Nairn: A New Local Plan
This post is going to get quite involved on the topic of its future development. For information on the existing Local Plan for Nairn, you can find more information here on the Highland Council website. For the main Local Plan document, this can be found here (PDF). I’ve also added some notes to the end of this post highlighting sections that stood out to me. If you’d rather skip the long post, I’ve added all of my recommendations in a summary found here.
The AIM of this post is to set about the argument for a New Local Plan, make some suggestions, and invite public debate in shaping a New Local Plan we can take to the various stakeholders, ie, councillors, tourism bodies, and business development agencies, and push for town to become a destination in itself.
Introduction
The Nairn Local Plan was set to run up from 1997 to 2008, and focused on the main areas of:
- develop Nairn as a tourist destination
- develop Nairn as a business location
with a core aim of managing land use accordingly for these principles.
Unfortunately, in 2009, it remains apparent that Nairn’s original Local Plan has achieved limited success around these objectives.
The hard truth is that Nairn remains a tourist attraction in spite of the town, rather than because of it.
There is little attempt by the town of Nairn itself to engage tourists, who are otherwise drawn to the town by the two main caravan parks, and the fact that the A96 still runs through the centre of Nairn.
If and when we eventually see a Nairn by-pass, Nairn will be forced to justify itself as a destination – something that should be a part of town planning now.
Nairn claims to be a tourist destination – but doesn’t even have a Tourist Information Centre. Instead, the original centre remains derelict on the A96 along with a string of other boarded up buildings – a damning indictment on the realities as opposed to aspirations of the town.
So far, Nairn’s Local Plan and council administration has appeared to be reactive in addressing local planning needs, rather than proactive. The sole exception, ironically for a plan that aims to encourage business development, was to restrict retail development.
In the meantime, Nairn continues to fail to capitalise on its strong transport links, major development planning (Tornagrain and Whiteness), and otherwise invite people outside of Nairn to engage with the town to make it a key destination.
It therefore seems essential that Nairn develops a New Local Plan, with a more proactive and flexible approach, that aims to intelligently map out a future vision of the town, co-ordinate planning, tourism and business interests, and ensure that Nairn is fully capable of addressing all of the coming challenges the future will deliver.
The Problem with Nairn
In business development, it is key for any enterprise to have at least one Unique Selling Point (USP).
The problem for Nairn town is that it is difficult to determine what USP it may have, other than the proximity to the beaches.
There appears to be no co-ordinated policy for development in tourism, business and residential needs. The danger is that this will encourage an organic but uncontrolled growth for the town which makes implementing any larger plans at a later date more difficult.
It therefore becomes underlined that Nairn must develop a plan now, that is flexible enough to work with changing realities, yet is proactive enough to guide Nairn’s development in an intelligent and managed way.
There are various tools within the remit of the Highland Council that can be used to encourage developments in certain way, such as prejudicial planning guidelines, in addition to various internal and external funding and grant systems, which together can be leveraged to grow Nairn as a town in an intelligent manner.
However, do so involves a larger vision as to how Nairn should develop, and key to such issues are developing the town as a tourist destination, and exploiting transport links for business development.
This post doesn’t claim to offer this grand vision – but it certainly will highlight key failings and suggest solutions.
The overall aim of this post is to stimulate discussion, invite feedback, and develop a general consensus as to what needs changing so that the community of Nairn can then motion the town’s elected representatives into action.
A New Nairn Local Plan
Nairn has superb natural and cultural heritage, but this is little put to use in order to encourage and development tourism.
Additionally, Nairn itself has seen a string of problems come up in terms of derelict properties on the A96 through Nairn, giving every impression of a town in decline, as well as failure to address these issues for the development of the town in general.
Perhaps more problematic is that Nairn town has nothing remarkable to offer visitors.
While these issues remain, Nairn will continue to fail to live up to its potential – that is why a new Local Plan for Nairn must look at specifically addressing these points.
Some notable issues are covered below:
1. Pedestrianise Nairn High Street
Not a friendly place for shoppers
Nairn High Street is not consumer friendly, and offers nothing to encourage people to enjoy their shopping experience.
