Transport Scotland has begun a public consultation on a number of options for improving the A96 between the A9 at Inshes and Auldearn including a bypass of Nairn.
A96 Improvements and the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan is available for consultation in Nairn on 6th February and Balloch on 7th February. The details are here.
The Highland Council Trading Standards department has taken up the battle against internet surcharges for the Scottish Highlands.
The SCP Manifesto for the Scottish election in 2011 drew attention to these unjust surcharges. “We highlight that some companies discriminate against certain postcodes by adding unfair surcharges.”
The Highland Council’s “Internet Delivery Charges Survey” is still open for submissions until 31st January. It has received over 300 submissions to date.
Inverness, the capital city of the Highlands, one of six nominated Millennium cities in the UK in 2000, with an international airport, is treated as if it is an offshore island by some mailing companies. National conferences are held in Inverness by such as the British Medical Association, and the Scottish National Party. The Scottish Golf Open was held nearby in August 2011. We have good road, rail and air connections. There is no excuse for such shoddy treatment.
The Highland Council has a duty to enforce consumer protection laws surrounding internet sales and the Trading Standards Service has embarked on a project to trace and tackle those businesses that fall foul of internet trading law.
Tennent’s Lager has high-lighted the midnight curfew in Inverness, which prevents people entering larger pubs and clubs after midnight.
In a promotional campaign to celebrate the culture of Scotland’s six cities, Tennent’s has used the phrase “Cinderella city” in reference to the fact that Cinderella had to flee the ball at midnight. The Scottish Christian Party thinks that this devalues the city and is an unwelcome criticism of a sensible policy.
Those who favour social drinking in clubs after midnight may find the midnight curfew inconvenient, but both the police and Street Pastors are familiar with the last minute rush of clubbers from pubs into clubs just before midnight. They are also familiar with the scene at 3 a.m. when the clubs close and young people in various states of sobriety emerge to find their way home. Even at 3 a.m. some are still looking for more entertainment, saying “Inverness is a boring city” because “there is nothing to do” after the clubs close.
This is ‘the night time economy’ and the Scottish Christian Party says much of it can be ‘false economy’. The case in favour of such late night carousing is not clear.
Scotland is trying to find answers to its drink-related problems, yet in the night time economy we perpetuate the social circumstances which contribute to it. Some young people work only to have the money to go out drinking at weekends. If businesses did not profit financially from this, it is unlikely that they would have the Christian charity to provide this service to satisfy the desire of such people for this type of lifestyle. If they made a financial loss, it is even less likely. So why does society permit it when the only people who make a financial gain from the night time economy are the businesses involved? Society has to pick up the cost in terms of policing, street lighting, noise pollution, accident and emergency services, days off work, depression (alcohol is a depressant), immorality and its consequences.
Dr Donald M. Boyd, the leader of the Scottish Christian Party, said: “Too much of the night time economy is false economy. When we are trying to find solutions to Scotland’s drink-related problems, we should call Time! on the night time economy.”
Many young girls go drinking for friendship and to find the confidence to socialise. It is a reflection on our educational system if young people have not been taught the confidence and skills to socialise without alcohol.
There are initiatives for businesses to contribute to the cost of policing our streets at such times. This is fire-fighting. The true cost could not be met by them. There has been a conspiracy of silence which the Scottish Christian Party will not join. Too much of the night time economy is false economy. The nation’s work force is over-stretched and needs its rest - from work at weekends and from stress which promotes alcohol-fuelled escapism.
