Beachd Ailein

I am writing to protest about the proposal of a motor home park at Ganavan beach Oban.

We have been coming to the area for years, visiting the beach, visiting friends and family in Oban. Many happy hours were spent here with family and children. It’s a beautiful place and I feel this would spoil the beauty of the area. There are plenty of motor home parks in the area.

Where would the locals and visitors park their cars when visiting the beach? The place would be too crowded. What about disabled people or the elderly visiting? They need access direct to the beach.

It would be better to ban motor homes from parking here at all or overnight.

I understand it was gifted to the people of Oban. This would not serve the community. It would be an eyesore and if left as a car park would help to aid people’s health, physical and mental health apart from preserving the beauty of this special place. I am horrified with this proposal.

Marilyn Sheeran, East Kilbride.

Our mastery in Kilmory Castle are, as Mr R Jackson points out, intent on returning us to the darkness of the past, The Oban Times, September 10.

Here, in the southern end of Argyll and Bute, public toilets closed during Covid and may never re-open.

At the CalMac terminal, the toilets are the responsibility of Argyll and Bute Council. They are closed, with a sign telling us to use the ‘Victorian toilets’ 200 metres away.

Customer service and encouraging tourism are not high on the list of priorities. It sometimes seems our administrators in ‘local’ government have the sole purpose of self-preservation. In a time of austerity and budget cuts, can someone remind me of the salaries paid to directors and department heads in Kilmory?

Hamish Kirk, 16 Russell Street, Rothesay.

To the person who found my hearing aid on Friday September 11 outside the Tesco store in Oban and handed it in to the customer services desk, thank you very much.

Margaret Newall, Campbeltown. editor@obantimes.co.uk

Air an t-seachdain a chaidh bha mi ag ràdh gur e gliocas a th’ ann a bhith a’ coimhead romhad ged nach eil làn-smachd gu bhith agad gu siorraidh air a h-uile nì a bhios an dàn dhut. Bha mi a’ togail sin mar phàirt ann an co-cheangal le suidheachadh anns am bheil coròna-bhìoras ag ath-bheothachadh feadh na dùthcha, agus na cunnartan a dh’fhaodadh a bhith an lùib sin dhuinn. Dh’fheumte aideachadh gun robh eòlaichean a’ cur seo air mhanadh dhan dùthaich an ìre mhath bho nochd an galair an toiseach, ach a rèir choltais tha cùisean air gluasad fiù ’s nas luaithe na bha iadsan an dùil a thachradh. Tuigear carson a tha e doirbh dha na h-eòlaichean a bhith cinnteach dè dìreach tha dol a thachairt le coròna-bhìoras is iad a’ dèiligeadh ri gnè bhìorais a tha ùr dha eòlas-leigheis, agus tha an dìth eòlais eachdraidheil sin cuideachd na chnap-starra mòr ann a bhith a’ feuchainn ri banachdach a chruthachadh. Cha leig duine a leas eòlas meidigeach a bhith aige gus tuigsinn mar a dh’fhaodas a’ bhìoras sgapadh às ùr far am bheil saorsa aig daoine barrachd gluasaid a dhèanamh agus far am bheil sgoiltean is colaistean a’ fosgladh a-rithist, agus tha amharas ann gum faodadh òigridh, ged nach biodh iad fhèin a’ fulang, an galair a ghiùlan gu dachannan sheann chàirdean.

’S e suidheachadh draghail a th’ ann gu cinnteach agus tha feum air impidh a chur air a’ mhòr-shluagh, sean is òg, na riaghailtean sgaraidh agus brat-gnùise a leantainn gu dùrachdach. Feumar a bhith beò an dòchas gun soirbhich iomairtean a cheadaicheas iondhìon

Constituents on Islay are concerned about our public bins overflowing with rubbish.

Household waste bags are being placed in the public bins which is exasperating the problem. I have asked Argyll and Bute Council if they would consider increasing the number of uplifts. I am also concerned that with the hotter weather we have been having, the accumulation of rubbish could become a public health issue.

Councillor Alastair Redman, Kintyre and Islands ward. an aghaidh Covid 19 ann an ùine nach bi ro fhada, agus gum faigh ar beatha làitheil tilleadh gu àbhaisteachd, ged is e gu deimhinnte àbhaisteachd ùr a bhios ann! Ged a bhios argamaidean poilitigeach ann a thaobh ’s mar a dhèilig riaghaltasan fa leth ris an èiginn seo saoilidh mi nach gabh àicheadh gun robh mòran den taic ionmhais a thugadh le fòrladh luchdobrach, agus cobhair dha caochladh sheòrsa ghnìomhachasan, ceart agus iomchaidh. Bha, agus tha, aithne ann gum faodadh briseadh eaconamach na milleanan a chur à cosnadh agus cosgais do-labhairt adhbharachadh dhan dùthaich thar iomadh bliadhna romhainn. Feumar sgilean agus ealantas luchd-obrach na dùthcha a dhìon ach am bi comas againn fàs a-rithist cho luath ‘s a bhios cothrom ann. Ach cuin a bhios sin? Agus am fuiling Breatann an tuilleadh cosgais a chuireadh leantainn nan seòrsa taicean seo oirre? ’S e ceistean doirbh a tha sin dhan riaghaltas, agus cuideachd dha pàrtaidhean dùbhlanach a dh’fheumas toinisg a nochdadh ann am breithneachadh na slighe air adhart. Feumar na fiachan a phàigheadh agus, co-dhiù bhios sin a’ ciallachadh lùghdachadh air seirbheisean poblach air neo àrdachadh chìsean, bidh cunnart dìoghaltais poilitigeach ann!

Resumption of a national lockdown would be enormously damaging but the spread of coronavirus must be halted, as must the UK’s economy be protected. Options for repaying the escalating costs are few and all carry political risk.

I never thought I would live to see the day when the BBC joined the Conservative Party as ever since childhood I have been given to understand the BBC was impartial.

It is essential our First Minister, in these dangerous times, gives her daily briefings to the Scottish nation, informing us of the necessary precautions we need to take. It is disgraceful the BBC is allowing itself to be dictated to by the Tories.

Susan Swain.