Groats 'unsurpassed' as a natural retreat
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Energy, enterprise and tourism minister Fergus Ewing this week said the Far North will become one of the leading regions in the country for tourism.
He spoke during his tour of the county on Monday when he was hearing about plans and developments aimed at revitalising the area.
Accompanied by Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP Rob Gibson, he visited the £6 million Natural Retreats development at John O’Groats which is designed to transform the abandoned John O’Groats House Hotel into a self-catering complex of 19 luxury apartments with 23 detached holiday residences.
Mr Ewing explained the project has the full backing of the Scottish Government and said it will offer tourists a window to some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery.
“John O’Groats is at the top of the map, but it is also unsurpassed for what it can offer tourists as a natural retreat,” he said.
“It is a really exciting development which the Scottish Government is keen to support. Locally it was a regarded as a sign of lack of activity in the past, but now huge progress is being made to make it one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country.
“It’s great it’s happening in Caithness at a time when there are so many exciting things taking place in the county.”
Earlier Mr Ewing met representatives of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce to discuss what the Government is doing to retain Scotland’s position as a competitive environment for business in the UK.
He also visited a transition workshop for workers based at Dounreay which aimed to give employees the skills needed to find employment after the site has completed its clean-up.
He said the national economy will rely heavily on future developments in the Far North and was encouraged to see business leaders taking steps to meet those demands.
“Dounreay will continue to make a huge contribution to the Caithness economy for at least another decade,” he said.
“But the chamber of commerce is at the forefront of helping people to learn new skills and take advantage of renewable opportunities at Wick and Scrabster harbours.
“The Far North has the potential to be the world centre of wave and tidal renewable energy. Caithness may be at the top of the country but, in Scotland, it is very much at the centre of employment opportunities and it is an exciting time to be involved in business in the area.”
Plans to regenerate Caithness and North Sutherland have received major boosts in the last few months, with the Scottish Government designating Scrabster harbour as an enterprise zone aimed at creating employment opportunities, stimulating private investment and helping economic growth.
Talks are also due to be held in Caithness this summer with the UK energy minister, Greg Barker, into making the Pentland Firth the first energy marine park in Scotland.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise has invested £1.8m into the redevelopment project at Groats and head of transformational projects Carol Gunn said it is great to see the ambitions of local communities, businesses and visitors taking shape.
“Our shared aim is to create a vibrant destination which reflects the natural beauty of John O’Groats where people will want to spend more time.
“The private and public-sector investment at John O’Groats will provide the quality of destination John O’Groats demands and is also unlocking the true economic benefits it can bring for the wider region.”
