Snowy and stormy Moray Firth as seen from the Links 28th February 2018 - video

Nairn's Cludgiemageddon - has it started?

Mystery surrounds the closure today of the toilets behind the Courthouse. Already social media in the town is seething with further anger at Highland Council.

The scene today that would have confronted any traffic warden in need of a comfort break. 

Walking the line in the Fishertown today - "don't follow leaders watch the parking meters"

Thanks to one of our regular readers today who sent us in the snap of something we are not very used to at all in Nairn but here it is folks, parking wardens in Harbour Street earlier today. Just wait until we get the meters too. 

Anyone out there in Gurnshire get a ticket today?

Liz on parking charges - No costs attributed to anticipated revenue - video

Parking charges and other matters - will civil disobedience emerge in Nairn?

No decisions or motions but serious calls at the Nairn West and Suburban Community Council for individuals and businesses to withhold their council tax and rates until Highland Council falls into line and listens to Nairnshire. 

The idea being that you pay your money instead into a fund that promised to pay the Council once the officials and power brokers through in Inverness actually start to do what Nairn wants instead of dishing it out top down like we have had for many years now. The feeling now is that the only way to make Glenurquhart Road listen is to stop giving them money.

Parking charges, cludgie charges (for some just as much as a red line as the parking charges) housing development at inappropriate sites and none at the appropriate ones, other cuts - an Academy that is falling down. It might just be that the latent anger over the way that Nairn has been treated in recent years has reached boiling point now with the parking charges finally lighting the blue touch paper. 

There was indication too of outrage in the business community and that Highland Council were delaying their acceptance of the Business Improvement District (BID) application for Nairn. Parking charges were being talked about tonight and revolution was in the air. 

Breaking...Liz says "The Christmas Lights will happen"

Cllr Liz MacDonald said on the ever-popular Nairn Our Town Facebook page this morning:

"The Christmas lights will happen in Nairn. Today there was a meeting of the Christmas Event working group. Last year we organised the switch on, but there will be much more to arrange this year. If you are genuinely interested and would like to help us you'd be very welcome to join us. There are also site inspections taking place in March with Lorraine Mallinson and the agencies (Police, Fire, Council) involved so the firework/bonfire can go ahead this year. Please let me know if you'd like to help at either of these events."

Nairn River Community Council to protest on Saturday March 10th 10.30 am over proposed RBS closure

NRCC, at their regular monthly meeting in the Community and Arts centre, last night decided that they would organise a protest outside the Royal Bank of Scotland Branch in Nairn to show their concern at the effect the intended closure of the branch will have on businesses and individuals in the town. The protest will take place on the morning of Saturday 10th March. 

Recently there was a meeting in the town in which David Richardson of the Federation of Small Businesses and local MP Drew Hendry spoke of the ongoing effect that bank closures were having on rural communities in Scotland and the damage more closures could cause. Video of that meeting here. 

Liz on why Nairn Academy needs to be rebuilt

Liz MacDonald was also up at Nairn Academy this morning supporting parents campaigning for the school to be rebuilt. Earlier we posted an interview with Laurie Fraser, you can see that here. 

Nairn 2 Rothes 4 Pictures Donald Matheson

Individual images here. 

Laurie speaks to the Gurn on Parking charges, toilet charges, Christmas Lights and the need for a new Nairn Academy

Parents, alumni and some present day pupils made their way up to the frozen campus of Nairn Academy this morning for interviews with local media. Also present was Cllr Liz MacDonald, we'll post a wee interview with her later.  Laurie was willing to have a wee blether about some of the issues posed by the recent Highland Council budget vote and also on the pressing need for a rebuild of Nairn Academy. 

The scene earlier this morning in Duncan Drive as concerned parents, former and present pupils gather to talk to MFR about the need for a new Nairn Academy to be built.