Argyllshire Advertiser
FRAUDSTER PENSIONER SCAMMED WOMEN’S AID OUT 0F £40K
An Argyll charity has hit out after a pensioner used its lifeline funds to treat herself to holidays and designer jewellery during a near-£40,000 fraud. Jay Reid was found guilty by a jury of embezzling £39,726 from Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid.
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Movement is bringing people closer together
Since it began in Lochgilphead after the Covid pandemic, the Camerados international movement, which tackles isolation and loneliness, has been an enormous success at the town’s Snowdrop Centre. And Ardrishaig Primary School pupils recently welcomed...
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A RIGHT ROYAL DO
A Mid Argyll fostering family were invited to join HRH The Prince of Wales at his special Together at Christmas Carol concert in Westminister Abbey.
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LOCHGILPHEAD RALLIES ROUND
Lochgilphead’s community spirit has come to the fore following a tragic fatal fire in the town. One man died and two were hospitalised as a result of the blaze on Lochnell Street on Sunday. Several others have lost everything as a result of damage...
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GENERATION GAME
It might have taken a generation to get there but nothing’s going to stop Mid Argyll’s Tartan Army team from going to Boston next summer to see Scotland play in the World Cup - via piping, a 10-hour bus trip and a full family vacation.
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‘OUR SANCTUARY WAS DESTROYED’
Jim and Jean Kirkland’s Lochgilphead garden “sanctuary” was destroyed after a tree on land belonging to livestock feed and garden supplies company Harbro came down on their property during Storm Amy in October. Despite attempts to get Harbro to...
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FISHERMAN CATCHES A NATIONAL HONOUR
A Tayvallich fisherman has been hailed for constructing the UK’s first fully-electric creel fishing boat. Hans Unkles, pictured right, was told the project “would never work” – but has now received the deserved recognition of a national innovation...
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SAFETY FEARS FAIL TO STOP NEW HOMES
Concerns over flooding, road safety and over-development have failed to stop plans for eight new homes in Lochgilphead getting the go-ahead. Seven objections were lodged over proposals for a phased extension to a residential area near Baddens.
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LOCAL HERO HANGS UP UNIFORM AFTER 34 YEARS ON THE JOB
A well-kent ambulance technician who has served the public for more than three decades has called time on his remarkable career. Humble Scottish Ambulance Service hero Neil Newman clocked off last Friday for the final time. The Lochgilphead man will...
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LILY STEPS OUT FOR HER SISTER
Seven-year-old Lily Prendergast is taking on a seven-mile charity walk out of love for her wee sister. The Lochgilphead lass asked her parents, Nicola Ellis and Sean Prendergast, if she could raise money for “Elsie’s charity”, the Scottish Spina...
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SHORTAGE LEAVES CREW UNABLE TO ATTEND BLAZE
Rural community fire stations are desperate for new recruits in order to maintain cover in their areas. One fire station has put out an urgent call after it was unable to turn out for a fire call recently, meaning a delay in response as another team...
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SECOND CHANCE IS THE CHARM
Sophie Philips, left, and her sister Gracie are two of just a few youngsters left in Mid Argyll who are pursuing singing in Gaelic. And after an intial hiccup in a nerve-wracking competition at the Royal National Mod this week, they proved their worth...
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TRANSPORT SCOTLAND IS TOLD TO ‘LOOK AGAIN’
A83 campaigners say they are hopeful instructions to review plans for a diversion during an estimated four-year construction of a debris shelter at the Rest and Be Thankful will end in a positive outcome. Last week’s Argyllshire Advertiser told of...
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DREAMS DO COME TRUE
When a Ford resident had a dream one night about what to do with the disused phonebox in the village, it was such a good idea that it is now being turned into reality. Turn to page three to find out how the children in the village will benefit.
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THE PRIDE OF ARGYLL
Lochgilphead came alive as a troop of over 100 soldiers marched through the town centre with bayonets fixed and colours flying to celebrate their special association with Mid Argyll. The Royal Regiment Scotland has been granted the Freedom of Argyll...
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£8M-PLUS BILL FOR A816 LANDSLIDE AS DANGER AREAS FOUND
The bill to keep traffic safe and the A816 Lochgilphead to Oban road open could reach more than £8.5 million. The hillside at the Bealach Mor near Ardfern was damaged by a landslip on October 7 2023 after a day and a half of torrential rain. And...
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SAYING ‘NO’ TO £48M GAMBLE
A potential visitor levy for Argyll and Bute Council could cost the area’s accommodation sector up to £48 million over 10 years. That was one of the key findings from an independent analysis of the results of the council’s consultation on a possible...