The pavements are too narrow, meaning that family visitors to Nairn face having to walk their children onto the road and into oncoming traffic to move up and down the high street. This does not make for a good visitor experience.
Nairn High Street must be pedestrianised along its length to allow for a consumer-friendly shopping experience, for both local residents but especially for visitors.
Full pedestrianisation may be impossible because of the need for access to local dwellings, but even a single slow lane for access traffic would allow the shop fronts to sprawl out and engage shoppers, as well as allow consumers to lounge out at cafe tables without having to suck up main road exhaust fumes.
Traffic flow along Leopold Street would probably have to change and become a two-way system to allow connection with Cawdor Road, but traffic calming measures here should ensure shoppers do not find themselves flanked by high speed main road traffic.
2. Intelligent Car Park development
The pedestrianisation of High Street would necessitate the loss of parking space. Therefore it would be important to couple any pedestrianisation plan with improved parking elsewhere to compensate.
There are already parking facilities at Somerfield and by the old bus station, but there remains derelict structures that should be demolished and at the very least used to extend parking until such time as serious redevelopment of these can be considered.
Both the derelict petrol station and derelict bus station should be demonlished, either by Highland Council, or else Highland Council force increased business rates on derelict properties, to hasten private demolition of these.
As Nairn as no Tourist Information Centre then the original building should be re-used for this purpose.
It is also worth considering whether the derelict community centre should also be demolished for car parking space for the high street. While its proximity to the Nairn telephone exchange makes it an ideal candidate for redevelopment as a business IT centre, the danger is that it will simply be redeveloped into private residential property – when Nairn should already have learned the important lesson that you don’t turn a Central Business District (CBD) into private residential without serious repercussions on growth and expansion.
Additionally, the Highland Council should also ensure that coach parking facilities are available by the old bus station so that private tourist coaches can plan to make scheduled stops in Nairn – and also advertise this fact. The inability to provide this at present is a key failing in tourism policy, and needs to be corrected in order to help Nairn’s tourism and local businesses flourish.
The car parking area should be developed at the starting point of tourist visits, due to its accessibility to the beaches, Fishertown, high street, and museum.
3. Promote local culture, heritage, and arts
The people of the Highlands often refer to their history, culture, and heritage, but all too often this is consigned to dusty museums.
The Highland Council should therefore actively seek to promote schemes and developments which could make Highland culture a living experience.
For Nairn this offers opportunities to create unique selling points, and it is hard to think of any nearby towns that brings Highland culture directly to visitors.
Following from the above, if the car parking area by Somerfield were the main entry point for visitors to Nairn, then a simple device to set the mood for tourists and visitors would be to have a piper placed around the car park, to play regularly at set times – such as Saturday afternoon between 1pm-5pm.
Major tourist locations such as Eilean Donan Castle and Edinburgh Castle also make use of regular pipers as a tourist attraction, and as part of a co-ordinated tourism and business development plan, the costs of having a piper to create a mood for visiting tourists would be negligible.
In Nairn itself grants and development funding should be used to encourage and promote retail experiences based on local culture, heritage, and arts.
For example, in tourist season encourage the use of Highland Music and even Highland Dancing in local pubs, on both the High Street as well as in Fishertown, with the latter ideally focused on marine heritage.
The derelict bingo hall and bar at the corner of Leopold St and King St could be awarded such grants to encourage commercial development of the property from a derelict eye-sore to a tourist attraction.
Also, the Highland Council should consider promoting local crafts, such as through a liaison officer with local shops, and especially by setting up a craft market in tourist season.
The empty Rosebank Church lies empty and needs putting to good use, but further shop closures on Nairn high street could provide an ideal location for an indoor arts and craft market, to support what is an already large local cottage industry.
A good location for an arts and crafts market?
4. Develop sea frontage
Little for visitors
Despite being located directly beside the Nairn harbour and Lochloy Caravan Park, there is barely any retail development on the harbour front.
It appears that the development work in the 1990′s, which promised much has delivered little, and even trashes the conservation area guidelines by failing to be in character with Fishtown.
