LONG READ: The Groat and Courier news review of 2022
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We take a look back at some of the stories that have hit the headlines in the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier during the past 12 months.
January
A CAITHNESS woman was “absolutely shocked” when she learned she was to be awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. The award was given to Johanna Geddes for her work with the Thurso Boys’ Brigade and in the community over many years.
A LONE rower was said to be lucky to be alive after a dramatic rescue by the Thurso lifeboat crew which took around nine hours to complete. The rower had been at sea for two days while attempting to sail from Durness to Scrabster in a 24ft Atlantic offshore vessel which was blown off course by the wind. The vessel was believed to be home-built with no engine or lights. Thurso RNLI press officer Ron Gunn said: “There is no doubt about it, they saved his life. The boat was battleship grey, the crew could not see it in the water. He was very lucky he was not struck by passing fishing boats – he was out in the dark."
LOCAL MP Jamie Stone was looking forward to “a fruitful discussion” with Rolls-Royce after it agreed to discuss his call for a new type of nuclear reactor to be built in the far north. The Liberal Democrat MP, supported by local enterprise and trade union representatives, wanted the company to include Caithness as a possible location for a small modular reactor which would be around one tenth of the size of a conventional one. It was said to be more economic to produce and easier to build. The engineering giant had now agreed to discuss the issue.
SHELTERED housing residents in Thurso accused Highland Council of repeatedly failing to address issues raised about the state of their accommodation. Several residents of the retirement housing complex at Oldfield Court said they had complained about draughts, lack of support from the warden and handyman, lack of maintenance in gardens and a cracked chimney stack in danger of collapsing. Jenny Jones (72) said: “There are draughts coming under the doors. In the bathroom it’s absolutely freezing when you come out the shower. When you sit on the sofa at night watching the telly you can feel a draught going around the floor – it’s like being in a fridge.”
A CAITHNESS councillor had taken issue with the “threatening” tone adopted by campaigners who were demanding action to fix the county’s potholed roads. Councillor Willie Mackay responded to statements by Caithness Roads Recovery by insisting elected members were doing their utmost to address the issue and did not deserve to be “slated” on social media. Accusing the group of being “out of touch”, he argued that critical comments aimed at councillors would do little to encourage potential candidates at this year’s local authority election.
STANDARDS of care at a residential unit for young people in Wick were rated as uniformly “weak” in a report from the Care Inspectorate. It identified a series of shortcomings at Avonlea, a purpose-built house in the town’s West Banks Avenue providing care for young people who were looked after by Highland Council. However, the local authority criticised the findings, claiming positive elements of the report were not reflected in the Care Inspectorate’s overall assessment.
THE state of Wick town centre had been branded “shocking and disgusting” in the aftermath of Hogmanay partying. Joanna Coghill, chairwoman of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council (RBWCC), said: “The mess of the Market Square on New Year’s Day was absolutely shocking and disgusting." Mrs Coghill explained that a fellow community councillor, Alastair Ferrier, had been walking his dog on New Year’s Day when he came across the debris and contacted his RBWCC colleagues. Armed with brushes and shovels, a number of them descended on the town centre to help clear the rubbish.
QUESTIONS were being asked about the “silence” of three Wick councillors who were said to have repeatedly missed community council meetings. An online meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council saw several members asking questions over “no-shows and no reports” from three Highland councillors, Willie Mackay, Andrew Sinclair and Jill Tilt. Community councillor Allan Bruce said: “I would like this on record – we’ve got four [Highland] councillors that have been voted in by the public and it would be good to know what they’re up to and what fights they’re fighting.” He added that Councillor Raymond Bremner had been submitting regular updates.
PLANS to create a replica broch in Caithness had taken a step forward with the release of detailed images revealing what the towering structure would look like. The visuals were created by digital reconstruction artist Bob Marshall for Caithness Broch Project as part of its vision for the first broch to be built in Scotland in 2000 years. The archaeological charity believed the 40ft replica could become a thriving visitor attraction and “an icon for the county”.
February
FUNDING had been secured to take forward a redesign of Wick town centre that could lead to a £1 million-plus transformation. Highland Council had been successful in obtaining £150,000 from a Sustrans Scotland fund to help move forward the redesign work. Draft designs from the charity were produced with the aim of making Wick’s High Street and Market Square areas “more attractive, more accessible and more welcoming”, as well as reflecting the town’s cultural heritage. Highland Council applied to Sustrans for £150,000 from its Places for Everyone fund to allow it to take forward the town centre redesign.
PLANS to create a whisky distillery and visitor centre at a disused mill on the outskirts of Castletown could see a £4 million investment and create 12 jobs, it was reported. The company behind the proposal to transform the listed 200-year-old building had released images of how the mill could look once the project was complete. Dunnet Bay Distillers, set up and run by husband and wife Martin and Claire Murray, had applied for planning permission to refurbish the mill and the surrounding land.
CAMPAIGNERS warned that asking expectant mothers to travel from Caithness to Inverness in severe weather was “a tragedy waiting to happen”. Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) spoke out after Storm Malik and Storm Corrie brought gale-force winds to the north, causing fallen trees to block parts of the A9. CHAT’s concerns were backed by local Highland councillor Matthew Reiss, who said the journey of more than 100 miles to Raigmore should have been taken into account before the decision to downgrade the maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital from consultant-led to midwife-led. During the height of the stormy conditions there were reports of fallen trees on the A9 at the Mound and Skiach, with updates from Police Scotland and Traffic Scotland reporting road closures in the Highlands. CHAT chairman Ron Gunn said: “This spell of weather has highlighted what we have been saying since 2016 – it is just not safe to expect mums-to-be to have to travel down the A9 to give birth.”
