by Colin Campbell TWO main centres in Inverness have been hit by the coronavirus and the response has been very different. The Victorian Market was closed “until further notice” on Monday after a virus case was linked to the site. Highland Council said the closure would be as short as possible while “deep cleaning” was carried out. Hours later a staff member at Inverness Leisure … Continue reading Market closes after single case of virus: Inverness Leisure, also hit, stays open with panic-free response

by Colin Campbell THERE’S been no shortage of negativity about Highland Council in recent times. And some of it has appeared, quite legitimately, here. But there are limits to how much flak should be directed at the local authority. And when they warn employees that they could face disciplinary action or even dismissal if they go to the media with claims about bullying that does … Continue reading ‘Bullying’ and ‘the bullied’: council is right to prevent individual complaints being aired in public

by Colin Campbell THE 10pm curfew on pubs introduced on Friday meant for would-be revellers the city centre drinking night was over before it had properly begun. And because of the new restrictions in a generally quiet precinct it seemed many people did not venture out at all. By 9.30pm most bars had only a thin smattering of customers left nursing their drinks. And there … Continue reading When Inverness last had 10pm pub closing, it was at temperance decree of civic fathers. Now virus calls the shots

by Colin Campbell WE were forewarned at the beginning of the week and now we know the reality of Wednesday’s big announcements by Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon: a seismic reversal on the return to any kind of normality. The pubs will close early which will put the lights out in the city centre at nights and there now has to be serious doubts how … Continue reading Hendry should not be exploiting the crisis to further independence cause

by Colin Campbell SO it’s bye, bye to the grandchildren for the next three weeks, or six weeks, or six months, depending on what Nicola Sturgeon decrees. We can see you while standing out in the October rain for a few minutes if you stand in the house doorway. Maybe we’ll still be standing out in the November sleet or the December snow as well, … Continue reading So it’s bye, bye to the grandchildren but you can go and get drunk in the pub

by Colin Campbell TORY politicians have expressed outrage over remarks made by former SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson, accusing him of celebrating the death of older people by claiming this is helping tilt the odds in favour of independence. They should leave the outrage to the nationalists. Outrage, feigned or otherwise, is what they do best. And when I read Robertson’s column in the vile … Continue reading The cynical glee of Angus Robertson as kids reach the magic age of 16

by Colin Campbell FROM cult HQ to the Highlands, the ferrets in a sack party is riven by the most venomous feuding since the referendum. Exactly six years on from that crushing defeat, the friction inside that bulging sack is so intense it threatens to burst wide open. And this in a party that’s supposed to be riding high in a few dubious opinion polls. … Continue reading From cult HQ to the Highlands, the ferrets in a sack party feuding has never been worse

by Colin Campbell ON March 24 the headline appeared here: “Inverness in lockdown as range of new restrictions are imposed.” That followed the announcement of the most drastic curtailment in human activity in the history of the Highland capital. Never in our worst imaginings did we think that later in the year, in September, we might be presenting the same headline with the word  “again” … Continue reading March lockdown was period of optimism and certainty compared with where we are now

by Colin Campbell IF councillors turn down plans for a special lights show in the city centre this winter they will be guilty of criminally curmudgeonly behaviour. The worse the virus situation looks – and it seems virtually everything of significance has some kind of link to it just now – the more Inverness is in need of reasons to be cheerful. What is being … Continue reading We must have Riverlights to help lift winter gloom

by Colin Campbell A NOTIFICATION on getting the flu jab arrived a couple of days ago. I thought that at least was some positive news on body and health maintenance. The last local NHS letter I received arrived five months ago to tell me that an annual health check I get, not a minor one, had been cancelled. And I’ve heard nothing since, although maybe … Continue reading The need to get the needle, but some problems could be impossible to resolve