22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected]

22nd January 2009 — 093 65p Keep it social Otter finds care at Montrose House David and Gay Christie took this photo of a slightly ‘uncooperative’ Rosa on Monday! She is making a full recovery — support at the Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre. Inset: Rosa was found cowering outside the back entrance to your local Montrose House.

young, lone otter cub — since seem to look for help from people.’ Anicknamed Rosa — has been rescued The Montrose House otter is probably just by the caring staff of Montrose House after 10–12 weeks old and was immediately paired becoming separated from its mother. Care up with another young otter of the same age, home resident Peggy Pierce heard a squeaking given to the rescue centre before Christmas. noise outside her window early last week, but ‘One is an absolute horror,’ said Andy, ‘but the when staff checked to see what it was they otter from Arran is an absolute honey. She just could see only a few birds. Two days later eats and growls at you. It’s just what you want. Ross MacKay has run Laura Drain was serving some tea and toast in It’s superb.’ the Cameronia for 12 the morning and noticed a baby otter cowering years and witnessed at the back entrance leading to the patio. many changes in the Eventual release bar trade. ‘She was curled up by the front door,’ Hessilhead will keep the otters until they said night staff Debbie Turner. ‘But she came become strong enough to survive alone in the towards us. She appeared to have injured her wild. After around a year, they will be put into Island bars crucial for the these are currently shut for winter and back legs and was not walking well.’ Staff and in an enclosure for a fortnight before they are community, say landlords many are operating reduced opening residents thought initially that the creature in fully released. ‘They will be reintroduced as a hours. distress was a mink, but it was soon agreed pair to the wild, either on Arran or near Beith,’ that it was a young otter due to its webbed feet. said Andy, who explains that there a number On Tuesday, for the first time in living The Breadalbane and the Julie Murchie who also works at Montrose of factors that need to be considered. River- memory, Scottish Brewers cancelled Aldersyde closed last year and with House wrapped the creature in a blanket and based otters are more nocturnal than those its usual weekly delivery to Arran. ‘It’s the (hopefully) temporary closure contacted the Brodick Castle rangers, who living by coastal waters, for example. never been known on the island,’ said of the Drift Inn two weeks ago, the then put her in touch with Hessilhead Wildlife The Arran Voice will keep readers posted Tommy Gilmore, the long-standing village of Lamlash now has just one Rescue Centre in Beith. The otter was speedily about the health and well-being of Rosa over collected from the 1.50pm ferry that day. the coming months. Meanwhile if you want publican at the Ormidale hotel who has bar. to support Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre, watched the bar trade evolve for over As Ross MacKay considers his Plea for help an independent charity, you can contribute 50 years. Bar-side research suggests future at Whiting Bay’s Cameronia, ‘It’s quite common,’ said Andy Christie from through the membership and ‘sponsor-a- that in the 1970s there were over 40 he sends out a message echoed by Hessilhead. ‘What happens, we think, is that patient’ schemes. pubs on the island, not counting golf landlords across the island. the female has maybe been killed and the Contact www.hessilheadwildlife.org.uk young ones eventually start starving. They do or tel: 01505 502415 clubs. Now there are only 15. Some of Continued on page 2 Page 2 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 Cath celebrates 100th birthday with family

Friends and family travelled anniversary, an amazing milestone for from as far as Canada to celebrate the a wonderful lady. Cath thanked the 100th birthday of Catherine (Cath) many folks who had joined her before a Sillars on Saturday 17th January. birthday meal was served. A Shiskine lass, Cath now lives in Cath was born in ‘Daisy Bank,’ the Montrose House, where a full house had home which she shared with her sister Above: Cath and her sister Isobel celebrate gathered for a tea party. The building Isobel. One of six children, her father, the 100 year milestone was infused with the gentle accordion Duncan Sillars, was a tailor in Shiskine last Saturday. playing of Robert Halliday and the walls where her mother ran a boarding house. had been beautifully decorated with In her early teens Cath worked as Left: After the presentation of a bright cloth for the occasion. Nephew a housekeeper and cook in the family bouquet of flowers by Ian Sillars and his wife Irene had boarding house. In 1960 she moved to Lesley Van Bogerijen, journeyed all the way from Canada and the mainland to be a housekeeper in the Alastair Grassie proposed a toast. Robert Sillars had made the long trip up home of the Principal Officer at Glasgow from London for the event. University. When Cath retired in the Due to minor ferry disruption, the 1970s, she returned to Arran to live with Queen’s telegram was delayed by a her brother and sister. In May 2006, she few hours, but Alastair Grassie more moved into Montrose House, where she than compensated by toasting Cath’s enjoyed Saturday’s celebration. Keep it social — support your local Continued from front page

What is hurting the bar trade? increasingly drink at home. adds, 'Who wants to live in a village with The Arran Voice Pub price guide Ross believes three things in particular Just as bar-owners are struggling to adapt no pub?’ It is this wider concern that unites Some bars have been forced into price hikes due to have hurt the rural pub: supermarkets, to this commercial reality, new licensing the trade. Richard Small of the Auchrannie licensing legislation and beer duty rises. the smoking ban and the failure of laws have created a raft of additional occasionally has to refute comments that the public transport to compensate for the financial burdens. All licensees — from loss of guesthouses on the island is good for Island Bars Cheapest Guinness Cheapest Current (15 in total) lager spirit licensee more rigorous policing of drink driving. the Auchrannie to Mac’s Bar — are having the Auchrannie. He contends that the range (pint) Ross worries about what will happen if to absorb these extra expenses. Norman of bars that the island is renowned for is Auchrannie £3.30 £3.50 £2.45 20 years Whiting Bay village shoud lose one of its Bond of the Catacol Bay Hotel has just exactly why people come to Arran, and told Cruize Bar (35ml) remaining bars. For him and many of the spent an extra £5,000 on top of his usual The Arran Voice that ‘The survival of bars in Bar Eden Landlord uncontactable other landlords, the pub is more than just operating costs to pay for legal fees, training the villages is good for the whole island.’ Brodick Bar Did not supply prices when called 15 years a business. It is a familiar place for regular certificates for experienced staff and the visitors and a social hub that helps to bind Cameronia £2.50 £2.70 £2.00 12 years required jumping through health and safety Hard graft Bar the community together. hoops. At a time when landlords are already Despite the difficulties, local landlords are Catacol £3.00 £3.20 £2.10 3.5 ‘It’s where the politics gets sorted,’ said toughing it out, this ‘extra paperwork,’ as preparing to put in the graft necessary to Bay Hotel (35ml) years George Stewart, who has been landlord at Tommy from the Ormidale described it, is keep the island’s bar scene alive. Ian from Corrie Hotel £2.90 £3.00 £1.50 20 years the Lochranza Hotel for 25 years. ‘I would not helping. the PHT is optimistic that the numbers of get lynched if I was to close the bar during bars on Arran will rise within five years. Glen Isle Hotel Prices unavailable. Closed until 6th March. winter. People come out through thick and Village spirit ‘I think there will be more,' he says. 'The Kildonan £2.40 £2.60 £1.80 7 years Hotel thin to support the bar.’ George believes Many island publicans feel that the downhill trend can’t go on. It’s got to turn that the year-round commitment to the draconian licensing laws forget the social around.’ All landlords agreed that effort is Kinloch £2.50 £2.90 £1.50 52 years Hotel (whisky) (within community is part of what a bar means. importance of the village bars. Robert Wain now required to put events on and attract same from the Kinloch agreed with the views of people to the pub. Anne and Rod Acuna at family) Supermarket pricing other bar-owners that pubs are places where the Kildonan Hotel, recognised by travelling Lagg Hotel Prices unavailable. Closed October-March And yet the very business of running a bar responsible landlords can keep an eye on pool teams as one of the best bars on the Lochranza £2.95 £3.10 £1.50 25 is increasingly under threat. ‘It would be things, rather than people getting tanked up island for food, is unequivocal. ‘You have Hotel (vodka) years cheaper for me to buy any of the top range at home or on a street corner. Neil Bulger, to go that extra mile,' said Anne. 'People are Mac’s Bar £2.80 £2.95 £1.95 7 years beers in Asda than from my bulk suppliers,’ licensee of the Corrie Hotel for 20 years, buying into all this doom and gloom, but in (35ml - said Ross. This was an absurdity pointed points out that the island is licensed and the end January is always like this.' vodka) out by every landlord contacted by The policed by a police force that also polices a Ormidale £3.00 £3.15 £2.00 57 years Hotel (35ml) (within Arran Voice. They say that for a Government city which, according to the UN, is the most Arran's bars in the 1970s same supposedly obsessed with responsible violent in the developed world. The Arran Voice has compiled a list of the family) drinking, it seems hypocritical to tax the neil also points out that the rise in bars on the island in the 1970s. It shows Pierhead £2.60 £2.85 £1.40 1 year licensed trade so much that shoppers can under-used holiday homes is hurting the that just 30 years ago there were over 40 Tavern walk into a supermarket and buy a can of island.‘The biggest downfall for rural bars. This list is available on our website: Sannox £2.85 £3.00 £2.00 5 years beer for less than a bottle of water. Many pubs is holiday homes bought only for www.arranvoice.com Bay Hotel (35ml) landlords suspect that their customers investment that lie empty.' he says, and comments/corrections welcome! Prices quoted on week beginning 19th January 2009 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 3 Co-op call Local MP Parents — Wake up notified to hearing against of nursery problems Royal Mail registration

Registration for all local Next Tuesday, 27th January, you privatisation authority nurseries and partner provider will find the Brodick Co-operative staff centres on Arran will take place in the dressed in pyjamas, dressing gowns, week beginning 26 January 2009. This nightcaps and slippers. They'll probably Katy Clark, Member of Parliament argues that a private company would applies to children with dates of birth for North Ayrshire and Arran, has spell disaster. She said, 'I welcome the have a giant alarm clock as well. The between 1 March 2005 and 28 February strongly criticised plans to allow a conclusion of the Hooper review that 2007. Parents wishing to register their idea is to stage a 'wake-up call' on private company to buy a significant the six days a week delivery must be children for nursery education should the very common and much-ignored minority stake in the Royal Mail. maintained and protected but believe it apply directly to the nursery of their problem of hearing loss. The proposal was one of a number of should go further. With an investment choice and birth certificates should be The staff in the Brodick store will be recommendations contained in the in improving the technology currently produced at the time of registration. joining thousands of colleagues across Government-commissioned Hooper used by Royal Mail and the support Parents are requested to contact the UK in helping to launch a £2 million Review concerning the future of Royal of highly motivated and highly skilled nurseries to confirm the most suitable Mail, published in December. postal workers, deliveries should still fundraising campaign for RNID, the time to register. Katy met with the Business be taking place twice a day with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. Secretary before Christmas to outline first one taking place at a sensible early • Corrie Primary Nursery Class, With the support of its members and her concerns. She said this week: 'I am morning time.' (tel: 810 244) customers, the Co-operative hopes to very concerned at the proposal to sell • Kilmory Primary Nursery Class, raise more than £2 million by the end a substantial part of Royal Mail to a Collection on Sundays (tel: 870 262) of the year for the charity. All money private company. This proposal is likely • Lamlash Primary Nursery Class, collected at local stores will directly to lead to large numbers of job cuts, a Katy would like to see Sunday (tel: 600 527) decline in the terms and conditions of collections re-introduced so that any benefit people who are deaf or hard of • Shiskine Primary Nursery Class, employees and a decline in the quality post sent over the weekend is able (tel: 860 207) hearing in the region. of service that is provided to the public. to reach its destination as swiftly as • Brodick Nursery, It is easily accepted that as we get If such a proposal goes ahead I believe it possible. 