Public meeting proposed over town’s lack of nightlife
editor@argyllshireadvertiser.co.uk
Lochgilphead councillors and community leaders have voiced their frustration at the continued shortage of restaurants, hotels and pubs in the town.
And a public meeting is now being proposed to address the lack of nightlife.
Much structural work has been done involving Argyll and Bute Council to improve the centre of Lochgilphead, and the town has good daytime cafés.
But tourists and locals alike continue to complain about the lack of evening facilities in once-bustling Lochgilphead.
Some locals have even been taking taxis to Kilmartin, eight miles away, for evening drinks and hospitality.
The Stag Hotel in Argyll Street is currently the only hotel open in Lochgilphead. It offers rooms and a public bar, but the restaurant is for residents only.
The Argyll Inn and The Commercial Bar in Lochnell Street are currently closed.
Asked about his plans for the Argyll Inn, Stanley Craig, who also runs the Stag Hotel, said: “We’ll deal with that in due course.” The Victoria Hotel in Argyll Street is also currently closed.
The closures mean there is nowhere to go out for dinner in the evenings, apart from the popular but small Taj Mahal on Lochnell Street, which mostly focuses on take-aways.
Lochgilphead Community Council convener Andy Buntin said the lack of nightlife in the town is “very frustrating”.
Mr Buntin said: “It is something we are looking into. A public meeting may be the way forward.”
Mr Buntin said he would raise the prospect of a public meeting at the next community council gathering on Monday October 9.
“This is something that is often raised at community council meetings; the lack of facilities in the evenings to go for a pint or a meal,” said Mr Buntin. “It is damaging. There is nowhere in the evening.
“Even some of the local worthies were taking a taxi to Kilmartin to go for a drink.”
Mid Argyll councillor Dougie Philand said: “It is very frustrating. The council has put in a lot of money. It is just so frustrating.”
A recent of funding announcement to improve
Lochgilphead town centre highlighted the need for restaurants, hotels and pubs in the town.
Argyll and Bute Council has allocated another £100,000 to Lochgilphead Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS). The CARS project has already benefited the Lochgilphead Front Green revamp to the tune of £1.6 million and provided £500,000 for public realm work on Colchester Square and Argyll Street.
This latest round of funding is for a shopfront improvement scheme and property maintenance programme.
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We would absolutely welcome more investment in the town, because it creates opportunities.
“We are laying the foundations for more investment.”
On the recent funding, Argyll and Bute Council said in a statement: “We continue to work with communities across Argyll and Bute to help identify investment opportunities to grow the local economy and create vibrant places to work, live and visit.
“We welcome the interest in the future of the town from residents and businesses.
“We are working hard to deliver a level of investment that will help stimulate demand from the private sector to open new businesses.
“Following similar levels of regeneration, we have seen this happen across Argyll and Bute including Helensburgh, Campbeltown, Rothesay and
Oban. It would be great to see more hospitality businesses moving to Lochgilphead enhancing the visitor experience and creating more job opportunities.”