While demolishing the front would probably invite costs the Highland Council can do without, it is certainly worth considering whether planning decisions can be changed to designate the use of front properties as retail, rather than private residential.
Also, it is worth considering whether any of the land between Nairn Harbour and Central Beach can be used to develop leisure attractions and amenities to serve tourists and other visitors – because at present, Nairn makes claim to be a seaside town but has almost zero seaside development in place.
Nairn: A seaside town with no seaside frontage
Development in this area could be contentious, but there must be an intelligent solution to address the problem that Nairn is a seaside town little in the way of seaside attractions.
Summary of recommendations
1. Majority pedestrianisation along the full length of High Street, open to traffic only for access purposes;
2. Expansion of parking around Somerfield by forcing the demolition of derelict structures;
3. Directly promote Highland arts and culture around the High Street;
4. Intelligent development of the harbour and connection to central beach to provide for visitors and local residents;
The overall process is intended to help develop the town of Nairn as a seaside destination itself, rather than an ancillary to the existing physical attraction of the beach.
Feedback and comments welcome. 
Notes
The Local Plan:
INTRODUCTION
Review
“This considers the period up to 2008 although, where necessary, the Plan looks further ahead in order to help set up a wider framework for development and conservation.”
Purpose
“The purpose of the Plan is to identify appropriate uses for land in the area. It will provide a framework for the Council’s consideration of development proposals.
“The Local Plan provides a basis for prioritising and co-ordinating action by the Council and others to identify resources for the development of land, the creation of jobs, the provision of infrastructure and services, and environmental management.”
Consultation
This is the adopted Local Plan. It takes into account comments received after formal commencement of the Plan in March 1997.
STRATEGY
Structure Plan Context
Must work within the Highland Structure Plan (1990) which for Nairn sets out the following:
- reduce unemployment and diversify the economic base for the area
- promote and enhance tourist opportunities based on marine activities and historical heritage
Local Plan Background
“1.4 Inverness exerts a major influence on commerce and employment within Nairnshire and there are concerns that initiatives are required to strengthen local trade and services.”
“There is an overwhleming dependency on commuting” – 42% of the workfore go outside of the area.
Prospects depend on reinforcing the town’s subsidiary functions and competitiveness. Vigorous promotion of retailing and business opportunities; together with tourist and leisure assets;
1.6 Overall, the Council will seek to meet projected housing, employment, social and recreational needs…
Local plan seeks to:
- promoting greater self-containment in communities
- curtailing dependency on travel to work and services
Economy and Output
1.9 “major redevelopment of the harbour, other tourist infrastructure, and service business on the Balmakeith Industrial Estate have been the focus for job-related investment in the past decade
1.22 Economic prospects suggest opportunities in the following sectors:
- business/technology: promoting Nairn’s high amenity and transport links, including air
- retailing: stemming the loss of trade from Nairn
- tourism: developing the resorts tourist attractions
- infrastructure: opportunities to improve transport, utility and telecommunications networks and services
1.25 major opportunities In Nairn for a supermarket; business park; medical facilities; and a leisure centre
1.32 The established rail network and related infrastructure is an enormous asset. This already links Nairn with Inverness and Aberdeen and is possibly capable of being promoted, integrated and adapted to increase commuter and tourist usage, as well as freight movement of goods. Rationalisation of uses adjoining the station would be essential for facilities and future enhancement of services.
2. GENERAL POLICIES
Environment 4: The Council will not approve development unless there is an over-riding social, economic, public health or safety reason
4. NAIRN
4.4 High levels of commuting and loss of trade threaten to undermine established commercial functions. Prospects depend on strenthening Nairn’s position as the strategic focus for employment, services, tourism and conference facilities. (suggests access to European funding)
4.5 Nairn’s primary assets indicate potential for business and technology; greater quality and choice in shopping; and improved leisure facilities … Despite its “gateway” location, Nairn lacks a significant attraction from which revitalisation of the town centre could benefit.