'The changes we have seen (tel: 302 065) older, the eyes become a little tired and paves the way for full scale privatisation over recent years have lead to a worse • Whiting Bay Nursery, a pair of glasses come in handy. A small of Royal Mail in the future.' service for all of us as customers,' she (tel: 700 616) degree of sight loss is almost universal, The local MP believes that said. 'We now need to invest to see investment is needed in Royal Mail and a real improvement in service and a and attracts no comment. The same loss that money should be made available strong future for a publicly owned and of accuracy happens to our ears, but is to modernise the way work is done, but run Royal Mail.' far less well recognised and catered for. Arranvoice.com It is estimated that four million people in the UK are losing their hearing but doing nothing about it, either because High school lights Online Poll they regard it as inevitable or because they feel that hearing troubles carry a stigma which is quite absent from waste energy This week's question is: partial loss of vision. Most sadly of all, people fear that a hearing aid will be too expensive. During the partnership throughout night Do you think yellow with the Co-op, RNID aims to test bands in Brodick are a the hearing of one million people and Arran’s new high school will campaign to ensure that in future building in Lamlash continues to be lit good thing? everyone aged over 55 is invited to have up during the evening due to a major their hearing tested on the NHS. It's a electrical engineering fault. Contractors long-overdue facility. responsible for the fault, which affects Share your opinion, visit www. liz McLean, store manager at Shore an entire upstairs corridor within arranvoice.com and cast your Street, said: 'Coming to work in our the building, have been aware of the vote! pyjamas is bound to get us some strange ongoing problem since May last year. looks from customers but if we can raise The fault means that classroom lights cannot be switched off individually. Last week's question was: money for this worthwhile cause and Unlike the floodlights at Brodick Castle, Should mobiles be allowed in give people a wake-up call about their it appears that there is no compensatory hospital wards or not? hearing, it’ll be a dream come true.' feel-good factor or social utility for the For anyone aware that hearing can illumination. The Arran Voice contacted Yes: 50% sometimes be more difficult than it was, Hochtief PPP Solutions (UK) Ltd on No: 42.9% here is a chance to share the concern Monday morning to ask when the Not Sure: 7.1% with professional people and get advice problem will be fixed, but at the time of Poll expresses views of those who’ve and help. going to press had yet to receive a reply. voted online. Page 4 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009

Editorial

Gratitude our letters page will always provide Voicemail space for every opinion, no matter We offer our most sincere thanks to how contentious. Readers’ News and Views... all those who have contributed to our We make no charge to charitable appeal for the survival of The Arran organisations for printing news of Lochranza Choir on time (Clockwork train), Little Margaret’s Voice. Every one of you has played their fund-raising or non-profit- plaything (Peg Doll), Look in the allotment a vitally important part in ensuring making events. In hard business Following on from a successful concert for this (Cabbage Patch Doll), They change that this independent, island-run terms, this policy is economically a in November and an appearance at the voltage up or down (Transformers), Us? newspaper can continue to reflect your tough one to support, but we believe Lamlash Carol Service, Lochranza Choir (Wii), Your very own baby (Tiny Tears), views and interests, and we have been that without it, Arran would lose is preparing to restart rehearsals. Having Game for crocodiles (Snap), Mr Bunn the deeply touched by your generosity and a valuable and unique medium of battled with snow and ice which caused baker and friends (Happy Families), Spot support. The overwhelming evidence communication between members of a final rehearsal to be cancelled and this one! (Dominoes), Agatha’s record that The Voice is needed gives us a solid the community. At the same time, we prevented one choir member and several breaker (Mousetrap), Was lead piping mandate to go forward as a community have to survive economically, and this ticket holders from attending the concert, involved? (Cluedo), Flat fish on wheels enterprise. is impossible without advertising. We the choir has decided to aim for a May (Roller Skates), Gilbert & Sullivan operetta The full list of contributors appears try to provide the best possible service performance, hoping for more favourable (Patience). on our web-site, with the exception of to our advertisers, both in the printed conditions. The choir is, as ever, made up those who have requested that their paper and on our hugely popular web- of members who have never sung in a choir Raw milk suggestion names be withheld. site, which receives over 100,000 hits a before and those who do not read music, Although we are assured that we month, many of them from across the as well as those who do. Membership now Why do our dairy farmers have to suffer? can continue, there is no room for world. Charities benefit from a reduced extends as far as Sliddery and Whiting Why (in Scotland, but not England) complacency. The task ahead of us is a rate, and we are always happy to back Bay with car-sharing a possible option for does a natural, healthy product have to formidable one, partly because of our up the activities of entrepreneurs who those travelling from further afield. be adulterated