Old school targeted in vandalism onslaught
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A PROUD relic of Wick's educational past lies empty, its windows smashed and its interior ransacked.
Meanwhile, Highland Council says it will be well into next year before the listed building in West Banks Avenue is put back on the market.
Since pupils and staff relocated to a new campus some 50m up the road the former Wick High School has become a shadow of its former self.
A former janitor at the school, who did not wish to be named out of fears for his safety, says he recently confronted boys smashing the windows.
"There were three of them throwing stones and when I told them to stop it, one of them came up to me saying 'Have you got a problem?'."
He says he has previously alerted police that "people were walking about on the roof" and others were obviously getting inside as windows were left open.
"Councillor Willie Mackay came along and had the windows closed but I could see a real mess inside the old staff room. There were good cloth seats there covered with sugar, tea, coffee and anything else they found and threw about."
Councillor Nicola Sinclair says she is "very disappointed" about the current spate of vandalism.
"With the support of my ward colleagues I recently asked officers to tidy up the site, including clearing weeds, fixing hanging lights externally and boarding up those windows which are most visible from the street," she said.
"It's my understanding that some of that work has taken place but the windows have not all been boarded up yet."
The councillor said she will follow up on the issue to ensure that the work is carried out as a matter of urgency.
"I also recently got agreement from the police that they will look at trespassing on the site and I will remind officers at our Caithness Committee meeting. I am sorry that the site has been allowed to deteriorate so badly and we will do whatever we can to improve this, within the limited budget we have."
In August last year two men were seen stealing items from the school after forcing entry to the premises and police, at that time, appealed for witnesses.
Meanwhile, local residents are up in arms about the building's fall from grace.
She did not wish to be named, however, as her building is up for sale, and there are fears among the community as to how such neglect will affect house prices.
The striking dressed stone building was opened in August 1911, replacing the West Banks Elementary School, and was described in the John O'Groat Journal at that time as "the most up-to-date educational establishment in the north of Scotland".
The cost of the building was almost £11,000, a considerable sum at that time.
In 2017, however, the students and staff moved to a new location within the East Caithness Community Facility.
The council advertised that it was intending to sell the building for offers around £250,000 but when little interest was shown it was put up for auction with a guide price of just £50,000.
Before the auction could take place, however, the sale was suddenly withdrawn.
A council spokesperson said: "Shortly before the property was due to be auctioned we became aware that part of the site of the former school would need to be used for drainage and a pedestrian/cycle access to the new school."
In order for the drainage works to progress two school buildings need to be demolished.
A police spokesman said: "Enquiries will be carried out where incidents are reported," he said, emphasising that where offenders are identified they will be dealt with robustly. He asks that anyone spotting suspicious behaviour calls 101.
