A year of Caithness news: January to March
After another busy year, we look back at some of the stories that hit the headlines in the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier during 2023
January
Around 600 revellers celebrated the start of 2023 in Wick town centre as the New Year street party returned for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Local group Reviver played on the back of a truck provided by D Steven & Son. Provost Jan McEwan addressed the crowd in the run-up to midnight and there were pipe tunes from Morven and Glenn Miller. Organiser. Allan Farquhar, from the Hogmanay and People’s Party Yearly (HAPPY) group, said the weather had been perfect and everyone had been in good spirits
A crowd of up to 400 welcomed in 2023 at the traditional Hogmanay bonfire in Wick’s Bignold Park. It was described as a “joyful” occasion and an example of “the community coming together”. The bonfire returned to its usual format after being hit by Covid restrictions over the previous two years.
Families in Caithness and north Sutherland were reaching out for help after a national advice service warned of soaring council tax debts. Citizens Advice Scotland said it feared arrears would increase massively in 2023 as people prioritised food, housing and energy bills.
Far north politicians were being urged to take a tour of Wick’s potholed streets and see for themselves how the town was “falling to bits”. Joanna Coghill, chairperson of the local community council, spoke out over the “appalling” state of some streets and challenged Maree Todd MSP and Jamie Stone MP to come and see the worst spots for themselves. “You go to Dornoch or Inverness, anywhere, and their roads are lovely,” Mrs Coghill said. “And you come to ours and you think, ‘Oh my God.’"
An experienced sea-watcher described an orca encounter off the east coast of Caithness as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. Colin Bird was scanning the coastline from Swiney Hill, above Lybster, when he spotted two adult males belonging to the west coast community of killer whales. Known as John Coe and Aquarius, they had never been reported in Caithness waters before. The pair were later seen from Clyth, Sarclet, the Trinkie, Staxigoe, Noss Head and Duncansby Head.
Prince Harry had revealed how he “serenaded” seals on the Caithness coast – and concluded that his wife Meghan must have magic powers when the animals sang back at the couple. Harry then stripped off and went into the sea to swim with the seals, although he was later warned that singing to them could have led to their “blood-soaked deaths” if orcas had been in the vicinity. The shoreline encounter happened near the Castle of Mey in the summer of 2018, a few months after the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and was recounted in Harry’s newly published book Spare.
Health campaigners reiterated their view that services for women in Caithness and Sutherland were neither safe nor ethical. They also emphasised that women were “more than just baby-makers” and that gynaecological care was essential throughout their lives. In the meantime, members of the North Highland Women’s Wellbeing Hub were continuing to work with human rights organisations as they sought improvements at local level.
A plaque was installed in Wick in honour of sculptor Scott Sutherland as part of a project aimed at “keeping his name alive”. Born in the town in 1910, Sutherland is best known for the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge but he also created many other renowned monuments. Members of the Commando Association and the Royal Marines Association were present to see the circular plaque being unveiled and dedicated outside Wick Heritage Museum.
February
A heritage trust launched a fundraising campaign to preserve a rare Pictish stone unearthed in Caithness. The engraved stone was found by chance near the site of an early medieval chapel, seven miles south of Wick, the previous September. Since then, it had been removed and looked after by Yarrows Heritage Trust, which was to install a replica in its place. The original was earmarked to undergo specialist restoration before being put on permanent display at the North Coast Visitor Centre in Thurso. The trust had received listed building consent for its plans for the stone, thought to date from the sixth or seventh century AD. It was discovered by Thurso woman Fiona Begg as she researched her family roots at St Martin’s burial ground, adjoining the Sinclair Mausoleum at Ulbster.
Wick driving instructors spoke out about the pothole hazards they faced every day – and they wanted Highland Council to explain why Caithness roads had been allowed to get into such a state. They insisted it was unfair on learner drivers as they constantly had to look out for crumbling surfaces. Gary Sinclair, of Gary’s Driving School, said: “The one question I want answered by the council is why is Caithness so bad? Examiners are saying this is the worst place that they cover.” And Debbie Aitkenhead, of DA Driving School, claimed: “It seems the farther away you are from Inverness, the less interest they’ve got. It’s not fair on new starts who are trying to keep control of the car."
A walk to the supermarket turned into a painful ordeal for an 81-year-old Thurso woman when she broke a wrist and sustained a head injury after tripping on an uneven pavement. Aileen Sutherland was now keen to urge other pedestrians to be careful, warning that some footpaths can be as much of a safety hazard as potholed road surfaces. She said she knew of people in their eighties and nineties who were “frightened to go out”, adding: “I want to point out how dangerous everywhere is – not only the roads.”
The Scottish Government’s lack of plans to improve the A9 north of Inverness was “reprehensible” and was putting lives at risk, according to a Caithness business leader. Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, claimed it showed “how low our rural communities rank in investment decisions made by central government”.
An award-winning Caithness brewery feared its business would effectively be ruined if the Scottish Government went ahead with proposals to restrict alcohol marketing. John O’Groats Brewery echoed the feelings of many in the drinks industry by raising concerns over the impact of measures that were being consulted on until March. These included prohibiting alcohol advertising in outdoor public spaces, phasing out alcohol sponsorship and reducing in-store promotion of alcohol.