by law? Yet we can buy essential philosophy. The Arran Voice advertise with us, providing free reports If you can make a commitment to cigarettes as long as they have big capital has from the start been committed to on any note-worthy innovation or Monday nights starting on 2nd February, letters saying that we shouldn't? providing free publication of the small event. In our view, business at its best is you will find a warm welcome at In the US, organic dairy farmer and notices that are the life-blood of a to the benefit of the whole community. Lochranza Hall (7.30pm), especially in champion of raw milk, Mark MacAfee community. Many groups on the island We are dedicated to the principle the tenor and bass sections of the choir. reckons he gets 10 x the price for his milk work on a voluntary basis, and cannot of encouraging local shopping and Please contact Alison Richards (Tel: 830 than conventional farmers. Of course he afford to pay for every communication support of local enterprise, coupled 208) for further details. is extremely fortunate that raw milk sales of what they intend to do or when with a keen and well-informed interest are legal in California. However in many they next meet — but without the in sport and every form of art, from Alison Richards, other US states where raw milk cannot activities of such bodies, we would painting and poetry to music, film and Lochranza be sold, 'cow share' schemes operate. all be immeasurably the poorer. theatre. We really do, as Schumacher This is a form of Community Supported Arran is renowned for its active, busy so succinctly put it, 'think globally and Quiz thanks Agriculture that could easily be set community and its rich cultural life. act locally.' up on Arran to bypass the Draconian These things constitute a large part of Within the next few weeks, we will May I, through your columns, thank all pasteurisation laws. Interested consumers its unique appeal, in turn benefiting its be giving details of how the public can who supported the Arran Patient and buy a share in a cow, the farmer gets paid tourism industry. Much of this appeal take up membership of the community Transport Service by taking part in the to look after and milk the cow, and the may well die unless the mechanics of enterprise that underpins and runs The Christmas Quiz and Alan Johnston of shareholder gets the equivalent share of facilitating it are provided. For this Arran Voice. Meanwhile, we thank you the Book and Card Centre for generously their healthy raw milk. As no money reason, our Message Board is, and again, and renew our pledge to listen providing the prize. The winners were changes hands for the milk it is legal! If always will be, a free service. Similarly, to your opinions and serve your needs. Archie and Maureen Cumming of both parties are willing, the shareholders Lochranza. can also assist on the farm as and when Here again are the questions, with the required. This allows a farmer to only answers. keep a few milk cows if he wishes. 'We had fun.' Several members of the Transition Elma Stevenson Arran and Holy Isle movement would be George Bush, summing up his presidential time in office. interested in such a scheme if we could Glad somebody found it amusing. Ed. Cosmic bunny (Space Hopper), Throw find farmers willing to participate. It

Quote the burgers on this (Barbie), Stairway to may be that other consumers would also heaven (Jacob’s Ladder), Equine pastime be interested? Anyone who is interested (Hobby Horse), Ogle at this mix up (Lego), please contact me at tel: 700266 or e-mail Nommag (Backgammon), Currents of air [email protected] THE ARRAN VOICE PRODUCTION TEAM PRESS POLICY (Draughts), A game full of ups and downs Editorial Director: Alison Prince We welcome contributions from readers (Snakes and Ladders), Ring for a snack (Hula Mandy Hunter Chief Reporter: Nick Underdown for all sections of The Arran Voice. Hoop), Single parrot (Monopoly), Check Material can be submitted online or Trainee Journalist: Kelly Donnelly out this game (Chess), Solitary Car (Uno), posted to our office and may be used, MSP appeals for medical supplies Advertising Manager: Janis Murchie in whole or in part, at the discretion of An insignificant activity (Trivial Pursuit), for Gaza Business & Admin Manager: Samantha Payn the Editor. All contributions must bear Not a lazy woman (Action Man), Not Fishing Correspondent: John Kinsman contact details and will be attributed Jill’s (Jacks), Turn pot around (Spinning Kenneth Gibson MSP asks if we will publish Poetry Editor: Jason Watts unless anonymity is requested. Anyone top), Climb 10 before prank (Scalextric), this appeal, which is going out to all submitting material must warrant that 10 or a ‘Z’ in this game (Scrabble), pharmacies on Arran and across Ayrshire. Newspaper designed by: Buchanan Lindsay Design they hold the copyright and agree to its Shakespearean tragedy (Othello), Leap Website designed by: Frecosse Online Solutions publication in both The Arran Voice and/ over whisky , Have you lost (Hopscotch) Medical Supply Appeal for Gaza from Printed by: Caledonian Offset Ltd, Edinburgh or ArranVoice.com. Copyright thereafter yours? , Too drunk? Have (Marbles) Edinburgh Direct Aid remains with the author. Views expressed 40 of these (Tiddlywinks), Can come? in The Arran Voice are not necessarily (Meccano), I play (Ludo), Annoyance The Arran Voice is registered as a newspaper those of the management team. I seek your support for the above. , Colourful optical instrument (Frustration) Hospitals in Gaza region are struggling (Kaleidoscope), Vehicle for double income no kids yet (Dinky Car), This should run Continued on page 5 Voice for Arran, Pier Buildings, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX Tel/Fax: 01770 303636 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.arranvoice.com Your letters can be sent by e-mails to: [email protected], or by post to: Voice Mail, The Arran Voice, Pier Buildings, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 5

