Ariane Burgess MSP, Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands & Islands, has written to Wildland Limited, highlighting key community concerns regarding the closure and proposed refurbishment of the Dores Inn.
In her letter, Ms Burgess emphasised the importance of maintaining public amenities during the transition period and ensuring minimal disruption to local residents and visitors.
The community has expressed three primary concerns:
Public Toilets:
The Dores Inn has been the sole provider of public toilet facilities for Dores Beach, a popular tourist destination.
The community is seeking assurance that these facilities will remain open and maintained during the Inn’s closure to prevent unsanitary conditions.
Parking:
There is significant concern about the potential closure of the carpark, which could lead to dangerous and inconvenient roadside parking along Dores main street.
The community requests that the carpark remains open during the refurbishment period.
Beach Access:
Ensuring continued public access to the beach is crucial.
The community needs a guarantee that this access will not be restricted during the Inn’s closure.
Local Scottish Green councillor, Chris Ballance, has been actively engaging with the community and stated:
“If these three straightforward issues are resolved by Wildland, then the community is positive about the sale of the Inn on the grounds that it needs major refurbishment work done and the company clearly has the funds to provide that.”
Ms Burgess has suggested that Wildland engage directly with the Dores Community Council to discuss these concerns in detail and attend their Community Council meeting at the end of January to provide reassurances and discuss potential solutions.
