Thurso bar appeal fails, Protest at cost to ‘spend a penny’ and Thurso centre ‘success story’
LOOKING BACK: News from the John O’Groat Journal of yesteryear
Thurso bar appeal fails
From the Groat of May 8, 1925
The operator of the “oldest licensed house in Thurso” lost her bid to renew her licence.
Thurso Licensing Court had previously refused to renew the certificate after hearing from Chief Constable Cormack, who had objected on the grounds that the bar layout included an “internal communication between the dwelling house and the bar, with access to a back door”.
Caithness Licensing Appeal Court heard that the structural arrangement of Margaret Spears’ house was the same as it was 17 years ago when she had entered the premises, and no complaint had ever been made that the structural arrangements were unsuitable, and she had never been asked to alter them.
It was pointed out that she had never been convicted for contraventions of licensing laws.
The licensee also argued that the Harbour Bar was one of only two bars in the old town of Thurso, and in recent times nine licences had been given up in that area. Refusal of the licence would create a monopoly in the old fishing part of the town and the residents would have to either frequent the Seamen’s Home bar or go to the new town when they wanted a drink.
However, the court was unconvinced and unanimously agreed to uphold the initial refusal.
Protest at cost to ‘spend a penny’
From the Groat of May 9, 1975
The new toilet block which Caithness County Council had proposed to build at Dunbeath harbour for an estimated £10,000 had caused a storm of protest at a meeting of Dunbeath and District Community Council.
So incensed were the community councillors by what they viewed as a waste of public money that they went to the trouble of getting a private estimate for a toilet block with two male and two female cubicles and an invalid unit. The cost came to £2588.
Going further into the matter, members found that for a fraction over £10,000 a private house had recently been built in Kinbrace boasting two public rooms, three bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, central heating, garage and access road.
The community council had written to the county council and suggested that if the toilet block could be built for £2588 then the remaining £7412 could be used to improve other village amenities, notably repairs to the harbour wall.
A spokesman for the community council called the county council’s plan “an incredible waste of ratepayers’ money at a time when public spending is supposed to be kept down”.
Thurso centre ‘success story’
From the Groat of May 12, 2000
A new institute which was set to put Thurso at the centre of scientific research in the Highlands and Islands had been hailed as “one of the biggest success stories in the town for many years”.
The £1.6m Environmental Research Institute in the former West Public School in Castle Street was linked to the University of the Highlands and Islands through North Highland College.
But it was regarded as much more than an academic centre and was seen as a key asset for inward investment and the promotion of science in local schools and the community at large.
The institute was officially opened by local MSP Jamie Stone, who said that it afforded the chance to “turn this part of Scotland into a world centre of excellence”.
Meanwhile, a proposal to extend a conservation area in Wick to include the whole of Lower Pulteneytown had been backed by Caithness councillors.
Members of Highland Council’s area planning committee heard that the section of Upper Pulteneytown around Argyle Square, Harbour Place and Harbour Terrace was already designated but that only Wick Heritage Centre and the Rose Street/Williamson Street corner was listed in Lower Pulteneytown.
It was hoped that extending the designation would make it easier to access funding for restoration, attract housing and commercial development and give a boost to tourism.