News in Brief... Voice mail Grand Green Debating house sparrow. Chaffinches were spotted Final soon in 78.88% of gardens with an average continued from page 4 extra of 5.88 birds per garden. This year the to cope with the sick, wounded and the held at the Co-op Bank. Account details A team of four contestants from Arran RSPB is encouraging as many people as injured. Supplies of basic medicines and are as follows: High school is getting ready for the Grand possible to get involved by downloading a equipment are running scarce. Sort code: 83-91-25 Final of the Big Green Challenge, a form from www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch edinburgh Direct Aid is an Account number: 50113293 schools' debating competition organised or phoning 0300 456 8330. organisation with experience in delivering by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The aid to various part of the world and they Please include a message informing grand prize for the winners is a trip to Islanders urged to join are coordinating a convoy of medical aid Edinburgh Direct Aid that the donation visit renewable projects in Iceland, while consumer panel to Gaza as a gesture of humanitarian is for Gaza. the runners up earn themselves a visit to support and it will depart when it is safe With thanks in anticipation of your the Eden Project in Cornwall. Island volunteers are being urged to join to do so. assistance. The other finalists are from Sandwick a Scottish consumer panel to boost the Donations of basic in-date medicines, Junior High School (Shetland), Portree voice and representation of consumers painkillers, drugs of any kind listed by Kenneth J Gibson MSP High School, and Gairloch High School, in all parts of Scotland. Consumer Focus the World Health Organisation, are being Cunninghame North and the clinching debates take place in Scotland’s network gathers the views of sought, along with disposables such as the Scottish Parliament on Friday 30th volunteers from across the country to gloves or dressings. The plan is to take at [email protected] January. Local MSP Kenneth Gibson help produce a picture of what problems least two trucks of supplies and also to Tel: 01294 833 687 will be there to cheer the Arran team and issues they face. Consumer Focus purchase items from local suppliers. We on, and says he has 'no doubts they will then acts as a lobby and pressure group realise that there is a high demand for Readers please note that medicines bring the trophy back to the island and to address these problems. Issues range humanitarian assistance for various parts cannot be accepted from members of can then look forward to a fantastic trip from education to the environment, of the world. However, Gaza urgently the public, as such items as out-of-date to Iceland.' health to housing, local government to needs help. antibiotics could be dangerous. Money food and diet. They also include energy Dr Richard Simpson MSP has helped donations will be welcomed, however. and postal services. The information Cash to improve to assess the list of medicines provided by is collected regularly and it is used to Ayrshire's oral health the Ministry of Health in Gaza and what inform policy and research for Scotland’s might be needed most. Donations can foremost consumer organisation. The Scottish Government has released be delivered to my office, or I can collect Consumer Network co-ordinator Gill a further £6.97m for the development of them. MacGregor says that Arran currently new dental facilities in Ayrshire. A 4.3 It is also possible to make a secure has no volunteers and so its views and million pound dental centre in Cumnock, online financial donation directly to needs are not being represented, so she a dental suite in the Ardrossan Resource Edinburgh Direct Aid. The account is Centre and the creation of a state-of-the- is encouraging islanders to get involved. art facility in Dam Park Dental Centre ‘This is a home-based opportunity,' she in Ayr are among the Government’s points out. 'There are no qualifications £82m primary and community health or preconditions for being a member, care project plans. ‘In the tough climate and although the time commitment is we find ourselves in, capital projects are relatively small, the benefits for knowing a crucial way for the Government to that we are in touch with the real stimulate the economy by providing local experiences of Scottish people are huge.’ employment opportunities,’ said Health Contact Gill MacGregor: Minister Nicola Sturgeon. ‘People in Tel: 0141 227 6462 Ayrshire and Arran can now look forward [email protected] to new and improved dental and other health facilities thanks to our massive and unprecedented cash injection.’ Dr Could you run an island? Wai-yin Hatton, Chief Executive of NHS Ayrshire & Arran, said: ‘By focussing on The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust (IGHT) dental centres in Cumnock and Ayr and is looking for a new business manager a resource centre in Ardrossan, we have to run the island. Six years after the the opportunity to further improve oral community buy-out, many people who health throughout Ayrshire.’ previously left the island have returned to Gigha. The population has now risen beyond 150 and the island's primary Arran’s twitchers needed school roll has jumped from six to 23 for record-breaking pupils. birdwatch effort The IGHT is seeking a business manager and a property officer to People in North Ayrshire are being work alongside the trust and the local asked to spend an hour of their time next community to continue the development weekend (24-25th January) watching work on the island. The island trust wildlife to help out with the RSPB's already manages a growing housing annual Big Garden Birdwatch. 2009 stock and wind farm, making it a net marks the 30th anniversary of the original exporter of energy and raising revenues Birdwatch, and the event has grown into for Gigha's community benefit. Argyll the biggest garden wildlife watching and Bute Council leader Dick Walsh said: event in the world, helping to provide ‘The position of business manager lies at vital information about how some of the the heart of the ongoing success of the country’s best loved species are faring. community and is a fantastic opportunity Last year, 491 people in North Ayrshire for someone looking to make a real took part in the survey, and found that the difference. It also has the added benefit chaffinch was the most common garden of being based in one of the most scenic bird, just above the starling and the parts of the country.’ Page 6 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 On the Green By Alison Prince Bending Time

