EMD/AA

The 'Annotated Angus' is a work-in-progress EMD hopes to finish by New Year's Eve 2021
--  /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ --- MISCs, CUTs & FRAGs:- --

— 'Glasnost' (openness, transparency) —
Q (Matt Hooper, Jaws) "I just, I want to be sure. You want to be sure. We all want to be sure. Okay? Now what I want to do is very simple..."

— 'Perestroika' (reconstruction, rebuilding) —
"People want things to improve but they're much less willing innovate." "People want things to get better but they often don't want to make changes." "People want things to be different but they don't want to do anything very differently." "They might not say it, but what they mean is" "Change for thee but not for me." "The challenges we face will not be solved with one meeting[..]. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time.  We are the ones we've been waiting for.  We are the change that we seek." -Barack H Obama "The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction." -William Blake (in 'Proverbs of Hell') Henry Kissinger once observed that "it is in the nature of prophets to redouble their efforts, not to abandon them, in the face of a recalcitrant reality," which might bring to mind something Nietzsche wrote (in 'Joyful Wisdom' #316) about 'Prophetic Men':- "Ye cannot divine how sorely prophetic men suffer: ye think only that a fine "gift" has been given to them, and would fain have it yourselves,—but I will express my meaning by a simile. How much may not the animals suffer from the electricity of the atmosphere and the clouds! Some of them, as we see, have a prophetic faculty with regard to the weather, for example, apes (as one can observe very well even in Europe,—and not only in menageries, but at Gibraltar). But it never occurs to us that it is their sufferings—that are their prophets! When strong positive electricity, under the influence of an approaching cloud not at all visible, is suddenly converted into negative electricity, and an alteration of the weather is imminent, these animals then behave as if an enemy were approaching them, and prepare for defence, or flight: they generally hide themselves,—they do not think of the bad weather as weather, but as an enemy whose hand they already feel!"