TSB bosses were again being urged to rethink their closure plan for Thurso, with a local Highland councillor arguing that the town centre branch was “worthy of being an exception to the rule”. Matthew Reiss reiterated his concerns about the distance factor for customers who wished to do their banking in person, and said a change of heart would be “an example of a large organisation actually having a listening ear”. TSB had announced the previous November that it would close its Traill Street premises in April as part of plans to shut 70 branches across the UK.
A CAITHNESS musician was hoping an international recording of a tune she wrote would give a further boost to the funds of a Glasgow hospital charity. Fiddler Karen Steven penned Angel Boy in memory of her two-year-old great-nephew, Iain Mackay, who died after being involved in a tragic car accident on the A99 at Occumster in August the previous year. The toddler passed away in hospital in Glasgow three days after the crash.
MOVES to increase the frequency of speed checks at Forss and other locations in Caithness were welcomed by a Highland councillor who said he had been appalled by some of the unsafe driving he had witnessed. Matthew Reiss had been assured that the North Safety Camera Unit would be stepping up its presence on the A836 following concerns raised by Forss Campaign Group. The group was launched at the end of 2021 in response to long-running fears over the speed of some traffic on the Forss straight. Councillor Reiss, a former area police commander, admitted that some incidents had “made me wish I was a police officer again”.
A RETIRED couple told of their concerns over the “crazy” driving they often witnessed outside their home alongside the Forss straight. “The speeds they are going at are unreal,” John Ross said, while his wife Anne admitted: “It is very worrying.” The couple supported the recently formed campaign group which was seeking a reduced speed limit and other traffic-calming measures on the route, used by motorists travelling to and from Dounreay and Vulcan. “They can’t seem to get home quick enough – I don’t know what the panic is,” Mr Ross said.
CAITHNESS, Sutherland and Ross MSP Maree Todd declared that she could not support the idea of a mini-reactor being built in her constituency, pointing to the “high cost and high risk” associated with nuclear energy. Engineering giant Rolls-Royce hopes to build up to 10 small modular reactor power stations by 2035 and there had been calls for one to be established in Caithness, which had been described as “one of the most nuclear-sympathetic parts of the UK”. However, Ms Todd said her party, the SNP, had been clear in its opposition to nuclear development and she argued that Scotland must look to “safe, sustainable and cost-effective” renewable sources for its future energy supply. Later, Ms Todd was accused of “peddling misinformation” over the issue and doing a disservice to generations of local workers. Dounreay Stakeholder Group chairman Struan Mackie claimed the MSP was disregarding the clear will of people in the far north “to remain a nuclear community” and argued that the industry should be seen as part of the net-zero solution.
TEAMWORK was the key to securing the return of scheduled flights to Wick – a move that was being hailed as a massive boost for Caithness and for the north as a whole. Business leaders and politicians were united in welcoming the deal that would see the resumption of the Aberdeen link in the spring and in praising the collaborative efforts that made it possible. It was announced that Eastern Airways had been awarded a contract for a year-round service using a low-emission aircraft. Operating under a public service obligation, it would provide a direct connection between Wick John O’Groats Airport and Aberdeen for three years.
March
A BELIEF that Caithness would be better off running its own affairs had come to the fore as a result of years of neglect by the Scottish Government, Nicola Sturgeon was told. Local MP Jamie Stone warned the First Minister that hundreds of his constituents would prefer to “go it alone” under a breakaway local authority and health board. Blaming SNP centralisation for creating a “secessionist” movement in the area, he called on the Scottish Government to expand the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 to include remote and rural mainland areas. Mr Stone wrote to Ms Sturgeon after a petition was lodged at the Scottish Parliament asking for Caithness County Council to be reinstated and a Caithness NHS board to be set up. The petition, submitted by Thurso community councillor Billy Sinclair, had attracted 720 signatures.
CAMPAIGNERS who had been battling to save Thurso’s TSB branch accepted that their calls had fallen on deaf ears. The case for a rethink was put to bank bosses at an online meeting but it was clear that the closure would go ahead. A “passionate plea” was made on behalf of long-serving customers, especially those for whom online banking was not an option, but to no avail. TSB would provide a pop-up service once a week in the North Coast Visitor Centre.
A COMMUNITY effort was under way in Caithness to gather vital supplies for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Collection points were being set up around the county for items ranging from blankets and backpacks to medicines and toiletries. And it was hoped that use of a lorry may be offered to deliver the goods to a depot in central Scotland, from where they could be transported to those in need. Wick Laundry manager Caitlin Mowat, one of those leading the local response, said: “Everybody is seeing it on the news and it has touched us all. It’s horrible to see. I never thought I’d see something like this in my lifetime, especially what’s happening to kids and families.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian flag cookies were being made and sold by a family-run Caithness deli to help the humanitarian effort following the invasion of the country by Russia. Stacks deli, bakery and coffee house at John O’Groats was offering the treats at £1.50 each with all proceeds going to an appeal set up by Unicef.
