Did Highland Council’s Streetscape project damage long-term trading prospects for Nairn High Street?

There is a large article in the Inverness Courier today that focuses on the economic future of Nairn and particularly that of the high street. There is a picture of a sombre Eamon Savage as he closes down his gift shop on the brae. Eamon is quoted:

“Highland Council decided to dig the road up and turn the High Street into a building site two years ago and that was the beginning of the end.”

There is also comment from Dick Youngson and mention of the forthcoming meeting on the 24^th April of the Nairnshire Community Councils and those of Ardersier and Croy “with the aim of forging an alliance to work for the benefit of Nairnshire.”

The Courier are actively soliciting comment from local people they ask: “What do you think about the future of Nairn? Email editorial@inverness-courier.co.uk.”  

There is at the moment a major debate about Scotland’s governance as we enter the run-in to the referendum in October next year. This observer would suggest there is nothing wrong with a parallel debate about the governance of Nairn. Whether Scotland is run from Edinburgh, London or Brussels, how can we get the best deal for our community? How can we do more to ensure that we run things for ourselves regardless of how the macro debate raging above pans out? In this respect perhaps the meeting of the community councils may be very useful.