lochfyne between Dalchenna and the town.
The project was carried out in connection with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Fund and organised by the local chairman Col R. Campbell-Preston, of Ardchattan.
Four hours later forty plastic bags had been filled with a wonderful variety of junk which included beer and oil cans, traffic cones, pieces of furniture and kitchen units.
The fund has been involved in a systematic beach clean throughout the Argyll coast.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
Tuesday April 28, 1964
Tarbert take over - Dickie’s acquired by property firm
Highland Engineering Ltd., the Scottish property development company which has taken over Dickie of Tarbert Ltd., this week said little to dispel the prevailing atmosphere of uncertainty as to the future of the Argyll boatyard.
Mr Peter Kaye, a director of Highland Engineering, admitted that his firm had acquired all the share capital of the Tarbert enterprise. The new parent company has also bought loans owed by Dickie’s to the Board of Trade.
Mr Kaye said that his firm could not make any statement as to their policy at Dickie’s until they had considered the financial implications very carefully. He added, however, that he was hoping to persuade several clients to place useful orders with the firm.
Highland Engineering Ltd., one of Scotland’s largest firms of property developers, also has large interests in New Zealand.
Dickie of Tarbert Ltd., which at present employs 12 men, was revived some years after the war with the aid of Treasury grants and loans.
Several fine craft have been built at the yard during the last few years, the most recent of these being a 40 foot tender for the Clyde Lighthouse Trust.
Tarbert is one of the oldest boatbuilding centres in the West Highlands.
Holiday Season Starts Early in Tarbert
The holiday season has started early in Tarbert. The village has already been the destination of several parties of day trippers who arrived by steamer and spent the afternoon ashore sightseeing.
Hotels are also reporting better trade than usual.
The cuckoo, a sure sign of the arrival of summer, has been heard on several occasions in the district.
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