A FATAL accident inquiry into the deaths of three fishermen – including Martin Johnstone from Thurso – had failed to identify the cause of flooding which led to the sinking of their boat off the Western Isles. Mr Johnstone (29) died along with crew member Chris Morrison (27), from Stornoway, and skipper Paul Alliston (42), of Lewis, when the crab boat MFV Louisa sank in the tidal waters of Mingulay Bay in the early hours of April 9, 2016. A fourth crew member, Lachlan Armstrong, from Stornoway, was the only member of the crew to survive the incident.
CLAIMS that £20 million was needed to fix the potholed roads of Caithness had been backed up by “utterly astounding” figures on the amount of money required to address the problem across Scotland as a whole. Labour accused the Scottish Government of “leaving roads to crumble” after a Freedom of Information request showed that it would take almost £1.7 billion to get the country’s local roads upgraded. Rural routes were said to be the worst hit, with the Highland Council area having a road repair backlog valued at almost £200 million. This reinforced the argument made previously by Caithness Roads Recovery that the county should be entitled to £20 million for repairs as it had approximately 10 per cent of the region’s roads network.
THE NHS approach to mental illness has been condemned as “woefully inadequate and outdated” by the founder of a Caithness-based campaign group. Steven Szyfelbain, of No More Lost Souls, spoke out after new statistics on mental health waiting times revealed that 35 per cent of children and 40 per cent of adults were waiting more than a year to be treated after being referred to NHS Highland. He said those who engaged with the group had told of lengthy delays, while he himself had been waiting for three years for a face-to-face diagnosis.
MORE than 20 intrepid swimmers took the plunge at Thurso beach in the town’s first Spring Soakin’. The event was arranged by Thurso Community Development Trust (TCDT) after plans for a New Year’s Day dip were scrapped because of Covid-19 for the second year in a row. Carol Paterson, TCDT board member and organiser of the Soakin’, said that although the entry of 22 was lower than the 130-plus who participated in the inaugural New Year dip in January 2020, it was encouraging to see people being so willing to take part in community activities again after two years of restrictions.
POTHOLE repairs in Caithness and across the rest of the Highland Council area were grinding to a halt as a result of the UK’s trade sanctions against Russia, it had been claimed. It was understood that all tarring and chipping work had to be put on hold by the local authority because of a lack of bitumen – one of the products no longer being imported from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. “We had a big tarring programme and a chipping programme and everything has been stopped,” a source in the council roads department said. “Even contractors can’t get tar – they are trying to source other stuff but they can’t do it. We can’t get bitumen, we can’t get cold tar... There’s absolutely nothing. So there will be no potholes or anything filled for the foreseeable future. Everything has ground to a halt.”
CAITHNESS showed its caring side as the county led the way at the annual Highland Heroes awards. Four of the 12 category winners were from the far north, with the overall Hero of Heroes award going on the night to Thurso Boys’ Brigade stalwart Johanna Geddes.
April
SCHOOL pupils in Lybster had stepped up to help children fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Lybster primary youngsters helped raise more than £4000 with an effort that the whole school got behind. The children decided to walk the equivalent distance from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to Warsaw in Poland, where many of the refugees were heading – a total of 465 miles. Head teacher Denise Walsh said: “The idea for fundraising came about with both children and staff at Lybster saying that they wanted to do something worthwhile for all the Ukraine children who had been displaced and lost their homes and families."
EASTER arrived early in Wick as the Elise Lyall School of Dance held an outdoor fundraising event in Bank Row. The Easter Fayre took place in Cowie’s yard, next to Wick Heritage Museum, and in the adjacent World War II memorial garden. There was a large turnout of spectators and the weather was kind, with the sun shining for most of the day.
A NEWLY developed robot had been used to examine an inaccessible part of the Dounreay complex. The machine, named Lyra, surveyed an underground radioactive ventilation duct.
THE door was open for a “nuclear renaissance” in the far north after the UK government pledged to build eight new reactors – one a year until 2030. The release of the long-awaited British Energy Security Strategy heralded jobs, investment and cheaper bills and sparked hopes that Caithness could become a major beneficiary. Local councillor Struan Mackie, who chaired Dounreay Stakeholder Group, claimed the SNP and Greens had dropped the ball on nuclear and turned their back on jobs in an area suffering severe depopulation.
THE rising costs of road and rail journeys meant that choosing the newly restored Wick/Aberdeen air link was “a no-brainer” for those travelling between Caithness and the Granite City, it was claimed. Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, emphasised that the subsidised service operated by Eastern Airways compared favourably with other forms of transport in terms of price as well as convenience. A long campaign to bring back scheduled links to Wick John O’Groats Airport had culminated with the first flight to Aberdeen since March 2020.
A NEW motoring heritage attraction in a Caithness village had been hailed as “absolutely fantastic” and an asset to the north of Scotland as a whole. Halkirk Heritage and Vintage Motor Centre provided a showcase for a dozen gleaming vintage and classic cars as well as display areas devoted to different aspects of local history. The official opening was a poignant occasion as volunteers and invited guests remembered the late Edward Sutherland, whose dream it had been to see a motoring heritage centre established in his home village.
