Boxers, buses, planning and takeaways in focus at latest Community Council meeting

INVERNESS Boxing Club has expressed an interest in taking over the Welfare Hall solely for their sport, members of Merkinch Community Council heard at their March meeting.

The  club, presently based at the Cameron Club is very successful, having three Scottish champions. While the council were happy that the development would bring more people down Grant Street, some made the point that the hall was meant to be a facility for the whole community.

And there was doubt as to whether the club were fully aware of the condition of the building. “It’s in the realms of speculation at the moment,” said chairman Ali Maclean. Councillor Chrissie Cumming expressed some surprise that the club were prepared to take on such a major commitment.

• Grant Street’s reputation as the fast food centre of Inverness has been further enhanced with the granting of a planning permission for a takeaway to Mr Trevor Nicol in respect of his shop, presently vacant, at 45 Grant Street, and by the sale by auction in Edinburgh of takeaway premises on the other side of the street, next to Rodgers’ shop.

Some expressed concern at the granting of a further off-licence in the area, to the Farmers’ Dairy.

• Still in Grant Street – new, better quality seating was to be installed in the recently repaved area within the next week or two, Councillor Peter Corbett reported. The local Stagecoach manager, William Mainus, gave a brief outline of his company’s policy regarding bus services in the Merkinch area. The council had invited the company to send a representative after new timetables indicated a dwindling service, particularly in South Kessock.

Mr Mainus said, “The depot is in the position at the moment where we just can’t justify a more frequent service. It was not an easy decision, but the demand was just not there.”

After some discussion members agreed that a private company could not be expected to run buses with just one or two passengers. Mr Mainus said that they would not be likely to use minibuses as these cost as much to run.

• Upper Kessock Street were still without washing lines, since August and it was just not good enough, Donnie Kerr reported. Councillor Corbett admitted that the matter was moving rather slowly, but there had been a mix-up regarding what was wanted and there had been a lot of new tenants recently. Clair Pieraccini raised the matter of putting up a Residents Parking Only sign for Upper Kessock Street residents and that was agreed.

• A planning inquiry about the development of the derelict site in Dunabban Road is to be held in the Trinity Church Hall around the 9th or 10th of June. Councillor Cumming said she still regarded the housing planned for the site  was an over-development.

• The Community Council’s next meeting is at Merkinch Community Centre on Wednesday 11th April at 7.15pm.