4.6 High quality business park required
Also recommends:
“a major facelift for the High Street-Fishertown and Conservation Area status for the town’s core
POLICIES : S1: Town centre will apply
Only one supermarket is required in Nairn, to be provided in the identified location in the plan period and there will be consequent presumption against development prejudicial to the objective of this policy on either the idenitified site or any other edge-of-centre, out-of-centre or out-of-town site in or around Nairn
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20 Responses to “Nairn: A New Local Plan”
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I have just read this posting with great interest.
Oh to see it come to fruit.
I also share a passion for Nairn and would love to see it develop.
I would love to see all the tourists come back and I agree with every thing written above.
However it is to focused to the arts, which is a focused audience.
Yes a gallery / craft centre would be good and it would be a place for people to display and sell their goods.
The only draw back it that one of the types of shops that actually survives in the high street also sells these things, go into any of the novelty / souvenir shops and you will find local crafts, if the church was converted it would pull businesses away from these shops and hurt the high street further.
The other big thing that is over looked is night life.
Night life is not focused it is something that most tourists want.
Once upon a time Nairn had many things to do in the evenings now they have the cally, star and the Vic.
“And before all the critics pounce I know there is many more but they are hidden from the tourists”.
Some may say these are nice places, and I admire the work that has been done on the interiors they have done a brilliant job, but there is still the same hard non welcoming atmosphere.
Unless you are a regular these bars can be pretty intimidating, not the type of bar I would like to walk into for a fun night out on holiday.
The Shore inn used to be ideal it was to far to walk for all the rough crowd and even if they did walk down, if they were rowdy, to drunk or bared Tommy of Raymond god bless would not let you in, but tourists were always made welcome.
However poor planning put rest to the shore thin walls noise restrictions and neighbours who had got used to the peace and quiet seen it change hands over and over.
Now there is nowhere in Nairn to go for a night out Yes you can go to the Braeval or the Havlock but the regulars in there are not to welcoming to strangers either all be it in a different way to the Bermuda triangle.
What we need is some night life in the town to give the tourists something else to talk about in the town.
The days where slipstream played the Royal twice a week and you could not get in the door because it was so full of tourists and locals alike were brilliant.
The Seaforth club hosts live music twice a week and those nights are always busy I know of people who come from Elgin, Drumnadrocket Glasgow and Edinburgh who call the Seaforth to see who is singing and plan their long weekend break around the live entertainment in the Seaforth.
I also know a chap who looked into renting the Ballerina and turning it back into a live venue doing a variety of things for children through to Adults.
He did not know who owned it so he spoke to a prominent local councillor who shot him down in flames giving him a hundred reasons why it would never work then just dismissed him like a school kid.
If the truth be told I half expected her to steal his idea because I read the business plan and it was brilliant.
So to sum up I like the plans but I would not go to deep into the Arts as it attracts to limited an audience an audience who if they were coming would go to Findhorn not Nairn.
Id look at breathing life into the night and shake off the new image of Nairn being the ideal place to retire to.
Sorry this is not in reply to your posting – I am hoping if someone from Nairn can tell me what the difference is between an Arbroath Smokie and Nairn Spelding?
Thank You
30 years or so ago, I used to visit Nairn regularly out of season as a child at the Lochloy Caravan Park. I also visited a few times for long weekends in hotels about 10 years ago, and now I have 2 young children myself we have started coming up again to the caravn park for the past few years around Easter and October time. We have visited 4 times in the past 3 years and will be back again in October. I feel that I know Nairn quite well and maybe the kind of person that should respond to this (do you do holidaymakers questionnaires?).
I read the plan above with interest as I think Nairn has an excellent opportunity with its natural resources such as the beach, harbour and fishertown to become a really good place to holiday, however in all liklihood in the next 1-2 years we will probably start holidaying elsewhere as Nairn has become very run down.
For what its worth my thoughts are:-
(1) The beach is naturally beautiful but around the area of the caravan site has way too much rubbish on it – I’ve never seen anyone pick up rubbish in this area and this should be addressed. In addition a wooden walkway/promenade would be great along a fair distance of it along the dunes so that people with prams can walk out of the sand and enjoy
the beach
(2) The new development around the harbour and town is cheap looking and out of keeping with the charming Fishertown. Its difficult, but most of it needs tearing down and starting again. More use could be made of Fishertown I think and make it more of a centre for visiting. In addition I would have paid for a trip out to the sea on a boat for my family on a sailing boat but nothing was advertised. On a positive note around this area the service and quality of food at Cafe Basil at the Harbour was well worth a visit and by far the best place we ate.