SCOTLAND’S environmental regulator launched an official investigation into a leak of caustic material at Dounreay. The incident was contained and the environmental impact was thought to be minimal, according to the site owners. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said the leak of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen which was historically used in a variety of industrial processes, presented a “low radiological hazard”.
A POD of orcas created a memorable wildlife spectacle as they made their way along the north coast of Caithness and Sutherland. Delighted onlookers turned out at Thurso Bay and other vantage points as the pod known as the 27s travelled from east to west, coming close to the shore in some locations.
May
A CAITHNESS councillor hit out at the “thug-like” behaviour of those who had chosen to vandalise his posters in the run-up to the local authority elections. Conservative candidate Struan Mackie declared that intimidation was not the way to deal with political differences and vowed that he would repair and replace every sign that had been targeted. Some signs were taken down and discarded in bins in Thurso’s pedestrian precinct, while there had also been incidents in Castletown and Bower. He had reported the matter to the police.
A FATAL accident inquiry was to be held into the Cemfjord tragedy – more than seven years after the cargo ship sank in extreme conditions in the Pentland Firth with the loss of all eight crew. The Cypriot-registered freighter capsized on January 2, 2015, while taking a cargo of cement from Denmark to England. The Hrossey ferry, sailing from Lerwick to Aberdeen, discovered the upturned hull. The crew – seven Polish men and one from the Philippines – were never found. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service confirmed that an inquiry would take place.
WICK Development Trust was poised to take over the running of the town’s caravan and camping site in time for the main tourist season. The intention was to operate the facility as a community enterprise, with profits ultimately going towards local regeneration projects. Highland Council had been seeking new operators for the popular riverside site after the couple who ran it for 15 years, Tricia and William Miller, decided to retire.
THREE teenagers were apprehended by police after swastika graffiti was discovered on a number of walls in Thurso.
HIGHLAND Council officials were being urged to deliver a report on safety upgrades at the Forss straight – three months after a site visit led to the actions of some motorists being condemned as “downright insanity”. Members of Forss Campaign Group were becoming impatient with the local authority, arguing that improvements to the A836 between Dounreay and Thurso should have been dealt with as a matter of urgency. Group members took part in an hour-long site visit at the straight on February 14. The gathering included Highland councillors, community councillors and roads officials as well as Dounreay’s managing director Mark Rouse.
THE economy would be a key focus for Highland Council under its new leader, Raymond Bremner. The member for Wick and East Caithness was elected to lead the local authority and immediately set out his priorities for the next five years. He added: “Whilst I may have been voted leader of council [and] I will do my best for this council, you will not be surprised to hear me say that I am a Caithness councillor first and foremost.”
PRADIP Datta’s huge contribution to the medical profession and to the Caithness community was to be remembered at a celebration of his life. Family members, friends and former colleagues of the highly respected consultant surgeon would gather in Wick St Fergus Church for the event, with others around the world joining online. Mr Datta, MBE MS FRCS, died in March at the age of 81. Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Mr Datta spent 25 years working in Wick, first at the Bignold Hospital and then at Caithness General. Young surgeons would come from around the world to be trained by him. He was also a renowned sportsman, winning multiple squash championships.
June
THE crew of an American military plane assumed Wick was a “sleepy little airport” before becoming involved in a potential near-miss with a helicopter off the east coast of Caithness, it had emerged. The US plane, a C-12 Huron, was on a training flight when the incident occurred seven months previously. The helicopter was a Sikorsky S92 which was heading to a ship. A report found that the C-12 pilot took action after finding that “they were nearly 500ft below the assigned altitude”. The incident occurred 14 miles south-southeast of Wick at around 9.20am on October 20.
PEOPLE across Caithness turned out in force to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne during the Platinum Jubilee weekend. A beacon was lit at John O’Groats, with schools and communities from Bower to Watten organising their own street parties, barbecues and other gatherings to honour Queen Elizabeth II’s long reign.
WICK’S memorial to lost seafarers would be “something special for the town” and one of the top monuments in the north of Scotland, a public meeting heard. Rising to a height of five metres above the Braehead, overlooking the harbour and bay, the solitary bronze figure would symbolise how the sea “gives with one hand and takes away with the other”. The design for the statue was revealed at a public meeting organised by the Seafarers Memorial Group. The group had raised more than £100,000 for a monument to all seafarers lost at sea from or in the WK registration area, stretching from Talmine in the west across to Stroma and down as far as Golspie. Chairman Willie Watt said there had been “a magic response” and “amazing support” for the project. He told the meeting in Mackays Hotel, attended by around 60 members of the public: “It allows families with tragic tales to tell to actually have somewhere to go to reflect.” Alan Beattie Herriot had been selected to create the sculpture, due to be unveiled in May 2023.
CONCERN was growing about the “rotten” and “smelly” state of a dead whale washed ashore in Wick Bay three months previously. Community councillor Alastair Ferrier claimed it represented a biohazard and was worried that children venturing too close to the carcass could pick up diseases from it. The body of the minke whale had been slowly deteriorating since coming ashore in March on rocks on the north side of the bay, below the popular North Head footpath.
EAGER wildlife fans gathered at various points along the Caithness coastline to see a pod of five killer whales passing close to the shore. There were sightings all the way from Wick to Huna, and passengers on a John O’Groats wildlife cruise saw the orcas making a kill. Photos taken by orca watcher Karen Munro in the Freswick Bay area showed how close the whales were to the coast. They were from a pod known as the 64s. “They put on a wonderful show for many as they came up the east coast,” Karen said.