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‘A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH’
A lifeline charity that transports vulnerable patients to vital medical appointments says sudden closures of the the Rest and Be Thankful are putting lives at risk. In the early hours of Monday, a landslide on the A83 at Butterbridge blocked access to...
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THANK YOU FOR SAVING DADDY
A caring Lochgilphead schoolgirl is on a mission to raise funds for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance – inspired by a heroic crew who helped save her dad after he suffered a double stroke. Lydia Parker, seven, will cycle the length of the Crinan Canal...
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WORLD CHAMPIONS!
Inveraray and District Pipe Band are on top of the world after being crowned World Pipe Band Champions. Led by world-renowned, and champion piper himself, Pipe Major Stuart Liddell MBE, the band was first in all four competitions at Glasgow Green –...
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IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Hugo McAndrew and his mum Rowena McAndrew of Aird Farm, Ardfern, enjoyed the young handlers’ competition at the Mid Argyll Show. They were just one of many Mid Argyll families who donned their wellies and braved the mud and heavy showers between the...
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THE DOCTOR STILL WON’T SEE YOU NOW
Technological issues are being blamed for the delay in reopening Furnace Surgery. A year after a new GP contract was approved, the facility remains closed, leaving patients frustrated. Strachur GP Dr Robert Coull was awarded the NHS Highland contract...
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RED STAR MUNRO
Four young Lochgilphead Red Star 2013s footballers left their ball at home to take on a new challenge – all while raising funds for the future of their team. Kaiden Abel, Murray Litster and Calum Robertson, all 11, climbed Ben Lomond last week - with...
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INVERARAY GAMES A HIT ONCE MORE
Mid Argyll Pipe Band led the traditional parade of officials and visitors through Inveraray to mark the offical start of Inveraray Highland Games. Once again people from all over the world and the country flocked to the Winterton Park in the grounds of...
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OUT OF THIS WORLD
A popular Tarbet piper has successfully completed his “space-age” cancer treatment. Loch Fyne Pipe Band Major John Hunt underwent cutting-edge proton beam therapy in a bid to tackle thoracic chordoma, a rare condition that required spinal...
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Crowning glory
The 2024 Queen Jessica Wilkison crowns this year’s Queen Amber Smith at the Tarbert Seafood Festival, which ran across two days at the weekend. The ever-popular event endured a wet start but that did not deter people from turning out. See Pages 10-11.
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F-ANNE-TASTIC!
Mid Argyll residents welcomed a special visitor this week as Princess Anne toured the region. Her Royal Highness arrived on Wednesday and spent the day going around local projects and meeting members of the community. One of her stops was at...
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Parade marks Armed Forces Day
Inveraray marked Armed Forces Day with a parade led by Mid Argyll Pipe Band and including army cadets, sea cadets, services, members of the Inveraray branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland and other dignitaries. for more.
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WONKA AWAITS!
Lochgilphead Drama Group has a sweet treat brewing in the drama factory with just over a week left until their summer production takes to the stage in Ardrishaig Public Hall. The group is running three performances of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...
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FOOD-SHARE HUB IS SET TO OPEN IN LOCHGILPHEAD
A milestone event next week will change the way support is given to people in need throughout Mid Argyll. After almost two years of hard work, a new food-share facility will throw open its doors in the heart of Lochgilphead on June 17, welcoming...
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LESSONS HAVE BEEN LEARNED School turns a corner after poor inspection report last year
A Mid Argyll school described last year as “weak” in all four quality indicators has made large-scale improvements just 12 months later. Education Scotland’s inspection of Lochgilphead High School and Primary on May 19 found “significant improvement...
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DEAL TO TACKLE HOUSING CRISIS APPLY NOW FOR COURSES STARTING THIS AUGUST
Abandoned buildings on a Mid Argyll estate could be used to tackle a housing emergency. Trustees of the Barrahormid Trust, which owns a large area of land on the Tayvallich peninsula, have applied for planning permission to create properties on the...
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Communities commemorate VE Day
Photograph: Andrew Sinclair Communities around Mid Argyll came together for both solemn and celebratory gatherings to remember the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. There were wreaths laid at war memorials to remember those who lost their...
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RETHINK URGED ON SHOCK SUMMER A83 REST CLOSURES
“Shocked” Mid Argyll businesses are urging a government contractor to rethink its “jaw-dropping” plans to divert traffic on the A83 at Rest and Be Thankful onto the Old Military Road for 17 days over the peak tourism months, “with no consultation or...