(3) The high street should be partially pedestrianised – its a miserable place to visit as many of the shops are boarded up, the paths are narrow and we struggled to find many of the things we would expect in a seaside town. One lane with wider paths and cafes where you can sit outside is a must.
(4) The river – we tried to walk to Cawder Castle with 2 prams but could only get so far as the path becomes too rough – if this path was improved (further out of Nairn) that would be a nice walk that could be advertised
(5) The facilities – I know its out of season but it would be nice if the amusements/putting etc were open at easter, apart from walking and going to the swing park there wasnt much to entertain kids – it would be good if films were shown even a couple of nights a week somewhere if you didnt want to go into Inverness
I could probably think of more but just wanted to get a few points over….
Good pointers, BG – luckily, it looks like the high street is getting part-pedestrianised, and hopefully a few other issues are also being addressed.
The big bugbear is the harbour development – that would need serious money to redevelop, and I can’t see anyone upsetting the status-quo there in the near future.
As a regular holidaymaker to the area I can only urge the council to reconsider it’s position re. entertainment around the links area. As the highlands rely heavily on tourism does it not make sense that families are kept entertained locally during school holidays, thereby adding to the local coffers? I was advised that cutbacks meant that the putting/crazy golf programme had been restricted. It was time the council realised that the “season” lasts longer than the 7 weeks of the school summer break!!
I have to agree with Anon at the top.
I used to come to Nairn with my parents in my early teens.
So as you can imagine I was really looking forward to coming up for games day and showing my wife and young wife all the places that held such fond memories for me as a youth.
So after 2 years of trying to convince a wife who loves Skegness to go to Nairn I finally arrived with wife and 2 teenage kids in tow.
Right from the start it was a disaster as follows.
· We drive into this run down town all boarded up, not a good start.
· We drive down to the caravan park and cant cross the bridge.
· We eventually get to the caravan site and are welcomed by someone who can hardly speak English.
· We hit the beach and it is filthy to the extent it smelled.
· We head to the hotel I remembered but it is also boarded up
· We head to the fair ground and there is hardly any thing there and what is there is extortionate.
· The games were nothing like they used to be, the atmosphere was dull.
· We head up the high street all the hotels have turned into flats.
· The snooker hall is turned into a repulsive coloured I don’t know what
· All the nice Italian cafes have gone.
· We tried to find a club or somewhere to dance, forget it.
· No night life at all , that was the end for my two teenage boys.
· We find a nice restraint the classroom have a beautiful meal and stay for quiet drinks.
· We walk back down the high street and are meat by a huge crowd of terrifying abusive drunken youths like I have never seen in some of the worst cities in the UK, I actually feared for our safety passing through this crown even with the 3 police officers there.
The next day we found the same and the day after I admitted defeat and after an almighty argument that almost ended our marriage but defiantly our 7 day break took the wife and Kids home.
I will never visit this place again the obnoxious crowd in the high street are welcome to it to their sad dying town.
All my beautiful childhood memories killed in two days.
Sorry people but you cant argue with that I had forgotten the evenings in the back of yaks eating ice-cream.
Or going to Balzanelli’s to buy a quarter pound of sour plooms.
As for the crowd in the high street yes they can be scary,
but where else can they go.
As the dude said there is no night life in Nairn so what do they do.
They congregate outside the Vic Cally and star.
This will not change because our council is not interested in the youth of Nairn, they are to busy bitching about the arts for the tourists, belly dancing, or the cinema of dreams.
These things are nice Tilda done a wonderful job in the cinema, but it is time Nairn started thinking about Nairnites.
There is nowhere for the teenagers to go after the youth club what then.
Nairn wash their hands if the kids after 16.
If our councillor spent half as much of the time she spends arranging belly dancing extravagances actually doing things for the youth of Nairn we would be in really good shape.
