Amazed and saddened
Sir, I was amazed and saddened to learn that the tourist information offices (iCentres) in Campbeltown, Tarbert and Inveraray as well as Dunoon face closure, leaving just an office in Oban, Mull, Islay and Rothesay.
Information may still be gleaned from established businesses which are volunteering (is this the right word?) to provide information, no matter how busy they may be, to visitors - not all of whom operate tablets, mobile phones or whatever. The ones who do use this technology are often amazed to find signals cannot be received in some glen, though quite easily in Princes Street, Edinburgh, or Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.
I agree wholeheartedly with Ian MacIntyre, Tarbert, a former member of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay Tourist Board set up with 14 others by the Highlands and Islands Development Board in the late 1960s. I was its chairman from 1970 to 1992, when these boards started being swallowed up by larger boards which, in turn, were swallowed up by what is now known as VisitScot-land.
I was fortunate in having as our tourist officer Lachie MacKinnon, ex Fleet Air Arm and RAF, a squadron leader with the high decoration of DSO.
But even more importantly he was a native of Islay and very knowledgeable on rural matters and problems. Kintyre was always a bit of a problem - great farming and beautiful scenery, but overshadowed by resorts like Oban.
I have never understood why, for instance, at the Corran, Lochgilphead, there is no sign indicating the Kintyre Trail whilst, quite rightly, there is a sign for Kilmartin Museum.
VisitScotland closed the Lochgilphead office years ago.
That office was virtual- ly at a crossroads between Oban, Kintyre and Inveraray. This closure cannot have been helpful to Kintyre, nor to Crarae Gardens and Auchindrain Museum.
The ‘i’ in iCentre stands for ‘information’ and it is a pity visitors may be deprived of some of the things they are looking for.
As for Dunoon, served so well by the late Ian Taylor and his splendid tourist officer Ian Clayson for so many years, one can see green shoots of new development there.
This is surely not the time to close the iCentre, though possibly a better site could be found for it.
Much discussion should take place with VisitScot-land and the bodies in Argyll who run tou-rism these days.
Times have changed, but those who are advocating these changes will not be hit financially in the way some businesses are almost certain to be. Niall Iain MacLean, Inveraray.