THE ARRAN BANNER 20 YEARS AGO

Saturday January 16, 1999

Beach barricade

A confrontation near Brodick beach was narrowly avoided this week between Scotsand and Brodick Golf Club.

It arose because, due to this paucity of sand, it was Scotsand’s plan to recommence taking sand from Brodick beach at low tide. Club members blame sand removal for erosion of the beach and said that they would not allow a single grain to be removed.

A club tractor and greenkeeper’s vehicles then strategically parked at every entrance that a lorry could use to get access to the beach and sat there at the ready for a confrontation if necessary.

But no lorries came and, after a long time waiting in the wind and rain, everybody left thinking the danger was over. But they had been under observation and as soon as the defenders left down came a sand digger and a lorry. But they found their way still blocked because a golf club vehicle had been parked across the ford which would take them to the beach. Scotsand said that the obstruction could be easily moved but they were not into confrontation and they believe that their point was well and truly made. The sand saga will continue, but on another day.

Leaking roof

Arran High School has been suffering from water ingress from the roof this win- ter and sixth-year pupils and Moral Issues students have also been noticing a peculiar smell over the past two weeks. After some swift detective work, it was determined that a leaking roof was causing the problem and that dampness had started to appear under the floor. Then water started to appear under people’s feet. This led to the class being closed and Mrs Macleod becoming ‘classroom-less’ and having to find alternative accommodation to teach.

However, it does not stop there as in another area of the school where an improvised swimming pool has appeared on the roof, and with the weather not being the best, water has started to pour through the skylight and has been dripping down the walls and lights.

Ship shape

This year’s relief vessel has created a great deal of interest. So much so that more than 200 people, 40 of whom were from Arran, took part in a Clyde cruise on the new MV Clansman. Many of them had come to inspect the facilities and they all had opinions on what they thought of her.

Many people’s first impression was that she is luxurious. The seats are softer, there is a dog room and the vessel has more power are some of the other opinions. The one criticism was that there is a lack of open deck space, but thankfully the bulk of opinion has been that the MV Clansman is a very fine ship indeed.

01_B03twe03 Captain Ian Dewar is pictured on the bridge of the MV Clansman during a special Clyde cruise chartered by the Clyde River Steamer Club.

01_B03twe02 John McGuiness and his mother Liz have recently moved to Monyquil and were delighted to have won prizes at the Chookie Show.

01_B03twe01 Battle for Brodick beach. Vehicles strategically park at Brodick golf course to prevent any heavy vehicles from removing sand from the beach.

01_B03twe04 Geoff Norris chats to John Mackenzie at Windy Corner where cracks have appeared on the road, causing subsidence and the unexpected closure of the main road.

01_B03twe05 Scottish Rugby Union development officer Graham Kilgour was on Arran for a few days giving rugby coaching to primary school children.