As for the Dude sorry guy Nairn is not as bad as you make out you just came on the busiest weekend of the year when all Nairnites from far and wide come home so the street was a little more crowded than usual.
But Liz lets get to work for Nairn we need to save our town the belly dancing is nice but we have had our fill lets not have the Dudes imige of Nairn become a typical image of Nairn..
Believe me the tourists would prefer somewhere nice to go at night than an art gallery during the day.
It is time people start thinking about there own and the tourists will come
I think it’s unfair to single Liz out singularly, and especially take her to task for a personal hobby – at the end of the day, many of Nairn’s core problems are the resulting of long standing policy at the Highland Council. For that, it would be difficult to throw the gauntlet down at any individual, as much as hold the HC to collective responsibility.
The derelict buildings is an astonishing example – a public body has been holding off market forces, that for years really have wanted to develop these buildings, but cannot because of the HC deal with Somerfield.
I know I should not single out Liz, but our councillors have to push the fact that is what we elect them for and Liz is their leader..
I find it so sad that tourists are having such a bad time in our beautiful town.
I also personally know of someone who wanted to buy the Ballerina ball room to turn it into a bar/club/venue and this proposal was knocked back by our councillors.
No they want to keep this place for the arts, to show old Charlie Chaplin movies.
How many tourists will that attract?
How many local teens will that entertain?
How much local money will be pumped into that crazy idea, money that could be used to turn the place into a venue or a club for the local teens.
Sorry to single out Liz but she is the leader and one of the fore runners for this Nairn as a Arts destination.
This is all well and good, but it does not tackle a major problem in Nairn.
There is nowhere for teenagers to go, and every time someone brings up a proposal it is quashed by our councillors who do not want to spoil the tranquillity.
Well I say, come to the High Street on a Friday Saturday night and witness the tranquillity.
Whilst we think on night life in the town, what was the one proposal they did consider?
Yes it was a proposal from one of the chosen few,
Yes lets put a club in the old football club and add to the ruckus in the high street.
No to the ballerina no to the old church no to the old shore in as it is too noisy.
Yeh right the chosen few run our town the rest of us are to busy trying to earn a living to go into politics.
Any one who thinks different do not know anything about what goes on behind the scenes in Nairn
Think who really is behind the deal with somerfield as I also know someone who tried to buy the bus station whilst it was still up for sale and this was also knocked back.
So sorry Brian you are getting involved in our local politics but believe me you have not been here long enough to know who is really behind what and you have had your vision blurred by some people.
I would never be one to give it the you’ll never be a Nairnite but there are many of them and they will always fool the outsiders especially if they want something off you?
What have you got you may ask???
Your site dear boy between you and Des you have one of the most powerful political tools ever to come out of Nairn.
So just be carful how you use it and I still say the Gurnmister for counciler as you will have to far to find someone who loves this place like he does, but as we all know that will never happen because he does not fit into their “how it has to be” mode
Jake
As a father of teenagers in Nairn, I think they many of the kids get such a bad press. As others have pointed out where are the kids supposed to go? Inverness is at least a £5 round trip before you pay to do anything in Inverness. I have been in many cities in the UK and abroad and Nairn is the place I feel safest for both myself and my family. Teenagers can be rowdy, but most of the time it is just noisy fun.
I came to live in Nairn after a weeks holiday in Nairn at the same caravan park “the dude” was complaining about. Wherever “the dude” comes from must be an idilic place. Plus a choice between “Skeggy” and Nairn, I know which I have chosen to live in!
The dude, just addressing your points :
I’m genuinely sorry you didn’t have a great time in Nairn.
However, looking down your list of complaints, they seem primarily focused on the town not being how you remembered when you were younger.
Yes, there are outstanding issues that are currently being fought – not least the derelict buildings along the A96, plus the recent sewage leak.
Issues such as any hotel or snooker room being developed are just part of change, the Highland Games is whatever you make of it, and fairs are always pricey.
Of course, Skegness is an excellent place for family holidays – been there with my kids a few times myself – but the place has always been developed as a seaside resort.
Nairn hasn’t, and this is reflected in the current circumstances. Even still, this is being slowly but surely turned around, but it takes time.
