LOCAL NEWS MARCH 14 2025 | Radio Skye (original) (raw)

Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle has written to the deputy first minister Kate Forbes to abandon the proposed visitor levy or delay its implementation in rural and island areas.

The intervention by the Conservative member comes on the back of representations from constituents across the Highlands and Islands, who Mr Eagle said are deeply concerned by the effect the levy will have on local economies.

In his letter to the deputy first minister Kate Forbes, Tim Eagle contends The levy will undoubtedly lead to business closures and redundancies, and the administrative burden on micro and small businesses in particular will be immense.

Citing some of the major worries raise to him by constituents, Mr Eagle said that there are concerns that the burden to collect the levy will be placed on businesses, as opposed to the local authority.

He argued that business owners will effectively become tax collectors, and will be forced to spend excessive amounts of time ensuring that new and complex regulations are adhered to, rather than focussing on the services they provide to their guests.

Tim Eagle has to asked Ms Forbes to pause the scheme and review the concerns that have been expressed, not only in this letter, but in the local authorities respective consultation responses.

The visitor levy act which approved in May 2024 by the Scottish Government gives local authorities discretionary powers to introduce a visitor levy in their area, for visitors staying in overnight accommodation, such as hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast, campsites.

The Highland Council, who are proposing a five per cent surcharge on overnight stays, have said the charge, which does not include those staying in motorhomes or campervans outwith campsites, could generate £10 million each year – money that can be used to sustain, support and develop the services and infrastructure which the sector relies on.

The Highland Council, meanwhile, is set to face questions at public event in Portree today over its proposals to implement a five percent charge on overnights stay across the region.

However, more than 3,700 have signed a petition raised by the Highland Hotel Association who are opposed to the levy as they believe the taxes could have serious economic consequences for our area, local people and businesses.

The public consultation run by the council is open until the 31st May.

And the full council are set to meet this June to vote on the proposal.

The visitor levy event will be held at Isle of Skye Candle Company in Portree from 2pm to 3.30pm this afternoon.

The grand opening of a new play park for Dunvegan is set to take place on Saturday.

The new facility has been made possible due to the the fundraising efforts of a sub-committee of the Dunvegan Community Trust, which has transformed the former Lochside play area in Dunvegan into a vibrant and exciting community park.

The grand opening will take place from the Dunvegan Hotel at 1pm on Saturday where those gathered will be piped down to the new park.

Music will also be provided by local musicians during the event.

Regenerative aquaculture company Climavore is to hold a Bivalve Murals Celebration event in Sleat on Saturday which is free to the public.

Climavore has turned waste bivalve shells; oysters, scallops, mussels and razor clams collected from restaurants around Skye, into large-scale murals that reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and contribute to the development of regenerative economies for Skye and Raasay. This process has turned waste shells into a new material made out of local lime that could replace cement in the future.

Five pairs of murals – 10 in total – conceived by Cooking Sections with Climavore have been created with one from each pair entering a publicly accessible art collection and the other remaining in a community space in Skye and Raasay.

Murals will be installed in Dunvegan Primary School, Kilmuir Village Hall, Portree Community Centre, Raasay Community Hall, and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in the coming weeks.

The special event will take place at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s An Talla Mòr on Saturday, 15th March. The afternoon, running from 2.00 pm to 5.45 pm, will feature a series of inspiring talks, a film screening, a coastal walk, and culminate in a celebratory family cèilidh from 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm.

Photo credit: Jordan Young.

Top two to meet in under-18s title clash

The top two in the Skye and Lochalsh under-18s league will meet tomorrow in Lochaber as North West Skye travel to face in Fort William in a crunch match for the championship.

The Skye side defeated Broadford 6-2 on Wednesday night to move seven points clear of their mainland rivals.

However, Fort William have three games in hand on the islanders going into the clash.

The sides shared the points and four goals in a 2-2 draw in February in Portree which saw Charlie Rees bag a brace for North West.

A win for North West would clinch the championship for the Skye club, but anything less would give the impetus to Fort William in the title race.

Portree will host Mallaig in the Skye capital on Saturday. The maroons are a point ahead of Lochalsh in third place but have played one game more than their mainland counterparts.

Mallaig will be looking to broaden the gap between themselves and Broadford at the bottom with just two points between the sides. The blues have two matches in hand, though.

Skye men and Shiel ladies seek first points of the season

In shinty, Skye men’s first team will be looking to pick up their first points of the season as they travel to Mossfield Park on Saturday to take on Oban Camanachd in the Premiership.

Skye have suffered back to back defeat in a tough start to the campaign with losses against Lovat and Kingussie so far.

The islanders will be playing their third away match on the spin tomorrow but will take heart from their results against Oban Camanachd last season in which they secured victories in both league encounters including a 2-1 away win back in July thanks to a last minute winner by John Gillies.

The match is a 2.30pm throw up in Oban on Saturday.

Kinlochshiel welcome Newtonmore on Saturday with the Lochalsh side seeking their first win of the season.

Shiel have picked up two points from their first two matches following draws away to Oban and Lovat.

An Archie MacRae double earned Shiel a 2-0 win when they host More’ back in September.

The visitors defeated Caberfeidh in their league opening but suffered a 5-3 loss at home last weekend against Fort William.

The match is 2.30pm throw up at Reraig on Saturday.

In the WCA Premier League Skye will welcome Lochaber on Saturday in the first home match of the campaign.

The islanders began their season in fine fettle with a 4-2 away victory against Glenurquhart, but fell to a 2-0 defeat against Inverness in the Highland Capital last Sunday.

Skye secured a 1-0 win in the sides last encounter at Pairc Nan Laoch in October thanks to a Holly Maclean strike.

The match is 1pm throw in Portree on Saturday.

Kinlochshiel ladies first endured a chastening defeat in their season opener in WCA Premier League last Sunday as they suffered a 6-0 loss away to reigning champions Badenoch.

Shiel will be hoping home advantage can spur them on against side who defeat Skye after an opening day reversal against Badenoch.

Shiel came out on top 4-1 the last time the team clashed in Lochalsh in April, thanks in large part to a Lorna MacRae hat-trick.

The match is a 2pm start on Sunday at Reraig.

In North Division 1, Skye take on Glenurquhart on Saturday in 12pm start in Blairbeg Park.

Skye lost out by the odd goal in nine as Kingussie recorded a 5-4 win over the islanders last weekend.

Skye come into the match looking to record their fifth win on the spin against Glenurquhart. They have scored 17 goals across their past four matches included a 3-0 win back in August.

Shiel face Newtonmore in a 2.30 throw on Saturday at the Eilean.

Like Skye, Shiel were also involved in a thriller last weekend but it was Glenurquhart who came away with the points in a 4-3 win in Lochalsh.

Shiel last win against More came four games ago in a 3-1 win away from home in July 2023.

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