Bakkafrost expands, Ullapool oddballs and flaky 4G

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☎️ Are you reading this on your mobile phone? The good folk of Gairloch may not be so lucky as many have been having to contend with flaky 4G for several days now. 
Exasperated locals have been reporting poor 4G data connections in the Gairloch area since at least July 6. O2 say they are aware of a problem with a local mast and plan to fix it but haven't said when. People on Vodafone also seem to be affected. More: Facebook.

🔥 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has issued an extreme wild fire warning covering the whole of Scotland. The extreme danger assessment will be in place from Friday, 11 July until Monday, 14 July. This covers central and eastern areas on Friday, 11 July, and extends to all areas, except low-lying areas with green grass, from Saturday, 12 July, until Monday, 14 July. More: Scottish Fire & Rescue.

🐟 Aquaculture firm Bakkafrost seeks planning permission to install 42 "temporary accommodation units," along with generators, car parking, and other welfare facilities at Kishorn. It claims the move is a necessary response to “a lack of local accommodation options,” that create “difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled staff.” 

Search for 25/00636/FUL on the council planning portal to find out more. In a separate application (ref: 25/02104/FUL), the firm is seeking permission to extend its existing hatchery building at Russel Burn, Applecross.

💷 But that's not all. Bakkafrost has also been awarded £630,290 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise towards a £2.5m new Kishorn facility that will see fish waste turned into Biochar - a type of charcoal - for use in the forestry sector. More: Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

📮 

Wester Ross locals served by the Strathcarron Royal Mail sorting office have been having to cope with very poor postal services for several weeks now. 

Despite pressure from the regulator Ofcom, who urged the Royal Mail to resolve local staffing issues “as a matter of urgency” in June (see Issue 12), MSP Maree Todd said she was told it could be mid-August before normal services are resumed. Writing on social media following a July 8 meeting with Royal Mail bosses, she said: “They are catching up on the backlog and will be providing alternate day delivery to every address within 10 days. They intend to have normal service resume at the latest, by mid-August.” More: Facebook. (We'll also have more on this in the next issue of the G&DT.)

✉️ If you fancy working as a part-time postie, there are two jobs being advertised by the Royal Mail at Strathcarron. More: Royal Mail

🏋️ Gairloch Leisure Centre need a new part-time cashier and receptionist. Apply here.

💊 Torridon Medical Practice is looking to hire a part-time Care Navigator / Dispenser. Email Joanne Hendricks for more details.

🚗 The Gairloch Community Car Scheme is looking for more volunteer drivers. They've also thanked everyone involved in helping fundraise for the charity. They raised £225 at the Gairloch Gathering and £675 at a recent soup lunch. More: Facebook.

🍕 The Old Hall Cafe at Kinlochewe have announced they are on temporarily reduced opening hours due to staffing issues. More: Facebook.

🏆 Congratulations to the team at GALE. The Gairloch-based Development Trust has been awarded the Investing in Local People Award at the 2025 Rural Community Business Awards. The UK-wide award scheme is organised by charity Plunkett UK. More: GALE. (GALE also has four job vacancies at the moment.)

⁉️ The next Kinlochewe Village Hall dinner and pub quiz will be on July 26. More: Facebook.

🤡 Oddballs is a "three legged fancy dress fundraising pub crawl quiz." It's set to take place in Ullapool on August 16. More: Facebook.

🌷Also, Ullapool Craft and Flower Show have announced a date change. It will now take place on August 30. More: Facebook.

📖 Local writer Andy Goss says he is currently donating £1 for every book he sells to charity War Child, in a bid to support hungry children in Gaza. His book Cold Coffee in Asmara is available in Ullapool Bookshop, Ceilidh Place Bookshop, Tin Drum Books, Aultbea Stores and Laide Post Office. More: Andy Goss.

🛑 Newly erected no overnight parking signs at popular campervan spots at Shieldaig and Applecross have proven contentious. More: Louise Glen | Press and Journal.

🚦Forest and Land Scotland have warned travellers on the A890 to expect “minor disruption,” over the next twelve weeks. The government agency is carrying out forestry works on the steep slopes above the road and railway on the south side of Loch Carron in a bid to reduce landslips. More: Forest and Land Scotland.

🌿 Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust are holding a scything training day on August 9. Could it give you the edge at the next Gairloch Gathering scything contest? More: Eventbrite.

🚨 Police Scotland say that 60 road users were stopped and 26 offences were detected - including 13 for speeding and five for careless driving - as part of a recent weekend crack down on poor driving on the NC500. One person had their tractor seized. More BBC News.

🚦The council has announced various road restrictions around the Belladrum festival site. The restrictions will be in place between Thursday July 17 and Friday August 8. More: Highland Council.

⚡ So-called zonal pricing proposals for electricity that could have seen Highlanders paying less for domestic power than people in some other parts of the country have reportedly been ruled out by the UK Government. More: Kiran Stacey | The Guardian and reaction covered by Steph Brawn | The National (£)

🐟 More fish news. Government conservation agency NatureScot is urging people to help them understand more about endangered Flapper Skate by downloading a dedicated app and uploading sighting information. Locals suspect they may breed in the Loch Broom Marine Protected Area. More: NatureScot.

🐳 And finally, Hebridean Whale Cruises reported a record breaking trip on July 2. In one morning they saw 24 Minke whales. On the same day they also filmed a lunge-feeding 14m long juvenile Fin whale. So here's this week's whale vid of the week: Watch it here. And here's a bonus video of the same huge beast.