THE historic Dutch connection to John O’Groats was strengthened when a team of footballers from the Netherlands took part in a fundraising football match against a local select. The game at the village’s Folke Park – where Scottish and Dutch flags flew in the brisk wind – marked the culmination of an end-to-end trek by Gijs van der Poel, known as the Rambling Groundhopper. He was raising money for Street Soccer Scotland and was writing a book about his journey.
CRASH victim Liam Mackay was described as “a real diamond of a guy” by a co-manager of his former football team. The 21-year-old from Dunnet sustained serious injuries when his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car on the A836 and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Liam, a mechanical technician at Vulcan, was a former footballer with Dunnet-based Pentland United. The club’s Highland Amateur Cup tie against Lairg Rovers was switched to Castletown. A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off by both sets of players along with the match officials and a large crowd of spectators. Speaking immediately after the game, Pentland United co-manager Michael Gray said: “It is obviously quite an emotionally charged day. Liam was a former player, a local lad and a really good guy. He had so much to live for. He was maturing into a very fine young man.”
July
AN area of waste ground in Wick had been identified as a potential site for a solar energy farm that would generate renewable power for surrounding homes. The idea is being put forward by Councillor Raymond Bremner, who believes a photovoltaic power station in Pulteneytown would bring a range of benefits at a time of escalating energy costs. His proposed site was a piece of derelict land at the rear of Pulteney Distillery.
BEACH visitors in Caithness were being urged to avoid dead birds as avian flu continued to hit populations around the county and beyond. Retired Thurso vet Sinclair Manson warned people to approach the short stretch of pebble beach next to Lybster harbour with caution due to the number of apparent bird flu casualties there. “There’s a notice at Thurso beach as well telling people to stay away from the carcasses of birds,” Mr Manson said. “People should stay well clear from them. It’s probably bird flu that’s killing a lot of these birds as it’s rife at the moment.”
HIGHLAND Council was accused by a Caithness minister of showing “a sheer lack of compassion to grieving families” over the high cost of arranging burials for loved ones. Campaign group Caithness Roads Recovery (CRR) warned that the charges imposed by the local authority were leaving many bereaved relatives with “unaffordable” bills. CRR claimed burial costs were being used as “a very convenient cash cow” and that they amounted to a “death tax”. The group’s stance had been supported by local Church of Scotland minister the Rev David Malcolm. He said: "Families who are facing one of the most difficult times in their lives with the death of a loved one are unaware of just how much an increase has been made on burial charges. My concern is that the unjustifiable rise is simply an easy way for Highland Council to raise funds. This demonstrates a sheer lack of compassion to grieving families.”
FERRY services between Gills Bay and South Ronaldsay were halted after it emerged that the MV Alfred suffered impact damage when it ran aground on Swona. The Orkney-bound vessel had 84 passengers and 13 crew on board when the incident happened in calm conditions on an afternoon sailing. Pentland Ferries, operator of the £14 million catamaran, said the situation on board the vessel remained calm but confirmed that “a few passengers” sustained injuries. The company issued a statement in which it apologised for the disruption and said it was looking at the possibility of bringing the MV Pentalina back into service. The Alfred replaced the Pentalina on the route in 2019. An initial inspection revealed that the Alfred’s port bulbous bow had sustained impact damage when it made contact with the uninhabited island.
POLICE and coastguard teams were continuing investigations into the tragic death of an 18-year-old woman near Thurso. Alesha Wright died after apparently falling from cliffs at Victoria Walk in Thurso. A 26-year-old man was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, said to be suffering from serious injuries as part of the same incident.
THREE years after it last took place, the County Show returned in style with a bumper crowd eager to be part of the far north’s biggest agricultural and social event of the year. Caithness Agricultural Society’s 179th show, and the first since Covid, attracted thousands of visitors to sunny Thurso East as town and country came together in the time-honoured way. The champion of champions award went to the supreme horse winner, Independent Boy (Bailey), a four-year-old light horse owned by Geraldine Harrold and ridden by James Munro. Show president John Murray, of Netherside, Castletown, said: “The hard work has really paid off. I think it has been an absolutely tremendous show. It has been very well supported by the public and the weather couldn’t be better.”
THE opening night of Wick Gala Week provided a chance for townspeople to relive the glory days before Covid. Gala queen Beth Dunnett was crowned at the riverside by her predecessor Maja Pearson. Beth was ready to take up the crown in 2020 but the event had been postponed due to Covid restrictions. Gala committee chairman Alex McDonald gave a vote of thanks to all who had helped with the event. “Without the dedicated hard-working committee, that you do not see, this [event] would not be going ahead,” he said.
A CAITHNESS man’s 200-mile cycling challenge in memory of his wife had resulted in a five-figure sum being raised for good causes. Stuart Swanson, a farmer at Tister, rode to Skye in one day as a way of remembering Marina, who died in June 2020. Marina, who was 44, was well known through her work as a countryside ranger.