Nairn, also being a very small Highland town, will not be able to cater to every taste, but there are many places around worth visiting if you’re able to drive around to sample wider afield.
In the meantime, again, I’m genuinely sorry you did not enjoy your holiday here, but I’m sure if you were to visit again – especially during a sunny break – and additionally accept that like anywhere else in the UK, the town will change over time, you may find the place a lot more pleasant.
Here’s for the future.
Sorry people I did not mean to slate your town.
I love Nairn, I have always loved Nairn since I was a kid.
I was just a little frustrated after such a bad holiday that I took to Ranting.
I suppose I was a little melancholy after following the goings on, on the various blog sites, caravan 9, The Gurn Fa Nurn, and my Nairn that all the good times I had as a teenager came flooding back.
I thought the boys would love it the way I used to, but alas they did not.
As for the wife well I wont even go there.
I suppose Brian is right I am living in the past, “yes” there is derelict shops and buildings, but I suppose there were derelict buildings there when I was a kid.
The thing is when I was younger I was to busy chasing the girls.
As for Jake!
Sorry guy it was nice for you to back up what I said but please do not involve me in the finger pointing.
In this day an age a councillors job is a thankless task they get paid peanuts get overlooked when they do something good and S..t on from a great height when they fail in the endeavour they have taken onboard for the good of the people.
Since reading Jakes post I have googled your local council girl Liz and found she is the lord province and she loves belly dancing.
Well all I can say is go girl and you lot should think your selves lucky to have a real person on your side.
So sorry Jake you are way out there if you have a councillor who will get up in front of the whole community and shake her stuff you have a councillor who will do anything and you should thank your lucky stars.
“GO LIZ”
Our councillor would be to afraid of offending someone or some bad press, so in my opinion you have the right rperson to take Nairn back to where it use to be for me a place of fun.
The Dude
The Dude, no problem about the rant – heck, a lot of us online are doing a lot of ranting about issues regarding Nairn that need addressing, and I know the community councils offline are seriously trying to have a bigger impact as well.
What really strikes me about Nairn, though, is how many people are becoming increasingly pro-active and really trying to address outstanding issues.
Yes, Nairn has flaws, and it would be silly to expect no one to point these out – on the contrary, we’re trying to raise as much noise as possible to ensure Nairn has a future as a pleasant seaside town, good for residents and tourists alike, and that any development plans do not jeopardise this.
I also think you were unfortunate in visiting during a time that has seen the British summer at its worst for some years (33% higher average rainfall), which resulted in some flooding in the town not long before your visit (resulting the sewers issue).
I’m not sure if it may be of any help, but if you would like to reconsider coming back, it may be worth contacting Ian at VisitNairn.com and see if there is a special way to especially accommodate you next time around.
I’m afraid my business is not currently connected with the hospitality trade, but if it were, I would certainly consider offering to help in bringing your family back to Nairn under better conditions, as a way to help promote both town and business, and ensure that we can try to ensure our visitors are made as happy as possible.
In the meantime, there is an application to open a nightclub in Nairn, and I’ll be running something from Inverness very soon as well. Nairn’s aspirations are growing.
Cheers Brian for being so understanding it was your web sits and the Gurn that helped me win the battle to come back after so long.
The big suprise is that the MRS has just told me that she actualy liked the place and thinks it would be a nice place for a romantic escape without the boys so Ill be back no boys just me and my sweet heart
Now that is how I remember Nairn
No problem, and glad it seems to have worked out in the end.
If you’d like any recommendations, local or regional, I’m sure we’ll only be too happy to help.
Yes make nairn like blackpool.
trams…illuminations….casinos….shops selling plastic tits…donkey shit all over the beach.
This will then bring more tourist in…so “local” (and by “local” we include those with off-shore accounts and off-planet morality) businessmen can make their profits, whilst “bringing new employment into the area” with a few token seasonal jobs (later to be filled by eu agency workers).
-councils with developers want to develop.
-councillors with developers want to develop with the cast iron backing/investment of the taxpayers cash.
-the age old justification is “its fur the tourists, so its nothing to do with youz, keep your noses out”
…to which the populace oblige.
