Brother and sister take up top posts at Gills Harbour Ltd
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A BROTHER and sister have taken the helm at Gills Harbour Ltd after two key members announced they were stepping down from their posts.
The appointment of Thomas Meikle as chairman and his sister Diane Meikle as secretary took place at the annual general meeting at the weekend. They replace long-term director and chairman Bill Mowat and secretary the Rev Lyall Rennie. Mr Mowat was elected vice-chairman, while treasurer Barry Butler was re-elected to his post.
Mr Meikle (38), who and lives in Mey, has been pier master at Gills for the past 12 years. He is "very much looking forward" to taking the harbour to its next stage and says he will not forget the body's strong community-based credentials which go back – in various forms – for over a century.
Ms Meikle, who lives in East Mey, is a bookkeeper with the Castle of Mey Trust. Mr Butler, from Upper Gills, is a member of Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council. Board member Mark Gibson did not seek re-election for what were described as family reasons.
The community-owned Gills Harbour Ltd usually holds its annual general meeting in the spring but could not do so in March due to the lockdown.
The meeting took place on Saturday at the Seaview Hotel, John O'Groats, rather than at the harbour to ensure safe social distancing.
Mr Mowat, a former Highland regional councillor for north-east Caithness, said: "I 'm pleased we are going to have a younger generation taking the helm here."
The harbour is best known as the mainland base for the passenger and freight ferry route to Orkney which is run by Pentland Ferries Ltd. The route is operated by the 85-metre long Alfred which began her regular crossings in November last year.
The port lies just over one mile from the pioneering MeyGen tidal stream site, operated by Simec Atlantis Energy in the Inner Sound between Stroma and the Caithness mainland.
Mr Mowat said: "Most of the on-site research works in connection with this multi-million-pound project which is still at an early stage of development has been carried out by scientists and engineers on board smaller vessels using Gills as a base for themselves and sensitive measuring equipment deployed in the waters."
Mr Mowat also pointed out that in 2018 the board commissioned Inverness-based economist Tony Mackay to investigate future opportunities for the port outwith the ferry operations. The report said there were good prospects for renewable energy, inshore fishing and leisure-related activities.
