Gairloch bank closure, Tartan Week and a tractor run

Welcome once again to another Wester Ross Round-up. This week we are sending to 1032 subscribers. If you've recently joined us, welcome! Each week we scan loads of news sources to try to bring you all the useful news about our corner of the world - leaving out all the click bait and nonsense - in an easily digestible summary.

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🏦 Lloyds Banking Group have announced another round of branch closures, and sadly, the Gairloch Bank of Scotland branch is among them. The closure will happen between January and October next year. More: STV News

Local MSP Maree Todd has already written to the bank to urge it to reconsider saying she is "deeply disappointed" by the decision. More: Facebook

We'd like to hear your views on news that the bank in Gairloch is to close. You can share your thoughts here.

🚫 After the big stooshie last week about SSEN's - now ditched - plan to close the A832 for half the winter at Dundonnell, the power firm has confirmed that no work at all will take place until the new year. While we wait to find out the details of any new plan, the BBC have a piece summarising some of the key issues, featuring a couple of people that you might recognise. More: BBC

🌊 Speaking of SSEN, Little Loch Broom Marine Life recently shared a link to an SSEN presentation outlining some of the details of their plans for laying the marine part of the high voltage cable in Little Loch Broom. More: PDF download

🕺 It's Tartan Week at Lochcarron from September 26. There's loads of stuff going on, so rather than try and list everything here, we'll just point you to the website: lochcarron.org.uk

🔥 The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have announced that a 'very high' wildfire risk warning will be in place from Wednesday, 24 to Thursday, September 25, escalating to an 'extreme' risk on Friday, 26 September, marking the first September wildfire warning since 2020. More: SFRS

🚦From Monday September 29, there will be another set of roadworks starting on the A835 at the Inchbae Bridge near Garve. The works are set to last for seven weeks. More: BEAR Scotland

🛑 The Bealach Na Ba will be closed overnight tonight to allow white lines to be painted on the newly resurfaced sections of the road. More: Facebook

💼 Following news of their funding win last week, Loch Ewe Community Enterprise have put out a call for people to consider joining the group and for volunteers to stand for election to the management board. More: Facebook

🎭 At Kinlochewe Village Hall there are plans afoot for a kids' drama club. There are two open evenings planned. One on Monday September 29 17:00-17:30 and another at the same time on October 2. If there's enough interest there might be a festive show. More: Facebook

🕐 Local MP Angus MacDonald is planning surgeries in Gairloch, Lochcarron and Kyle on September 30. Details in this Bluesky post:

🛜 MacDonald has also been asking questions about broadband connectivity in the area. The Government estimates that more than a third of local households must still rely on slow copper line internet connections. More: TheyWorkForYou.com

🫂 The Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust are holding their AGM on Thursday October 2, in the MacPhail Centre, Ullapool. After the AGM, they are holding a consultation into local care services. More: Facebook

🛏️ The consultation is timely. Recently, Highland Home Carers boss Campbell Mair warned officials that the Highlands faces the “catastrophic” loss of “swathes of social care provision” due to two UK government policies – the ban on overseas recruitment and the rise in employer National Insurance. More: Scott Maclennan | Ross-shire Journal (£)

💃 Gairloch Scottish Country Dance Class resumes for the new season on Thursday October 23 at 7.30pm – 9.30pm in Gairloch Community Hall. The session will begin with a short AGM.

🧹 Applecross Community Hall are looking for a cleaner. More: Facebook

🚮 Highland Council are looking for Community Works Operatives based in Ullapool. More: MyJobScotland

➕ Highland Council are also seeking not one, but two, maths teachers to work at Ullapool High School. More: Principal Maths Teacher and Maths Teacher

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And Highland Council are looking to recruit a social worker, who could be based in Gairloch. More: MyJobScotland

⛏️ Galantas Gold, the firm that hopes to develop a mine on Gairloch Estate land, have announced that a complex finance deal has completed (we first reported details in issue 12). “With the company’s now strengthened financial position, Galantas will continue advancing its other interests, including exploration at the Gairloch high-grade gold and copper project in Scotland,” the firm said. More: Galantas Gold

🪨 Speaking of interesting rocks, scientists recently announced that they have discovered some new species among fossils found at Diabaig. "These newly discovered microfossils shed new light on the diversification of complex life on Earth," they said. More: Journal of Paleontology

🐑 The Scottish Crofting Federation are teaming up with Community Land Scotland to hold an online event looking at the Crofting Community Right to Buy legislation and how it could be improved. It's scheduled for 19:00, on September 29. More: Community Land Scotland

💷 Energy bills are set to go up from October 1. Advice Direct Scotland are urging anyone that does not have a smart meter to take a meter reading and send it to their supplier before the price rise. More: Advice Direct Scotland

🚗 Are T-plates for tourists the key to cutting road accidents in the Highlands? The idea, first promoted by A9 safety campaigners has even been picked up by CNN. More: CNN

⛵ Apparently, a new "flying boat" could "reimagine" travel around the coastal Highlands and Islands. More: Amelia Neath | The Independent

🚗 You may have seen some particularly stunning classic cars in the neighbourhood this week. Thanks to Jamie Johnston who shared these snaps of a couple of them at the Badachro Inn. (Coincidentally, you can see photos of more classic cars in the next issue of the paper too.)

🚜 And you may also have witnessed the 2025 Wester Ross Tractor Run go by. Here's a short video of their exploits if you missed it. Watch: Facebook

Thanks to Helena Kempton for sharing her photo of the Highland Cow at the top of this newsletter. If you've taken a photo you'd like us to share, you can send it to us here.