August
PRINCE Charles was told about the benefits of oxygen therapy for long Covid and a range of other health conditions on a visit to Wick. The prince, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, officially opened the refurbished Healing Hub at the town’s Braehead with invited guests and members of the public looking on in glorious sunshine. A blunt pair of scissors caused a brief delay to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but the royal visitor duly completed the task to an impromptu round of applause. Prince Charles then visited the Caithness Foodbank in Wick's former Carnegie library. He met volunteers and supporters of the food bank to hear more about the support they provide to those in need and was introduced to a selection of community groups based in the county. Caithness Foodbank trustee and volunteer Pat Ramsay said: “He was very personable to everybody and spent time with us all. He also gave us a very generous donation of things we were short of, oatcakes, shortbread, sugar and suchlike.”
PRINCE Charles was welcomed to the Mey Highland Games field as the chieftain after a three-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions, and while the sun may have failed to materialise the event broke new ground with adaptive events. Games chairman Andrew Sinclair said: “His Royal Highness was in very good form and appeared to greatly enjoy meeting the various traders, taking time to appreciate some of the work on display by local craftspeople. We’re already looking forward to our 2023 games.” Prince Charles spent part of his last day in Caithness planting a tree at Canisbay church after attending the annual royal service there.
IT was a record-breaking day at the Halkirk Highland Games. The event attracted a record crowd of 3346 and record gate receipts of £16,976, much to the delight of the organisers. The games were cancelled in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the pandemic but the decision to stage them in 2022 was vindicated when a large crowd turned out at Recreation Park despite the dull and cool conditions.
THE Society of Caithness Artists held its first physical show since 2019, in a new venue where 30 artworks were sold and almost £4000 taken in on the opening night. Chairman Ian Pearson said there had been a good turnout of artists from all age groups, with 91 submitting their works and 239 pieces on show at the ETEC building at UHI North Highland campus.
THE Thurso base of AMTE Power was central to the company’s expansion plans, according to chief executive Kevin Brundish. He made the pledge about the Caithness site and its 35 staff following the announcement that the battery cell manufacturer was to build a mega-factory in Dundee and create more than 200 highly skilled jobs.
SCOTLAND’S health secretary Humza Yousaf had been given a first-hand account of the impact on families caused by the downgrading of Caithness maternity services after coming face to face with a young local mother and her baby. The woman broke down as she spoke about the worry and stress of having to travel to Inverness to give birth, and Mr Yousaf was said to have been moved by her story. The emotionally charged encounter happened in Wick as the health secretary held an hour-long meeting with Caithness Health Action Team. Mr Yousaf also indicated that a review would be carried out.
CONCERNS over the upkeep of Caithness roads had intensified after a Halkirk pensioner suffered a gash to the head when he lost his footing in a pothole. Hughie Lockhart (74) also hurt his knee when he fell while walking in the village with his son. Campaign group Caithness Roads Recovery said Mr Lockhart’s “distressing” experience had further highlighted the “appalling” state of the roads in the county.
THE Swartigill archaeological dig on the Thrumster Estate reported a “star find” with a colourful 2000-year-old bead with a yellow spiral pattern. The Iron Age site was being worked on by a team of volunteers, students and experienced archaeologists from Orkney. The half-fragment of a beautifully decorated glass bead was discovered by former UHI student Val Ashpool.
POSTAL workers were manning picket lines at Royal Mail delivery offices in the far north and other locations across the UK as part of the latest nationwide strike over pay.
September
THURSO lifeboat stalwart William “Wing” Munro was honoured for more than half a century of commitment to the RNLI. He was presented with a medal marking 50 years’ dedicated and loyal service, along with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal, at Thurso RNLI’s open day. A new searchlight was also dedicated to him.
WICK’S Avonlea care home was “being temporarily vacated” and was “not formally closing”, Highland Council has announced. The statement appeared to be at odds with a previous comment from the local authority that the facility was “progressing a carefully planned closure”.
AROUND 1200 people enjoyed a song and a dance down by the beach when the Tunes By the Dunes festival took place at Dunnet. The two-day event at Ham Park included performances by Skerryvore, Peat and Diesel, Tide Lines and The Chair.
WETHERSPOONS staff in Wick were to be kept on by the new owners of the pub, who want to expand the popular town centre business. Rob Reeley, managing director of the Inntuitive Group Ltd, which had bought the Alexander Bain pub in Market Square, already owned the Weigh Inn and the Y-Not in Thurso as well as the Ferry Inn, Scrabster. He said the jobs of the 24 employees of the Wetherspoons pub would be retained.
CAITHNESS people were reminded of the county’s “unique relationship” with the royal family as the reign of King Charles III began. Hundreds gathered at Wick’s historic Market Cross to hear the official proclamation of the new monarch following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96. The Proclamation of Accession was read by Struan Mackie, the provost of Thurso and senior civic leader in the county, accompanied by Lord Thurso, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the county. “Today’s ceremony marks the formal proclamation to the people of the county of Caithness of the beginning of our new King’s reign – a King who is one of us, a Freeman of the county of Caithness,” Councillor Mackie said. “Caithness has a unique relationship with the royal family – not because we are home to one of the great historical royal seats of this realm, but out of choice. The royal family have, over the years, chosen to reside here, to visit here, both publicly and privately, and to be part of our community.” Lord Thurso had earlier spoken of the “outstanding service” given by Queen Elizabeth II over her 70-year reign and how she would be remembered with “great affection and gratitude”. Her Majesty's death brought to an end the longest reign of any monarch in the history of the United Kingdom.
