Editor – The recent news about Argyll Holidays going into administration is a major ‘body blow’ for Dunoon and the wider Cowal region but maybe, just maybe, it could be a time for reflection and a reimagining of our spectacular part of the world.
And it truly is spectacular. This is the real, genuine gateway to the magnificent Scottish Highlands in so many ways and it’s no exaggeration to say that we have some of the finest scenery and wildlife in Scotland, a rich history dating back thousands of years and a vibrant, creative community of groups and individuals committed to the greater good.
Add to that, one of the finest secondary schools in the UK, some wonderful pubs, restaurants and iconic hotels all promoting themselves effectively through social media, fantastic landmarks such as Benmore Botanic Garden, Castle House Museum,
Historic Kilmun and Holy Loch Nature Reserve and a What’s On Dunoon organisation that really does keep us all in the picture as to what is going on in our communities alongside our vital local newspaper and community radio station.
The main Dunoon thoroughfare showcases many brilliant, independent retailers such as Bookpoint, and an ecosphere of businesses, such as Wreckspeditions and Lochs, Bens and Glens, that are ahead of the game and driven by true visionaries.
Maybe having so many holiday parks in the hands of one operator was always going to end in tears? Maybe we need a more diverse range of owners of these parks with each doing their own unique thing but all, ultimately, committed to working together to get many more people over here from ‘across the watter’.
We all want to share our corner of Argyll with the world after all!
A proactive spirit of endeavour needs to be nurtured at every level. Dunoon Presents for example, despite the criticism it might get from some quarters, encapsulates that spirit of proactivity and ‘can do’ attitude and my own personal experiences of working with the Cowalfest walking festival, Cowal Open Studios, The Meeting Place and the Oakbank CommunityInnsuggestswe have a lot to shout about. There’s just so much to draw people here but we all need to be ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’!
Schemes such as the Dunoon Project and revitalisation of the pier, if they are to become a reality, need to communicate more effectively and clarify timelines so that we all know that there are good things coming down the track and reasons to be positive.
Dunoon and its environs have taken significant hits in the past and it’s true that there’s an element of faded
glory about our area but there’s absolutely no reason to think that those glory days won’t return with a bit of true community spirit and a shared vision.
We will obviously need outside help, political will and major funding in order to realise a vision of making Cowal a real ‘go to’ destination and there will havetobealotmoreof that ‘volunteer’ ethos that helps to breath life into other areas of Scotland and the UK so effectively but I have no doubt whatsoever that we have the people, resources and the ideas to succeed and thrive.
I’ve lived here for five years and I feel a very close attachment to and affinity with the area, its population and landscapes and I want to see the ‘good times’ return. I’ve no doubt they will!
Maybe, just maybe, this ‘body blow’ could be the catalyst that makes Dunoon and Cowal the world class destination it deserves to be.
Rob Wilkinson
