Summer finish promise for Ardrishaig £700,000 waterfront upgrade work

Ardrishaig waterfront’s regeneration is haring into spring as the finishing touches start to be applied to the £700,000 project.

Starting in October 2022, the work, contracted out to Edinburgh-based P1 Solutions Ltd, is part of the Ardrishaig North Public Realm improvements and one of six projects selected to be taken forward through the Tarbert and Lochgilphead Regeneration Fund.

Parking to use the village shops and cafe on Chalmers Street has inevitably been squeezed by the north car park’s seasonal closure - and this has impacted local trade.

Vicky Dunkley, who runs the Clock Tower furniture shop around 100 metres from the north car park, said: “We have lost business while the car park has been closed.

“People who wanted to drive over to shop with us have contacted us to say that they could not get parked.

“But when it opens again it will be welcome, albeit with fewer parking spaces because of the flower beds and some wibbly-wobbly paths.

“We hope though that there will be some positive trickle effects on business, with the potential reopening of the Steamer Terminal as a cafe and the kayak route being established nearby.”

The bus for southbound services, including the 926 to Campbeltown, has had to use the stop across the road, with the pavement closed on the left side of the road going south.

Questions remained over whether traditional lighting which had been removed from the shoreside path along the north car park during construction work would be reinstalled - and whether the car park surface, which had been dug up in places, would be tarred again completely or just patched up. The local authority’s most recent online update is from Friday February 17.

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said of the latest round of work: “The works are progressing well, we just need a period of dry weather for the resurfacing works for the footpaths.

“The aim has always been for the site to reopen in the summer and this is still the case.

“The weather forecast isn’t looking great for the next week or two but our contractors are monitoring it closely.”

AA13waterfrontmarch05 Although there will be fewer spaces in the north car park, additional bench seating and floral displays will give a fresh look to the area.

AA13waterfrontmarch07 Village businesses including the Clock Tower (‘Ritz’ sign) have reported a negative impact on footfall because of the ongoing works.

AA13waterfrontmarch01 A section of closed pavement parallel to the north car park in the village.