A LOCAL businessman described Caithness as “the forgotten area” after taking matters into his own hands over the damage caused by potholes. Gordon Robertson was so fed up with the state of the public road leading to his home and quarry at Barrock, and the toll it was taking on vehicles, that he set about fixing the worst stretch himself. He reckoned the ongoing resurfacing work would have cost around £6000 had he been paying someone to do it.
VINTAGE vehicle enthusiasts gathered at the Castle of Mey to pay homage to a very special car. Starting at Scrabster harbour, a convoy of classics took part in the Bluebell Coastal Run – a special event organised by Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club to celebrate the saving of a Standard 10 from being crushed under the government’s scrappage scheme.
SOME interest had been expressed in buying the ferry business at John O’Groats – but the present owners said it would be “business as usual” until any deal went through. It was announced in July that John O’Groats Ferries was being put up for sale as a going concern after being run by members of the same family for more than half a century.
October
THE organisers of Caithness International Science Festival 2022 were delighted to report that more than 1500 visitors attended its fun day event in Wick High School. “I’m really pleased with the turnout and with all the enthusiasm everyone showed,” said Professor Iain Baikie, chairman of Science 03.
DOUNREAY contributed £77.5 million a year to the far north economy and employed 15 per cent more staff than it did six years before, a new report revealed. The document looked at the social and economic importance of the former nuclear site, currently being decommissioned, to Caithness and north Sutherland. Commissioned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the publication provided an update on previous reports in 2006, 2012 and 2016.
SAILS were at full mast as the Wick Yachties took part in a fun day which included a timed journey from the harbour to Sinclair’s Bay and back.
THE scale of the mental health crisis among young people across the Highlands had been laid bare in a new study in which most of those taking part were from Caithness. The research by mental health charity Centred found that more than half of young people in the region were facing “significant stress” and most of those who had experienced mental health disorders were not able to receive help in a timely manner during the pandemic.
TWENTY-SIX clubs, charities and community groups were given an equal share of a bumper £18,000-plus payout following a showpiece fundraising football match in Thurso. A team of Rangers Legends travelled north to take on a Thurso 999 Services select at the Dammies in June, followed by a sportsmen’s dinner in the town’s Royal British Legion. Planning for the event had started two years earlier but it was delayed by Covid. The initial target was to surpass the £10,000 raised at a game between Thurso firefighters and RNLI members in 2019. But the total came to just over £30,000 after expenses. Some of the money would be used to provide four 24-hour accessible defibrillators.
COUNCILLOR Matthew Reiss declared that “Caithness is losing out” after figures emerged showing the county had more road defects than Inverness, Lochaber and Nairn put together. A Highland Council report drawn up at the end of the previous month revealed that Caithness had a total of 4754 “outstanding work instructions” compared with 2043 for Inverness, 2173 for Lochaber and 137 for Nairn.
THE Scottish Ploughing Championships returned to Caithness, after a successful event in 2013, and three locals won awards. The championships were hosted by Morgan and Nicola Milne at Stanstill.
A CAITHNESS councillor called for an urgent briefing from local authority officials on the closure of a three-storey building at Thurso High School. Ron Gunn, a local Highland councillor and chairman of the Caithness committee, wanted answers to questions about the short-term and long-term future of the block, adjacent to Ormlie Road. It was closed as a result of structural concerns about the concrete frame of the building, constructed in the 1960s as an extension to the school.
THERE was a special delivery for Wick care home resident Cathie Christian as she received her 100th birthday card from King Charles III. Cathie celebrated her centenary with staff, relatives, friends and other residents of Seaview House at an afternoon tea party. Staff at Seaview House believe that Cathie was the first centenarian in Caithness to receive a card from Charles III.
November
THE owners of Mackays Hotel in Wick said they were “utterly stunned” to be named as Highlands and Islands tourism ambassadors. Ellie and Murray Lamont received the honour jointly at the 2022 Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in Inverness. It was part of a double celebration for the long-established Wick business as it also took the award for best hotel experience (over 20 rooms).
COXSWAIN Dougie Munro has stood down from the Thurso lifeboat crew after 47 years of service. His commitment and dedication to the RNLI was described as “truly remarkable”. During his time as a volunteer, Mr Munro was involved in numerous rescues and received awards for heroism and gallantry.
EXHIBITORS at the Taste North food and drink festival were said to be “over the moon” with the success of the event in Wick. More than 1400 visitors attended and there were 37 exhibitors as Taste North returned for the first time since 2019. The event in the East Caithness Community Facility featured food, drink and craft stalls as well as cookery and cocktail demonstrations and the Taste North Challenge baking competition.
COMMUNITIES across Caithness fell silent as they paid their respects at the annual Remembrance Day services. People turned out to remember those who fought in past conflicts and honour the sacrifice of the fallen. In Thurso, Special Constable Thelma Mackenzie was given the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of Police Scotland after 42 years of service in Caithness.
FIRE cover in parts of Caithness and north Sutherland had been “seriously compromised”, according to Councillor Matthew Reiss. He also criticised “the complacent and defensive attitude” of management as a former experienced firefighter described the situation in Thurso as “dire” and said morale at the station was “terrible”. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service acknowledged that recruitment was “an ongoing challenge” but stressed steps were being taken to address the problems. The ex-firefighter, who did not wish to be named, said there used to be “a family feeling” among the staff but in the past year seven people had resigned with the loss of 150 years of experience.