Work to convert a historic mill on the outskirts of Castletown was set to get under way in May after Highland Council granted the project a building warrant. The local authority’s decision delighted mill owners Martin and Claire Murray, who were seeking to turn the property into a whisky distillery and visitor centre. Mr Murray pointed out that King Charles once said he “could not bear to see the Castletown mill become more and more deteriorated”.
March
A Caithness woman voiced her anger at the prospect of a “massive” increase in a wind farm that would dominate the skyline close to her home. Jo Bowd was already worried about the visual impact of the Golticlay project, approved two years previously and planned for a site directly across from her cottage at Roster, north of Lybster. Now she was dismayed to find that the developer, RWE Renewables UK Onshore Wind, was seeking to increase the maximum blade-tip height of the 19 consented turbines from 130 to 200 metres. That would make them only 30m shorter than the Rumster transmitter. Miss Bowd said: “These turbines are going to be seen from most of Caithness. They are going to be massive."
Normandy veteran Robbie Larnach, from Lybster, had died at the age of 98. Mr Larnach was a 20-year-old Driver/Mechanic in the Royal Artillery when he arrived in northern France in the aftermath of D-Day. “Anybody that says they weren’t terrified landing in Normandy, they’re telling lies,” he once said.
Ron Gunn, chairman of Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), was concerned that the county appeared to have been “forgotten about” amid the news of extra funding for maternity services in Moray and Inverness. The Scottish Government announced that up to £6.6 million would be made available for the return of a full maternity service at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin by 2026, while refurbishment of Raigmore Hospital’s maternity unit would be supported through a separate £5 million package. Mr Gunn said CHAT would be asking Scotland’s next First Minister to support an independent inquiry into maternity provision in Caithness.
A Wick High School teacher described as an inspiration to his pupils was among the winners at a glittering celebration of Highland Heroes. Chris Aitken scooped the secondary teacher of the year award at the event organised by Highland News and Media. The awards also saw husband-and-wife team Martin and Claire Murray of Dunnet Bay Distillers scoop another award for their company's green credentials. More than a dozen accolades were presented after over 16,000 people voted in online polls across the categories.
A couple who had stepped in to restore a fixed post office service to Wick were praised for their dedication to the community. Glyn and Joy Jackson said they would set up the service within the town’s Poundstretcher store. The new post office will operate four days a week, leaving the couple free to also continue their mobile service. Mr Jackson said an agreement had been reached with Poundstretcher, with arrangements being made to move all the necessary kit.
Caithness was put at the front and centre of the national conversation after the three candidates vying to be the next First Minister were challenged to address local concerns. Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan faced questions at a Highland debate hosted by Highland News and Media. Having heard their promises on a range of subjects – including maternity services in the county, decentralisation, governing for the whole of Scotland and even looking at the break-up of Highland Council – local campaigners were determined to make the next First Minister stick to their pledges.
Dounreay's operators were expected to reveal a significant extension to the expected completion date for the decommissioning of the site. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was reviewing the processes and timescales behind the demolition of the experimental fast reactor complex. A seasoned Dounreay watcher raised fears that some buildings on the site could end up being “stuck in mothballs”. Roger Saxon believed the current deadline of 2033 was unachievable and was concerned momentum that with the clean-up had been lost.
Highland Council was being urged to consider putting up warning signs on a “death trap” road in the west of Caithness. Councillor Matthew Reiss also suggests the local authority should look at introducing an advisory speed limit on the route between Thurso and Reay via Westfield and Shebster. He said the unclassified road – used by Dounreay traffic and heavy goods vehicles – was “hazardous”, with drivers having faced expensive repair bills for pothole damage, and warned that further accidents were likely.
Sir Keir Starmer said he was struck by the sense of pride among the Beatrice offshore wind farm workforce as he set out plans to double the number of UK renewable energy jobs under a Labour government. The party leader described renewables as "an incredible opportunity" for cheaper bills and energy independence as he toured the Beatrice operations and maintenance base at Wick harbour before being taken out in a crew transfer vessel for a close-up view of the wind farm itself. Sir Keir was accompanied by former party leader Ed Miliband, the shadow secretary of state for climate change and net-zero, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Work to reopen public toilets in Wick would get under way soon after a contract was awarded to a local company. The toilets had been closed since early 2020 after being targeted in a series of acts of vandalism. Norbloc Construction Ltd, based in Halkirk, would now undertake the full refurbishment of the public conveniences at Whitechapel Road. The works would cost £395,000.
Scotland's new First Minister was urged to take swift action to sort out the deteriorating roads and pavements in Caithness. Iain Gregory, co-founder of Caithness Roads Recovery, wrote to Humza Yousaf to call for action over their “dangerous and unacceptable condition”.
Wick Players secured a place in the national final of Scotland’s annual community drama competition. They were placed first in the Highland divisional final of the Scottish Community Drama Association Festival of One-Act Plays, held in Thurso. The Wick entry, Spring Cleaning, was from a collection left to the club by the late Ian Mathieson, and won the Caithness district contest.