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The Grouch - September 06

THERE IS STILL an air of mystery surrounding Taymouth Castle, for no one is quite sure what is happening and will happen in the future. We all know something about its history, but it is the future which is shrouded in mystery. Work to convert the castle into a high class hotel was slow to start and rumour was rife. Serious work of renovation, however, is taking place with new windows going in and the major roof repairs just waiting for the final lead sheathing.

As to the vast interior, little can be seen from outside but a workforce of some 30 men is currently back on site. To those of us who have been in the old building in the past, we can only hope that the finer parts of the castle will be retained to complement the new build and renovated interiors.

Of the work force, many are from Poland and Romania and they have been living in a small caravan enclave behind the castle. The first phase is hoped to be completed in 2008 with the second phase following on, in the shape of perhaps 400 lodges or condos [an Americanism] clustered around the golf course to the south, and in the woods between the back of the castle and the River Tay to the north. It is a dramatic site with huge potential. The ramifications for Highland Perthshire are immense, in employment, in the supply industries in the area and in the future economy. If the developers and venture capitalists have the balls to complete the project, then the future could be rosy.

However, just maybe, the future of global travel could be about to change, with consequences for the tourist industry - and that means Taymouth Castle.  The prophets of doom in our western world now preach disaster unless we radically change our lifestyles.  Air travel may, in fact, have reached its peak for a variety of reasons. The price of oil is one factor. Then we have fears for the future as we face up to global warming. Will our attempts to reduce our carbon emissions mean that fewer of us will travel by air? Business travel could be cut dramatically, simply because much trade could be done via the internet, but will the vast holiday market be affected?  Then we have the big imponderable! Will the confrontation between the Western and Eastern religions and cultures mean more radical religious terrorism, with the fear of air travel gripping us all?

Who IS in charge?

Are we getting more half-baked legislation coming out of parliament… both Westminster and Holyrood? The question arises because we seem to hop from crisis to crisis with the Tabloids raising the dust with rumour, innuendo, false accusations and plain lies… all turned out by the red-tops and the scandal sheets, which feed our hunger for titillation and make money out of it.  If we find such papers odious, why do we still buy them? Government is often   forced to respond with denials or explanations and ministers are called into the studios to be accountable to the nation on television and radio, often ill prepared and under pressure.  Surely this is no way to conduct the business of government.

Whatever happened to discussion, sober thought, consultation, time to reflect and considered response? Yes, the news media should be holding parliament to account, but it is not for them to demand immediate action. Is it not wiser when faced with a difficult problem, to say, “leave that with me and I will get back to you.” Ministers must take charge of these situations by brushing aside insistent and rude interviewers such as “Rottweiler Paxton” and should only respond after careful consideration.

Alex Peak