Nairn's in the running for the magazine Urban Realm's Plook on the Plinth award then according to the Narinshire. We're in the shortlist to become officially "Scotland's most dismal town." The nominations have received some comments but there are also attacks on the way the competition operates. One comment posted reads:
"I agree with Urban Realm that nominations should not be censored but surely there should be some due diligence to check that the nominations are based on facts and fair judgement before they are announced as a shortlist. A shortlist assumes that the nominations have been assessed on their merits so the fact that the areas have not even been visited by the judging panel to check accuracy is incredibly worrying. There are some glaring errors in the factual accuracy of these nominations as AyrMan has highlighted and, in the Nairn example, a clear NIMBY/ Anti-Affordable Housing lobby which is hijacking a real opportunity to highlight some poor planning decisions. The credibility of those spearheading these awards is questionable as a result of this lack of due diligence."
There is support for of the Nairn submission however. "Janice and Roddy" state:
"Oh how I agree with the nairnbairn!
Having first come to Nairn as an impressionable 10 year old on holiday, I was instantly besotted and my goal in life very quickly became "to live here forever". I finally achieved my lifelong ambition in 1982.
It now saddens me greatly to feel over these years that my love affair with Nairn has turned sour due to many of the reasons stated by the nairnbairn.
Come on the powers that be, open your eyes and see the nairnbairn as a modern day Doctor Grigor....reinstate Nairn to its former glory and give us back a beautiful town to be proud of once more! "
Go to this page and scroll down the comments to see more. The award attracts considerable press interest and undoubtedly there will be those that await the final decision with trepidation while others will point the finger (with some justification this observer believes) at Highland Council's town centre policy over recent years as the cause of our misfortune. Yes parts of the town centre are a disgrace but this observer certainly feels that we don't live in the most dismal town in Scotland. Nairnbairn warns that we are heading that way however and there he will find many like-minded souls who fear what the Highland wide Development Plan might bring in the years to come.
Iain Bain attacks the nomination in his editorial this week too and suggests: "One analysis of Nairnbairn's nomination is that its broadbrush approach makes points that are unsustainable and also reveals a snob at heart."
7 comments:
i say.re instate dr,grigor(statue)
to his righfull place on the high street instead of hiding him away at viewfield house,and whatever happened to the old red and white mine that used to be outside the bank of scotland?re instate these old artefacts,the pavements are now wide enough to accomodate both as well as pedestrians
the council has had 4 years to demolish old community centre along with thier other buildings in the vacinity,they should get the finger out and do what they are overpaid for,flatten them.or sell to a developer,anything would look better than the tip we have to look at daily.
bill
It's easy to do a Prince Charles as you wander around any town and spot the bad architecture, in that respect Nairn is no different from anywhere, we have our carbuncles on full view. But we have more plus points than bad. A High Street that is near full helps, plenty if other places have boarded up shops, and we have our as yet unspoilt beach. I'd rather live here than a great many other places
I look on our so called carbuncles as missed opportunities. Something much better could have been built, but it wasn't, developers and planners have a lot to answer for, and we should stop being so grateful to developers that we allow them to build just about anything
Empty buildings could be demolished but then you have to be careful as to how the space might look, or what other horrors the removal might expose.
Nairnbairn a snob, I'm not sure, maybe a little too harsh in his judgement. One things for sure, he's now in hiding, probably behind one of our so called carbuncles afraid to come out and expose the real person!
The Old Community Centre and the other buildings in public ownership on the A96 are up for sale here
Lets hope that those critical of the Council's inability to get
their ' fingers' out' aren't too disappointed if the private sector's knight on a white horse is a little tardy in galloping over the hill.
I see that the public loos are for sale
Aren't Nairn allotments looking for some
Its a wee bitty far if I wis bursting for the lavvy, while i was stimulating the clematis doon at the allotment.
"nairnbairn a snob at heart" (Nairnshire editorial)
"nairnbairn a sad individual" (Councillor Sandy Park)
Shooting the messenger is not a very impressive contribution to public debate. Otherwise known as ad hominem arguments, personal insults are the last refuge of those who have lost the argument, have nothing constructive to say, or want to divert attention from the substance of the point being made.
"nairnbairn in hiding?" (says Charlie boy)
Look around the town. There are hundreds of nairnbairns. That person in the queue next to you - or walking up the street - is nairnbairn. nairnbairns are all around you.
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