The 'Annotated Angus'
--  /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ /*\ \*/ --- TRANSCRIPTed notes:- --  *** AMacD ***  family 1000 years within walking distance Spean Bridge "very good career" from Hong Kong *** High St *** town needs to thrive if area to work AMacD is keen to help town flourish Met with Dot F & Pauline (who she?) Walked with Mark L and Pat J fill retail gap towns now about socialising & activities fewer empty shopfonts now eg bookshop, cinema ME escape room rural locals don't come into High St  *** Funding *** Entrepreneurship Philanthropy Public spending *** SWOT *** Problems: bypass (M&Co) + Airds Crossing + underpass + accommodation + A82 ME wiki/AirdsXg (?) Opportunities: Bronzes + BTofY + Philanthropists + May elections + Forbes/Blackford ME Can't move Ben Nevis esp North Face ME Computer centre at Airds Crossing? *** Bypass (M&Co etc) *** bypass likely to be a problem for years - esp back of M&Co Evergreen Avenue of trees on SE side of bypass (Holm Oak) couldn't put everywhere ME American article -- Holm Oak (=Holly Oak), #12 at . "Holm oak is a native to the Eastern Mediterranean but has been naturalised in the UK. It lends itself well to shaping and is found in parks and gardens. Trees are resistant to salt-spray from the sea, and are often planted as a windbreak in coastal areas. However, they can’t stand freezing conditions and during severe winters they are prone to dying or losing their leaves, so are more common in the south of the UK." -Woodland Trust *** Airds Crossing *** Airds Crossing is a "real blight" on the town spoken to owner a couple of times ME Computer centre *** Underpass *** Underpass a "really shocking" way get from transport hub to Town Ctr ME publish his photos? ask *** Bronzes *** Bronzes - highland cow, drover with cattle/sheep, bagpiper CC PatJ bronzes in Dundee/Perth (ME: Glenrothes) CC Beautiful eagle in Inverness ("Welcome to the Highlands"(?)) CC PatJ Welcome structure on West End r'bout refused - detract from safety - distraction to drivers - dangerous to traffic --  ME Raeburn, Kellett (cf. Donington) :=     esp paras 3-5 ME replica of ManTrap (also Arch, below) *** BTofY *** British Town of the Year 2027 (cf FW2040) FW2027 five years Treorchy (Wales) ex-mining town, c.100 shops largely run by women (only one is empty) eg computer repair shop, seamstress ME Craft Town - West Kilbride *** Shopfronts *** Rates: £50,000 quoted for both (out-turn):- Cinema £26,000pa rates - similarly Soap Co £28,000(?). CC Even so, "daunting" £10/12k p a (-Flora McKee) 'Highland Hospice' rents £1000pcm *** Hospitality *** Upgrade Accommodation - Extend Season - Wealthier Visitors Extend season - fantastic win for hosp ind (& retail, leasure) Festivals - music, books, mountain-biking upgrade accom - we have poor quality accom - big step up to Inverlochy Shearings Hotel, Ben Nevis (Melton) - did he say good or bad(?!) need wealthier visitor in 'shoulder months' transformational for youth employment - reason to stay *** (ME) Ben Nevis North Face *** ME Dave McLeod @ Roy Bridge, Mick Tighe's museum etc ME 3 peaks 3 days thing (cf. LR&CMDA) *** public funding *** little political support no infrastructure spend CalMac "is a disgrace, as is A82" (A82 Upgrade; Blackparks bypass) need money from central gov still no STEM promised new hosp in 2000 (and A82 upgrade!) *** ARCH *** Craig's graveyard - the Arch - fantastic entry to Fort William gt gt g'father had Distillery saw all councillors 'Chris Robinson' (?historian?) Replica arch - IanPeter said same Ian-Peter  (also James) ME it looks more impressive where it is than it would surrounded by three/four story buildings wider debate (???) ME Arch Gully (BN-NF) *** e-bikes *** eBikes £640,000 Off-beat bikes (competition) Hood (cover) on it - too late to change(?) Mark L and Sarah Huxley/Ferguson - proximity to transport hub site authorised by 'delegated powers' under lockdown *** FtWmTT *** Town Team is "fantastic" - 200 on April spring-clean Have clean area by west coast standards *** FITCC *** re CC: "the more you can do the happier i'll be" need to raise our voice (FMcK?) ME eg the fckg Wiki!!! *** Philanthropists *** Corrour Estate - Elizabeth Rousing £1bn charitable trust (25yr loan or gift 45%) Glencoe - Flemming family - Stag Fassfarn (Fastfarn?) - Wills family has charitable trust ConnorGlen Estate - John Guthrie "In fact I'm sure they would be [interested in helping]" *** FW2027 *** bureaucracy in Ft Wm is "beyond imagination" compared to Angus MacD's exp Chamber of Commerce put weight behind initiatives some nice shops but could do so much more ME empty property orders *** FW2040 & Inverness *** FW2040 is Inverness-led - very grandiose - v little re T-Ctr ME Inverness mafia can't move Ben Nevis esp North Face - they would if they could! *** Politics *** New councillors in May - make this an election issue A82 Upgrade(s) ME "If we can't [..] when our MP leads Scotland's governing party at Westminster and our MSP is the second most powerful woman in Scotland, when can we?" ME £500 mailing -- source: (DRAFT) MINUTE OF FITCC MEETING on TUESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 2021 at 7:00pm via MS-Teams (DRAFT) MINUTE: Tue 16/11/21 FITCC (‘Teams’) meeting - #3: Angus MacDonald (Highland Cinema and Bookshop) 3. Angus MacDonald – Highland Cinema and Bookshop: Angus gave an enthusiastic presentation on a number of exciting ideas for enhancing the High St. He spoke of fewer empty shops and the High Street in a much better state than in was a few years ago but there is still a long way to go. The need to encourage business people to take on premises that will bring locals back into the town. Look at ways of extending the season – festivals, events etc. It was agreed that the Town Team has done an excellent job of rallying volunteers to improve and brighten up the town but a wider diversity of shops is needed. The Bye-pass looking onto the back of the buildings gives a really poor impression. Airds Crossing buildings are a blight on the town with owners not prepared to consider alternative use or enhance the appearance of the buildings. All were in agreement that the Underpass is a dreadful entrance to and from the town. An approach has been made by FITCC to HC to address this problem. Angus is making presentations to individual Councillors, the Lochaber Area Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society and the Museum in the hope that we can all work together in an effort to make the high street a better experience for both locals and visitors. Angus spoke of approaching charitable Trusts for Art projects and not always relying on public funds. The chair spoke of the FW2040 plan with some of the projects being delivered before 2040 and moves afoot to bring progress and decision making back again into local control. Angus advised of his visit to Treorchy in Wales which won the 2020 Great British High Street of the year Award. A thriving High Street with many small businesses and craft shops not just reflecting the culture and heritage of the area but providing useful and necessary services to the local community. The meetings agreed to invite Angus back early in the new year when we will hold a Public meeting to present the idea of going forward for the 2027 Great British High Street of the year Award and as part of a consultation process with wider community/stakeholder participation. The chair thanked Angus for his presentation and sharing his thoughts for the future and will get back in touch in January’22 to arrange dates for a Public meeting.