From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of March 31, 2000
A storm is brewing in Assynt over the secretive sale of the area’s prestigious tourist information centre to a London-based property company. Shocked community leaders discovered only this week that Assynt Tourist Information Centre in Lochinver was sold six months ago by previous owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
New owners Kemble Estates are now demanding that the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board, who have the lease of the centre until 2013, pay a 35 per cent increase on the current £8000 rental.
Campaigners lobbying the local authority to release money for works needed to reopen Brora Primary School swimming pool are cautiously optimistic the cash will be forthcoming. The pool has been closed since last Easter and it is estimated £90,000 of work is needed to bring it up to standard.
The operators of the Dounreay nuclear plant in Caithness were this week fined £100,000 after they pleaded guilty to exposing three of their workers to radiation at the site five years ago.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of March 4, 1975
Interest is beginning to be aroused throughout the county by the proposed formation of community councils to act as extra “voices” in the local interest. Sutherland District Council have arranged a public meeting to discuss the matter for Lairg and a similar meeting has been arranged for Dornoch. A community association has been formed in Assynt to bridge the gap between now and the formation of a community council.
Helmsdale and District Community Association has discussed the proposed community centre to be sited in Dunrobin Street.The chairman, Cllr Francis Traill, stated that no decision could be reached until the county council’s consulting architects had made a further detailed study.
The London-Inverness motor-rail service which was started last year had been well supported, and 2400 car spaces were being added this year, it was stated by British Railways in a letter to Mr Robert Maclennan, MP for Caithness and Sutherland.
The people of Altnaharra and surrounding district held a ceilidh to honour their very popular teacher, Mrs Ann Mackay, who is giving up teaching to become a full-time housewife. She was presented with a silver locket and a gold wrist watch.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of April 2, 1925
Between nine and ten o’clock on Tuesday evening a fire broke out in the barn of Drummuie Farm, Golspie. Fortunately it was observed before it had spread much, and the Technical School boys, under the supervision of their headmaster, kept a flow of water going on the affected part until the arrival of the Dunrobin Fire Brigade, who soon had the fire under control, averting what at one time had the appearance of turning out a serious conflagration. The roof of the barn was partly destroyed and also a quantity of grain. The tenant, Mr H. M. Hardy, has been unfortunate in the way of outbreaks of fire. A number of years ago his dwelling-house was partially destroyed by fire.
As there is still a considerable sum required to clear off the expenditure incurred in connection with Lairg War Memorial, some of the local ladies recently formed a committee from among their number for the purpose of getting up a sale of work to defray the debt.
