Fight to combat tourist slump

SPEY VALLEY tourist operators are having to “fight hard” for every scrap of

business this year.

Local tourist office bookings may be up by eight per cent on last year but there are between five per cent and 10 per cent fewer visitors in the valley so for this summer.

Aviemore and Spey Valley tourist officer, Mr Mike Lowson, agrees with a recent survey which claims hotels catering mainly for coach parties have been worst hit.

The smaller guest house and bed and breakfast establishments have fared a little better picking up casual trade in the better weather.

“Our local bookings and inquiries through tourist information offices are certainly both up this season,” said Mr Lowson, “but trade in general is definitely down.

“Of course we can’t generalise for every establishment in the valley but it seems the larger hotels are dealing with a lot of pre-booked business are down a bit.”

Bumper Grantown Show predicted

ALL roads will lead to the Grantown Show, now just one year short of a double century.

And although organisers are reserving a few surprises and innovations for next year’s bi-centenary event, indications are that today’s event will prove a bumper occasion.

Continental cattle classes at the show have been extended this year and the show committee have been rewarded by seeing a 50% increase in entries compared with 1985.

Thanks to generous sponsorship, prize money in the penned classes for cattle, and in the horse and sheep sections, have increased.

The show will also feature a varied afternoon programme that should provide something to suit all tasted and ages.

There will also be a variety of sideshows and more trade stands than in the past. The day will end with the traditional marquee dance in the evening.

Nagging wait for riding licence

DISTRICT council officials have been accused of “incompetence” over the delay in licensing an Aviemore riding school.

Mrs Anna Goodall, who operated two riding establishments in Aviemore, said she lost money and had to delay employing staff because of an unnecessary hold up in the issue of her operating licence.

“I am trying to bring business to this area and these people haven’t helped one little bit,” she told the “Herald”.

“There were six weeks when I couldn’t work at all because the licence hadn’t been issued.”

District council officials on the other hand say they did all possible and more than their normal duties to help Mrs Goodall get her licence.

“We did an awful lot of work to try to assist in clarifying Mrs Goodall’s situation,” said chief executive Mr Henry McCulloch.

“We did considerable work which was not our responsibility in checking details and tried to help as much as we could when we still had other duties to perform.”

Mrs Goodall claims her problems began when it took three attempts to get the correct licence application forms.

“I had my Aviemore Centre premises inspected, paid the vet and sent my insurance policy and everything all up to date to be told there was something wrong with it and it would have to be checked,” said Mrs Goodall.

“I was already losing money and had two people waiting to start work off the dole queue. I didn’t know of any problems but after pressing, eventually got the licence.”

Special service as Grants gather.

CLANSMEN retraced the steps of their forbearers at the weekend and returned to the resting place of many of their ancestors.

They came from throughout the United Kingdom, from Australia, from New Zealand and from Canada to the Strathspey lands of the Clan Grant.

And this year’s gathering had special significance, marking as it did a unique service at the former Duthil Parish Church, resting place of six former chiefs of the Clan Grant.

The church, unused for services for more than a decade, has been gifted to the clan society by Sussex businessman, Mr Gerald Brandon-Bravo, at a peppercorn rent.

Since taking it over a few months ago, the interior has been renovated and repaired by Elgin building contractor, Mr Walter Grant, a native of Nethy Bridge and society member.

The society, which is still raising funds to pay for the restoration, has yet to decide the future use of the building, but it is hoped to open it to the public.

Royal salute for Laggan fund-raiser

TWO DECADES of service by Laggan woman, Mrs Marjorie Lamb, in aiding naval men and women and their families has been honoured in a royal ceremony in London.

Mrs Lamb was one of only five people and the only Scottish member of the King George’s Fund for Sailors to receive a long service award from the Duke of Edinburgh.

The presentation was made at a ceremony in the Mansion House, London.

Mrs Lamb, of Cluny Croft, Laggan, was herself a WREN officer and she has been involved with the fund for over 20 years.

Her award is for valuable service in the caring of seafarers and their families. She also received a silver and enamel broach to commemorate the occasion.

Mrs Lamb has been asked to start a new Highland branch for the fund and to be its first chairman.

By way of a rousing start, the committee’s first effort is a Royal Marine Band concert at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, next month.

It will be a night of music for all tastes on Saturday, September 6, with the band playing a full range of material from Glen Miller and Gilbert and Sullivan to Strauss and naval music.

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