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Heart start gift from Hearts + Balls
A charity partner of Scottish Rugby has gifted one of 35 defibrillators for community rugby clubs to Mid Argyll RFC. Situated opposite the Ropework Park, where club members of all ages play, the defibrillator has been installed at Lochgilphead...
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ARDRISHAIG DISTILLERY PLAN RAISES SPIRITS
After an absence of almost a century, whisky distilling is set to return to the banks of the Crinan Canal. And the company behind the project believes its new distillery could drastically change the fortunes of Ardrishaig and the wider area, creating...
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FOOD-SHARE HUB TO HELP COMMUNITY
A new community resource set to open in the heart of Lochgilphead could ease the strain for households struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. The Moving On Mid Argyll (MOMA) charity currently provides starter packs and food parcels for people...
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Signing up to save lives
Scottish Fire and Rescue firefighters in Lochgilphead teamed up with Lochgilphead High School to encourage those over 16 years to sign up to be stem cell donors on the Anthony Nolan donor register. Find out how many agreed to register on page 5.
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Musical stars shine at festival
Vocal adjudicator Andy MacTaggart with Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig Primary School ‘action song’ representatives; all five groups taking part in that category were declared winners at this year’s Mid Argyll Music Festival. For more festival fun see...
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ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIONS TO HYDRO SCHEME LODGED
Two key national environmental bodies have submitted formal objections to plans for a vast hydro-electricity project at Loch Awe, 9km north-west of Inveraray. The Balliemeanoch pumped storage hydro scheme would require a temporary pier structure to be...
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LOCHGILPHEAD CENTRE WILL EXPAND THANKS TO GOVERNMENT RURAL DEAL
A new financial deal for Argyll and Bute will see the expansion of the University of the Highland and Islands’ facilities in Lochgilphead. A £70 million investment programme for Argyll and Bute was confirmed on Monday March 10 by the Scottish and UK...
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COUNCIL TAX TO GO UP BY 9.9 PER CENT
Argyll and Bute councillors have voted for a 9.9 per cent increase in council tax, and a 22 per cent rise in pay as part of the proposal as they faced “tough decisions” in a “challenging” budget for the 2025/26 financial year. A budget proposal by the...
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AUCHINDRAIN CLOSED AS FUNDS DRY UP
A unique visitor attraction that brought to life thousands of years of history has been forced to close after losing all its public funding. The Auchindrain Township on the A83 near Inveraray is the most intact and best preserved example of a Highland...
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‘Tonnes’ of support for charity
Hip, hip, hooray – thanks to supporters of The Community Shop in Lochgilphead, more than 15 tonnes of textiles were saved from landfill last year. This week shop manager Scott McBride and his team of volunteers, pictured above, were celebrating the...
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WIND FARM FEEDBACK PLEA
Photograph: Cairndow Community Childcare A wind farm developer is on the point of finalising plans to be submitted for a proposed site between Ardrishaig and Inverneill. But residents are still being urged to make their views known before the final...
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LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR LOCHGILPHEAD
As concerns are raised about the number of empty units in Lochgilphead, a councillor promises there is light at the end of the tunnel. “I am seriously concerned about Lochgilphead,” one local business owner told the Advertiser. “The number of empty...
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Mid Argyll takes a beating as Storm Éowyn unleashes her full fury
Ardrishaig harbour wall took a battering during last Friday’s storm. Read our storm round-up on page 2.
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CONCERNS VOICED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL PUBLIC EVENT
A travelling exhibition of the draft plans for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful was held in Lochgilphead last week, but attendees voiced concerns about the road ahead. The public exhibition, held at the town’s bowling club on Thursday January 16, gave...
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Scenic Crinan Canal – in the top 5
The Crinan Canal has been cited as one of the top scenic canals in the UK, according to research by Roam and Roost, a canal boat holidays company. Of course, folk in Mid Argyll have long known that the waterway is one of the best and it is shown to...
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Dookers brave dreich weather for a dook in Loch Fyne
A hardy bunch of sea swimmers made like ducks and took to the water on New Year’s Day in Tarbert. It was certainly the weather for ducks but it didn’t stop these Dookers from peeling off the layers - and helping to raise funds for a pensioners’...
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Posties deliver their final letters
After a total of 58 years serving the people of Lochgilphead, two of the town’s favourite posties are setting down their sacks for the final time writes Fiona Ross. Paul Daye has walked 12 miles each day for 34 years, delivering mail to residents of...
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CONSULTATION ON VISITOR LEVY PLAN FOR ARGYLL WILL START IN JANUARY
After months of heated debate, campaigns, petitions and a demonstration Argyll and Bute Council has voted to launch a three-month consultation on its proposed visitor levy. The plans for a five per cent tax on overnight stays in the area have caused...
