Centre bid boosted by land fund’s £41,000
‘Hopefully the buy-out can now proceed and we look forward to helping re-open the centre, which acts as an important gateway to the area.’
Sunart Community Company is celebrating after being awarded £41,000 from the Scottish Land Fund to help its bid to buy and run the former visitor information centre in Strontian.
The award is one of 15 in Scotland, part of £1,903,516 from the Scottish Land Fund, announced as part of Community Land Week 2018 organised by the Scottish Government Community Land Team and Community Land Scotland.
SCC is the only Lochaber group to receive an award in this round.
The centre was closed last autumn by VisitScotland, which switched resources to increasingly popular online services, leaving the area without an information cenThe tre and the loss of a seasonal job.
But the community decided to take matters into its own hands. Denise Anderson, chairwoman of Sunart Community Council, was delighted with the news.
‘We held a meeting on the day the closure was announced and immediately asked the community company to pursue a community buyout because the building provides an important focal point for visitors arriving onto the peninsula via the Corran Ferry,’ she told the Lochaber Times.
John Tyldsley, chairman of Sunart Community Company, explained: ‘We haven’t got the property yet, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed. The Land Fund award allows us to begin negotiations on a cash offer with VisitScotland. We’ve had to jump through hoops to register our interest in the property, which included holding an extra-ordinary general meeting in February at which the community gave its full backing and set up a petition.’
If the building can be bought, SCC will form a partnership with Sunart, Morvern, Moidart, Ardgour, Ardnamurchan Tourist Association (SMMAATA), whose volunteers will keep part of the building well stocked with leaflets, what’s on information and complementary maps.
Michelle Hilder, chairwoman of SMMAATA, commented: ‘Hopefully the buy-out can now proceed and we look forward to helping re-open the centre, which acts an important gateway to the area.’
Last week the Lochaber Times reported how local MSP Kate Forbes had also welcomed news of the grant and was hoping to meet with some of those involved.