I think you have to rethink which type of tourist do you want in Nairn. For the locals, perhaps Blackpool is far from the ideal prospect. Noise, violence, drugs and sleaze. I do believe it needs upgrading however it should be done with class and style and a bit of glamour. There is far too many of the same type of sea side towns in the UK. Boring.com! Yes do the pavements and yes have allocated parking for familes/ locals/ tourists, but don’t bring it to the attention of night clubs and strip clubs. That will not bring the attention to the craft trade which you are wishing to be an influence. Sorry to be harsh yes crafts are nice souviengers but they scream old age and will not bring a tourist. There are other paths to explore, a shopping center with good shops in it that you find on most high streets. Perhaps a very stylish cocktail bar on the beach front with a wacky wearhouse type pub next door which is more family friendly. Something for us women we are money spenders! Maybe one sports bar for the guys and a karaoke bar that closes at a normal cinderella hour. Yes go that route, not skeg ness and blackpool it screams chav, which screams everything that comes with a chav and none of that will do Nairn any good in the long run. Something for the kids would be nice, a park on the sea front too. Set up some shacks, on the beach sell the local crafts there and hotdogs. Have fireworks from the sea front on certain set dates. Get community Halloween parties in a park.And put caring into the community, beauty is not just exterior, it has to have beauty in it too, nice people and a community of caring sorts. Put it on the map. The only way your going to get it there, is get some better shops, and some stylish restuarants. Make it the new “it” place, gettaway with fantastic Highland veiws and great shopping, spas, bars etc….darling, get it in some mags that people actually read like Glamour or Cosmo if you want it classy, or get a big wheel and some strip bars and watch the place get known for all the wrong things like most other seaside towns. Its a blank canvas that is really old fashioned it needs bringing into date in style and not bringing into date for inevitable destruction which a blackpool type town is. Whowants to raise a kid there? End up on drugs, or in some violent street fight. Show everyone else this is how a city should be. Nairn the dream place, with low crime and a strong healthy community trustworthy stylish and glamourous. could dream eh?…
oh and one more thing I do think the belly dancing is funny. New things are always critised especially if this is the person in charge its a power trip of jealousy, if she was lap dancing then slander away but no its a art that type of dancing and very brave… I agree go liz.
The teens should have an arcade wth bowling ally and should hang there drinking sodas playing games eating burgers not be neglected to improvise there own fun, which usually comes with a ottle of vodka and a teen pregnancy. Think that would please familes, teens and tourists and couples, get some teams going. I could run this town easy just got to be more modern and family friendly.
Just found this query dating back to April 2009 which doesn’t seem to have been answered.
From M. Robertson: Sorry this is not in reply to your posting – I am hoping if someone from Nairn can tell me what the difference is between an Arbroath Smokie and Nairn Spelding?
Answer – of sorts!Before I started as a cub reporter in the Nairnshire Telegraph I always had a summer job – once at the High Fishselling Co in Leopold Street – now Highland Hospice which housed the fish slab, and the neighbouring deli which was the shop front. We sold all sorts of game including rabbits, hares,pheasants and salmon from the river when there was no such thing as farmed salmon.But to answer the question, the smokie and spelding were quite different delicacies. I cannot tell you definitively how each was prepared but the Nairn Spelding of course was produced by fishwifes of Nairn in the smokehouses at their homes in the Fishertown. They were haddock which were gutted and opened up on the bone and cured in the smokehouses beside the homes of the fishermen. They still had to be cooked and like a smoked fillet of haddock were beautiful done in milk. I am sure there are many would say leaving the bone in gave it extra flavour.
The Arbroath Smokie on the other hand was a haddock effectively already cooked and they could be eaten cold. They were tied in pairs by a piece of string and although gutted they were not opened up but were completely cooked and simply needed heating up for table. The Smokie was very crumbly and if one broke up in the display window Arthur Grant, my boss, would allow me to put it into the back shop where we would nibble away at it. Don’t know if that helps. I confess I never saw either of these delicacies being produced and I am sure older fisher folk will testify I am obviously no expert. But I still see them today in my own mind’s eye. I hope this helps.
Donald Wilson.