MEMBERS of the Royal British Legion Scotland gathered at the Skitten airfield memorial near Wick to mark the 80th anniversary of an ill-fated wartime mission. Operation Freshman was designed to stop Nazi Germany’s attempts at developing an atomic bomb in 1942. The aim of the daring operation was to halt the Germans’ atomic weapons programme by destroying a vital heavy-water plant in occupied Norway. But 41 men who flew from Skitten lost their lives, 23 of them executed by the Gestapo.
THE first four street pastors in Caithness were commissioned at an event in Wick and were about to embark on their first patrol. Alan and Margaret Finch, along with Peter Sinclair and Richard Sharp, undertook 12 days of training over a 12-week period and officially became street pastors at a ceremony in Wick Baptist Church. Victims of sexual harassment, people with mental health problems and revellers who had drunk too much could all be helped by the initiative.
December
A CAITHNESS man claimed his broken chimney stack could have killed him and his wife with carbon monoxide fumes as they slept. Davy Nicolson and his wife Isla feared the stack at their council house at Ulbster could collapse at any time, and believed that carbon monoxide fumes had poisoned them one morning a fortnight earlier. “My eyes were stinging and Isla was coughing and spluttering,” Mr Nicolson recalled. “The fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms were going off so we phoned the council’s emergency number and the lassie said, ‘Oh, that’s dangerous, you’ll have to phone the fire brigade.’ So the fire brigade came and they said it could have killed us.” Mr and Mrs Nicolson had been in a long-running battle with Highland Council to have the stack repaired.
THE Avonlea care home in Wick could close by Christmas, it was revealed – leaving residents wondering where they would spend the festive season and staff facing an uncertain future. The Highland Council facility in West Banks Avenue – opened at a cost of £1.2 million eight years previously – had been served with an improvement notice by the Care Inspectorate. It gave the local authority two weeks to make “significant improvement in provision of the service” or its registration of the home would be cancelled. That would mean it could be shut on December 12. Checks were carried out on Avonlea by the Care Inspectorate in July 2022 and a subsequent report listed a number of complaints.
THE former owner of a Caithness free-range eggs enterprise which was shut down after it became a potential health hazard shouldered the bulk of the blame as he was jailed. Sheriff Jo Platt told the former company boss, Peter Armitage (41), that the deterioration in the “horrifying conditions” at Lochquoy Farm at Durran, near Castletown, could have been avoided. Armitage was jailed for two years and three months after he admitted charges under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. He was also banned from keeping animals for 15 years.
THE M&Co shops in Caithness were facing uncertainty after the fashion retailer went into administration, blaming rising costs and a decline in consumer confidence. M&Co had around 180 UK stores, including shops in Wick and Thurso, and had appointed Teneo Financial Advisory Ltd as the administrator of its affairs, business and property. Gavin Park, a joint administrator with Teneo, said: “Like many retailers, the company has experienced a sharp rise in its input costs, which has coincided with a decline in consumer confidence leading to trading challenges. Despite a very loyal customer base, particularly in local markets, and a well-recognised brand, the current economic outlook has placed increasing pressure on the company’s cash position. No immediate redundancies have been made and the joint administrators are exploring a potential sale of the business in an accelerated timeframe, during which time the company will continue to trade from its stores and website.”
COUNCILLOR Raymond Bremner sought to reassure Highland Council’s 10,000 employees that the local authority would do everything possible to avoid redundancies. The council leader was keen to reassure staff as a new report detailed up to 500 job losses and swingeing service cuts. Senior councillors and executives said they were working to “reduce, reshape and review” the workforce rather than make redundancies.
DOUNREAY would have a budget of over £200 million in the coming year but faced rising costs due to inflation. The figure was divulged by the site’s director of security and resilience, Mac MacGill, at a meeting of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group. He said the funding for the 2023/24 financial year would be £208.5 million but increasing costs and inflation would impact on the budget. Mr MacGill illustrated the point by saying that this year there had been a 15 per cent increase in costs due to higher prices which resulted in funding being cut in real terms from £203 million to £198m.
THE new college for the north and west Highlands and Outer Hebrides would be known as UHI North, West and Hebrides when three UHI colleges merged. The boards of management at UHI North Highland, UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland had formally approved the merger proposal and business case which would see them come together as a single UHI college from August 2023, pending Scottish Government approval.
“WE cannot go into another winter in the same situation.” That was the message after a day of travel chaos saw the A9 blocked and flights grounded. Healthcare campaigners in the far north said the situation could have been deadly if an emergency had arisen, especially for pregnant mums in Caithness. Snowdrifts at Berriedale saw the trunk road south blocked, with lorries, vans and cars all struggling to cope with the conditions. It led to hours of delays, while the airport at Wick was also closed for a few hours due to the weather, meaning emergency flights would not have been able to take off. Kirsteen Campbell, chairwoman of the North Highland Women’s Wellness Hub, said: “Emergencies are my biggest fear. Yes, they can be rare, but they do happen. To drive in those conditions is a massive responsibility, whether it’s a loved one or an ambulance crew. It is putting a lot of lives at unnecessary risk.” Caithness Health Action Team chairman Ron Gunn agreed that change was needed, saying: “They really have to look at how safe it is travelling down the A9."
