Dornoch businessman's anger over lack of signage
Gavin Wright of Simply the Best at the entrance to the business park.
A DORNOCH businessman has launched a fresh attack on Highland Council over the lack of official signs directing visitors to shops and other facilities located in the town’s business park.
Gavin Wright, who runs the Fair Trade shop “Simply the Best” in the park, says he is losing thousands of pounds’ worth of trade because visitors are unaware that the park exists.
Run by the local authority, it is sited behind the main commercial centre, next to the redundant Dornoch abattoir.
Mr Wright spoke out strongly about the issue a year ago, dubbing the park “The Land the Town Forgot.”
The authority’s ward manager for East Sutherland and Edderton, Phil Tomalin, agreed to look into the matter in consultation with the community council.
But Mr Wright said this week that nothing had been done, aside from some discussion at meetings of the community council and focus group. He has now appealed again to Mr Tomalin for action.
“It’s simply not good enough. The business park has grown over the last year or so and is now home to a number of businesses – ourselves, a garden centre, hairdresser and laundry. It has become a little community.
“I am definitely losing trade and calculate that I could be taking in a lot more than I am. I need to do something about it in order to for my business to be sustainable.”
Mr Wright says he is angry, not just at the lack of directional signs to the park in the town centre, but also at the inadequate signage at the park itself.
He points out that the sign at the park’s entrance does not list the businesses to be found there and, to add insult to injury, is deep in weeds and overgrown shrubbery.
He says: “The park curves round from the entrance, making it hard to ascertain whether there’s actually anything down there. At the very least we need to have good signage at the head of the park to tell people there really is something worthwhile down that road to nowhere! At present the entrance looks like a tip.”
In a bid to boost the profile of Simply the Best, Mr Wright, along with other business people, daily puts out an A-board on the pavement at Castle Street.
However, a proliferation of stand-alone boards has prompted complaints from local residents, who say it gives a “tacky” impression of the town.
He also has a banner advertising his business and has distributed leaflets throughout the town. On days when there are special events held in the town, he asks a family member to direct people to the park.
Community council chairwoman, Yvonne Ross, said: “The issue of signposting was discussed by the community council some time ago and we were all in agreement that a sign was needed. As far as I was aware it was going to be ordered through Phil Tomalin and it was just a case of waiting for it to be put in place. I don’t know why that has not happened.”
Ward manager Mr Tomalin acknowledged there had been a delay in arranging for new signage in Dornoch but said it would now be progressed as a matter of urgency.
“We will order a new sign and put it up as soon as we can. I thank Mr Wright for drawing this to our attention,” he said.