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We’re off to see the wizard...!
Oh yes we are! If you haven’t yet got your tickets to see the Mid Argyll Youth Development Services (MAYDS) and Lochgilphead Drama Club performance of the Wizard of Oz, then get on that yellow brick road! Tonight (Friday) is the first performance in...
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Merry Festive messages from local businesses and readers Christmas to customers, family and friends far and wide FREE INSIDE – YOUR 2025 WALL PLANNER VISITOR LEVY SEMINARS RAISE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
Anger at proposals for an Argyll and Bute “tourist tax” has ramped up this week despite a series of seminars designed to inform businesses about the scheme. The Argyll and Isles Tourism Co-operative hosted a meeting in Tarbert on Monday December 9 in...
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LEISURE SERVICES NEGLECT CLAIM
A petition has been launched this week calling for major improvements to leisure services in Mid Argyll amid claims the area has been neglected in comparison to other parts of Argyll and Bute. The petition, which went live on December 1, is headed by...
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MID ARGYLL FARMERS TAKE SURVIVAL FIGHT TO HOLYROOD RALLY
Farmers from Mid Argyll joined a national rally at Holyrood yesterday (Thursday November 28) in a bid to secure the financial future of the industry. A bus was arranged earlier this week to transport crofters, farm managers and landowners from...
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‘DAVID AND GOLIATH’ WIND FARMS CONFLICT
An “overwhelming” and “terrifying” number of wind farm applications in Mid Argyll and Kintyre is forcing communities into “David and Goliath” battles, according to campaigners. Tarbert and Skipness community councillor Rupert James described what he...
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ALL DRESSED UP FOR SPOOKY FUN - SEE PAGE 9 FEARS INCREASE OVER ARDRISHAIG WIND FARM PROPOSALS
Plans for Mid Argyll to host 14 200-metre wind turbines have raised vociferous protests following the most recent exhibition of the developer’s proposals. Claims of “exploitation of the community”, “massive reductions in house prices”, “health...
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Proud Dookers at the Mòd
A small but proud group of people from Mid Argyll and beyond sang their hearts out at the Royal National Mòd in Oban on Friday. Na Ducaran - The Dookers - performed in the harmony singing for groups of between five and 10 people. Na Ducaran,...
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GIRLS TAKE TALENT TO MÒD
Mid Argyll once had a strong presence at local and national Mòds, with school and adult choirs competing - and winning - as well as solo singers taking on the best in the Gaelic world. Sadly that is no longer the case but thanks to two Mid Argyll...
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DO NOT FORGET UKRAINE INSIDE: WIN A ‘TRIP OF A LIFETIME’ ON THE NORTH COAST 500 FOR 2 - PAGE 17 TEACHERS SACRIFICE SCHOOL HOLIDAY TO HELP REFUGEES
Two Argyll headteachers are spending their October break providing vital support to refugees stranded and homeless in northern France. Gigha Primary School head Alexandra Vipurs and head of Glassary and Tayvallich schools Lena Carter are volunteering...
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Shrek JR is a hit with audiences
Hard work and bags of talent were on display recently when young thespians from the Loch Fyne and Cowal area performed Shrek The Musical JR in Strachur Memorial Hall. Adapted for younger performers by Timothy Allen McDonald, this version of the show...
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WE STAND BY UKRAINE WIN A TWO NIGHT LUXURY LOCHSIDE HOTEL BREAK BETTY’S VOLUNTEERING RECOGNISED WITH SPECIAL PROVOST CERTIFICATE
A Lochgilphead stalwart has been recognised for her hard work, dedication and commitment to the community. Betty Rhodick, 73, was presented last Thursday (September 12), with Argyll and Bute Council’s Provost Certificate in recognition of her years of...
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From little acorns grow STEM careers UKRAINE DESERVES PEACE INSIDE: TARBERT MUSIC FESTIVAL – SEE PAGES 18-19 TAYVALLICH ESTATE FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE ONCE MORE
Concerns have been raised in the Tayvallich community where rented homes and over 1,000 of acres of land in the Knapdale area designated for nature restoration could be up for sale in just three weeks’ time. The announcement of the potential sale...
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COWAL GATHERING DELIVERS
Mid Argyll Pipe Band had a fantastic day in the sun at the Cowal Highland Gathering on Saturday. The band placed fifth in the Grade 3 Medley, sixth in the Grade 3 march, Strathspey and reel (MSR) and third in the Grade 2 MSR, winning a fine haul of...
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