Let’s face it, the cyber world has But of course it never is. The inbox is poetry book she sent me in May. May! I love my non-electronic friends, taken over a lot of what used to come perpetually un-tidying itself with more Oh, the guilt. She had gone through I really do. I like the variations of through the letterbox and land on the of this incoming cyber-dust. It’s a cycle the whole sequence of small trouble handwriting and the cramming of mat with a promising thud. Admittedly, of tutting and mopping and fending off. that sending a book involves. She had afterthoughts into the margin, the the post wasn’t always as promising as it There isn’t the same urgency about a undertaken the writing and wrapping impetuous underlinings and the sounded — there have always been fliers real, physical letter. It has presence. Its and enveloping and addressing, the occasional scrawled drawing. These for hearing aids and double glazing, hand-writing is the actual imprint of the carting to the Post Office and weighing letters, unlike e-mail, get read again, and plastic-wrapped exhortations from person who has written it, as direct as and stamping. Even if I’d had her many times, and are often kept. Which gardening firms and purveyors of a small blast of their appearance and e-mail address, to reply with a quick is not the same as Saved. They, along kitchen knives and thermal underwear. personality. The writer won’t expect an rattle of the keyboard would have with poetry books and the occasional But there used to be far more letters. instant reply, because that is not within been inadequate. Her gift merited a blessed cheque, are the reason why we Now, there is far more e-mail. And for the world of the real letter. It is an proper, hand-written reply. Strangely must continue to cherish what is now some magic reason, unlike posted mail, artefact. It deserves — nay, it commands enough, the response usually bubbles rudely called Snail Mail. And it can e-mail gets answered at once. I think — respect. It needs to be thought about up at once, true gratitude mingling produce wonderful small absurdities. it’s the modern equivalent of dusting, for a day or two. Or a week or two. Or with comments and scraps of news and Last week I received an unpromising which nobody seems to do any more, or even, heaven help us, a month or two. all sorts of cheerful diversions — but window envelope with a bar code and certainly not on a daily basis. (When I For the letter will inevitably join a pile there is never time to write it at that mechanical franking — but in its top was a kid we had these ebony elephants of other letters, together with bills and moment. A reply requires that you sit left hand corner it said in classy brown on the mantelpiece that looked a bit bank statements, if your bank still works down in the evening, with pen and pad capitals, TIME. Below this, in business- grey after just one non-dusted day, but that way. All these pieces of paper have and a dislodging of the cat from the lap, like sans-serif, it instructed, DO NOT then, that’s open fires for you.) a certain portent, and they cannot be to devote proper time to it. And time BEND. dealt with at cyber-speed. They take seems to go quicker as the hours tick by. einstein, you should be living now. Electronic duster their place on ever-lengthening lists of George Bernard Shaw was well known What an age this is, when the recipients things to do, under a sub-head that says, for his brief and witty post-cards, so of advertising material for an American Nowadays, you whisk around every ‘Deal With Paperwork.’ And they have he must have had the same problem. magazine are exhorted not to bend morning with the electronic duster, a terrible tendency to stay there. But then, he was famous, even in his time! But it does bend, of course. At its deleting incoming message-particles and At Christmas, a time spent largely own lifetime, so people probably felt inner edge, it drags. And at its fast, outer sending off brisk answers. It always takes in Dealing With Paperwork, I was privileged to get an answer at all — even curve, there isn’t a moment to answer longer than you expect, but eventually mortified to receive a card from a though they never knew that these brief letters. Great. I knew there must be an the job is done and you think, ‘There. dear friend asking with a touch of communications would fetch a fortune excuse somewhere. Now I really must That’s dealt with. Cleaned up. Sorted.’ plaintiveness if I had received the on Ebay. get on with the e-mail. High winds batter island The strong south-easterly winds that struck Arran last week caused a bit of damage around the island. Several shed roofs in the Southend and Shiskine area became casualties of the gales, and Janis Murchie of Arran Carriage Driving needed some quick thinking plus a hammer and nails to save the roof of one of her stables. Scottish Hydro Electric undertook some tree clearance work on Sunday morning to clear the affected power lines which had previously caused a brief power cut in Whiting Bay on Saturday evening. Fallen trees on the main road in Whiting Bay and on the road opposite Lamlash golf course required chainsaw work to make passage safe for drivers. on the east coast of the Northend, waves showered areas of the road with a layer of seaweed, and one boat- dwelling local temporarily lost part of his kitchen to the sea. Dan Goronwy had to retrieve his fridge from Corrie port when the wind dislodged a bungee cord and sent his flannel-covered coolbox into the swirling eddies of the Cool under pressure. Dan Goronwy rescues his fridge from Corrie port The tip of this fallen pine had fallen into the road at the harbour. Lamlash golf course hill on Saturday due to the high winds 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 7 Village Water shock shoppers ‘pay due to ‘gap for a peek’ in system’ The 2009 Arran Rugby Club calendar is continuing to arouse significant local interest. So much so, in fact, that people are paying just to thumb through the pages to view pictures of the semi-nude local rugby models. Bev Hodkinson of Bay News said that a few regular customers now regularly admire the calendar on the shop shelf. And because proceeds from the sale of the calendar go to rugby club funds, she has started a ‘cheeky peek’ honesty box. ‘I thought people should donate a few coppers every time they looked,’ said Bev. ‘So we’ve now got a tin beside the counter.’ The tin reads: ‘If Non-domestic water supplier By the end of the week, the company you just want a peek at the rugby club, fails to notify businesses admitted the mistake and contacted The Arran Voice with details of its apology. then please donate here!’ Local businesses in Brodick received ‘Unfortunately business customers Bev Hodkinson has started an honesty box for an ‘unreserved’ apology from Business weren’t notified of the infrastructure Tasteful locals wanting to browse the rugby calendar Stream after they were deprived of works,' said the company spokesman. their water supply without any warning 'Business Stream wants to apologise The calendar features pictures of local of semi-nude local rugby lads on your last week. All household customers of unreservedly for the inconvenience.’ rugby players (without their rugby kit) kitchen wall, but the calendars continue Scottish Water had received advance Companies affected by the unannounced in various situations at the premises to sell well and proceeds from sales go notification of the engineering works, shut-off can apply to Business Stream of local business sponsors. It was shot to rugby club funds to enable the team but Business Stream, which supplies for compensation via its website tastefully — and with a good dose of to travel to away games. So if you want water to non-domestic premises, forgot www.business-stream.co.uk. It is not humour — by a group of photographers your own cheeky peek to support a good to inform some of their customers. known how much is available. on the island and designed and produced cause, have a look in Bev's shop — or ‘There was a gap in our system,’ said by The Arran Voice. It might not be better still, buy your own calendar and a spokesman. ‘We are looking at Systemic problem? everyone’s cup of tea to have a picture look when you like! improving business processes to avoid a repeat of this in future.’ The failure to notify businesses would appear to be a systemic result of the Coffee shop forced to close newly-revamped arrangements for water supply in Scotland. Although Raku The works by Scottish Water had Scottish Water remains the wholesale been planned months in advance to producer of water, the distribution extend the water mains to Brodick's to non-domestic premises has been new Springbank housing development opened up to competition. Business beside the Isle of Arran Homes office. Stream were awarded the licence and workshops But last Wednesday morning some local started supplying in April 2007, but businesses were forced to close their because it is a new water retailer that Raku is the ancient copper or tin, is fused into it. From doors for the day, as they were unable was created directly from Scottish Japanese ceramic art of glazing this kiln, the piece is removed in to make contingency plans for the water Water, a raft of rules is in place, and firing, and Arran Visual Arts a state of almost molten heat and switch-off. John Copperwheat’s coffee designed to avoid Business Stream is providing two workshops in immediately put into a ‘reduction shop was one notable casualty of the receiving unfair advantage over other this wonderful art, run by Simon chamber’ loaded with combustible administrative blunder. The Arran new retailers. These include ‘robust Thorburn. They will be at the materials that release carbon as Brewery was also badly affected by the and demonstrable separation between Balmichael Centre on Saturday they burn. Newspaper, wood, surprise switch-off, which occurred wholesale and retail businesses’ and 14th and Saturday 28th February, sawdust — anything will do. The during the middle of a brew. strict rules to ensure independent two weeks apart to allow for the effects created are unpredictable firing process between them. but incredibly decorative and The owner of one local business in decision making for Business Stream unlike European ceramics, intriguing. Members of the course Brodick who didn’t want to be named and Scottish Water. ‘We are an arms where all decoration is applied to can try their hand at throwing a had called Business Stream on Tuesday length company,’ explained the the article or pot before it goes into pot on the potter’s wheel or model afternoon after she heard local residents spokesman. the kiln, raku is a hot process. The freely, but either way, their product talking about the disruption to the water This 'arms length' arrangement piece is fired to prevent thermal will go through the raku process. service. She was told categorically at meant that domestic Scottish Water shock later, and after that it goes For all details and to book a 4.45pm by an employee of Business customers were informed of the into a second, high-temperature place, phone Alison Armstrong on Stream that there was no trace of works waterworks, whereas non-domestic firing where a glaze, usually of 600 724. planned for the area. Business Stream customers were not. Page 8 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009

Do you have an island-based event you want to promote? Add it to ArranOnline.com free of charge, and it will automatically Out appear in these listings (subject to space and suitability). About Alternatively, send details of your event to: The Arran Voice Ltd, Pier Buildings, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX & UP & COMING Every Day (Or Most Days) Aquafizz, Auchrannie Pool, Brodick, 9.45am Bay, 9.30pm Weekend-Events Arran Craft Gallery, beside Bilslands, Brodick — Lochranza & Catacol Coffee Morning, 10am– Knowing me, Knowing you, Personality and open Monday–Saturday 12noon Tuesday 27th communication workshop day 2, Kilmory Hall, Arran Art Gallery, Shore Road, Whiting Bay — Senior Badminton, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Senior Fitness, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 10.30am–4.30pm open daily 2pm 9.45–10.30am Arran Riding Club, New Year Ride, Cladach The Burnside Gallery & Exhibition Space, Kid's Club, Games Night, KA Campus, Lamlash, Pulmonary Rehab, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Wineport, Saturday 31st, 11.30am (bring Sculpture Garden, Auchrannie Road — open 6.30–8pm 12.30pm packed lunch) Jumble Sale, Arran Music and Drama Club, daily (except Thursdays) all year round Filmobile, Australia, Arran Highschool Theatre, AA Alcoholics Anonymous, Brodick Church Hall, Brodick Hall—Saturday 31st, 12–3pm 10.30am–5.30pm (current exhibitions: Lamlash, 6.30pm 2pm Winter Show of paintings & Crafts Rehearsal Weird Sisters, Church Hall, Shiskine, Indoor Bowling, Corrie & Sannox Village Hall, Upcoming Rugby Matches Corrie Art (former Corrie Village Shop), Corrie, 7.30pm 2–4pm Under 16's daily 1–6pm Arran Pipe Band Practice Session, Brodick Hall, Legs, Bums & Tums, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick Sunday, 1st February—Away to Clydebank Main Fine Art, Michael Main Gallery, Douglas 7.30pm 6–6.45pm Sunday, 22nd February—Home to Ardrossan Centre, Brodick — open 10am–12.30pm & Quiz Night, Whiting Bay Golf Club, 9pm Shapers, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 7–8pm Sunday, 1st March—Moffat, either at home or at 2–4.30pm Over 21's Disco, Ormidale Hotel, Brodick, 10pm Arran Rotary Meeting, Glencloy Suite, Ardrossan Isle of Arran Distillery, Lochranza — winter Auchrannie, Brodick 7pm Sunday, 8th March—Away to Paisley Saturday 24th Scottish Country Dance Class, Brodick, Church opening times: Monday, Wednesday, Plan Ahead Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 11am–4pm Dance School, KA Campus, Lamlash, All day Hall, 7.30pm Lochranza Choir, restart rehearsals from Monday Blackwaterfoot Junior Football, Training, Open Music Session, Catacol Bay Hotel, (restaurant closed until 16th March, coffee 2nd February, Lochranza Hall, 7.30pm, new and tea available) 10.30am–12noon 8.30pm singers welcome (enquiries: Alison Richards Arran Heritage Museum, Rosaburn, Brodick — Karate, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick 11.30am– Pop Music Quiz, Ormidale, Hotel, Brodick, 830 208) closed for the winter 12.30pm 10pm Whiting Bay W.R.I, Lesley van Bogerijn on Claddach Pottery, The Store, Claddach, Brodick Filmobile, The Tale of Desperaux, Arran High Reflexology, Lesser Hall, Whiting Bay, 7.3pm — open 7 days School Theatre, Lamlash, 1.30pm Wednesday 28th Corrie Filmclub, Cinema Paradiso (Tornatore, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, gym inductions, Family Games, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Aquafizz, Auchrannie Pool, Brodick, 9.45am Italy 1988)—Sunday 8th February, 8pm fitness assessments, personal training 3–4pm Yogalates, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick 10–11am AHS Parents' evenings S4 — Monday, 26th daily Fun in the Pool, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Core Strength, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, January, 7pm AHS Parents' evenings S1 — Thursday, 5th Balmichael Visitors Centre, String Road — 4–5pm 5.30–6pm February, 4.15pm Youth Café, Church Hall, Brodick, table top Kick Boxing, KA Campus, Lamlash, 6–7pm closed for holidays until 28th January, after Arran Fairtrade AGM, Monday 16th February, that Mondays and Tuesdays closed gaming (last Sat. of month), pool, PS3, Circuit Training, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Ormidale Pavillion, Brodick, 7.30pm Arran Adventure, beside Auchrannie Spa, ball sports, dart, arts & crafts (1st Sat. of 6–7.15pm Donald McKenzie Memorial Darts Competition, Brodick — open daily for outdoor activities month), table tennis, board games etc., Arran Rugby Club S1–U18 from 6.30pm, Kildonan Hotel—Saturday, 21st February, Brodick Castle,castle closed for the winter, 7–10pm Seniors from 7.30pm 7.30pm park open all days 11am–4pm Quiz Night, Catacol Bay Hotel, 8.30pm Hockey, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 7–8pm AHS Parents' evenings S2 — Tuesday, 28th April, KA Campus, Arran High School, Lamlash — Disco, Ormidale Hotel Brodick, 10pm Arran Brass Band Rehearsal, Lesser Hall, 7pm regular fitness classes, gym inductions Whiting Bay, 7.15–10.15pm Half Term School Holidays — Monday, 9th– Sunday 25th Senior Young Musician Competition, Arran High Thursday 12th February Boys' Football, KA Campus, Lamlash (Astroturf School Theatre, Lamlash, 7.30pm Schools' In-Service Day — Friday 13th February Thursday 22nd Arran Drama Festival 2009 — 25th–28th or Games Hall), 10–11am Senior Aerobics, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, February 9.30–10.30am Arran Wargames Club, Arran High School, Thursday 29th Arran Music Festival 2009 — 25th, 26th & 27th Senior Fitness, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Lamlash, 1–4pm Senior Aerobics, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, March 10.45–11.45am Kids' Club Sunday Matinée, 1.30–3pm 9.30–10.30am Schools' Easter Holidays 2009, Monday 6th Cardiac Rehab, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, AA Alcoholics Anonymous, St. Margaret's Knowing me, Knowing you, Personality April–Sunday 19th April 12.30am–2pm Church, Whiting Bay, 4.30pm and communication workshop, (info: Schools' In-Service Day — 1st May Lochranza Craft Club, Lochranza Hall, 2'm Fiddle Class, Ormidale Pavillion, Brodick, Sally Campbell, 600 822), Kilmory Hall, Wyrd Sisters, Play by Terry Prattchet performed Table Tennis, Kildonan Hall, 3–5pm 5.30–6.30pm 10.30am–4.30pm by the Arran Torch Players, 1st–3rd May KA Jog, all levels, KA Campus, Lamlash, Senior Fitness, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, (incl) May Day — Monday, 4th May (Schools off) 5.30–6.30pm Monday 26th 10.45–11.45am The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, musical Senior Fitness, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Cardiac Rehab, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Pilates, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 6–6.454pm performed by the Arran Music and Drama Junior Scottish Country Dancing, Lamlash, 9.30–10.30am & 10.45–11.45am 12.30am–2pm Club — Monday 25th–Saturday 30th May Church Hall, 6–7pm Was 2 Walk Group, Ormidale Pavillion Car Park, Lochranza Craft Club, Lochranza Hall, 2'm (incl.) Filmobile, Australia, Arran High School Theatre, Brodick 11am Table Tennis, Kildonan Hall, 3–5pm Arran Wildlife Festival 2009 — 13–30th May 6.30pm Scottish Country Dancers, Beginners & KA Jog, all levels, KA Campus, Lamlash, Arran Folk Festival2009 — 7th–14th June Outdoor Boot Camp, Ormidale Park, Brodick Improvers, Corrrie Hall 2pm 5.30–6.30pm Schools' Summer Holidays 2009 — Wednesday 7–8pm Weight Wise, Hospital Bungalow, Lamlash, Pilates, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 6–6.454pm 1st July–Sunday 16th August Brodick Bridge Club, Ormidale Pavillion, 5–5.30pm Junior Scottish Country Dancing, Lamlash, Teachers' Return — Friday 14th August 7.15pm Core Strength, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, Church Hall, 6–7pm Pupils' Return—Monday 17th August Schools' In-Service Day—Monday 21 September Brodick Embroidery Group, Library, Brodick, 5.30–6pm Outdoor Boot Camp, Ormidale Park, Brodick Arran Schools' Autumn Holidays 2009—Monday Circuit Training, Auchrannie Spa, Brodick, 7–8pm 7.30pm 12th October–Friday 16th October Rehearsal Little Whorehouse, Brodick Hall, 6–7.15pm Brodick Bridge Club, Ormidale Pavillion, Pupils'/Teachers' Return—Monday 19th October 7.30pm Ab Class Beginners, KA Campus, Lamlash 7.15pm Schools' In-Service Day—Friday 13th November Middle Eastern Dancers' Practice & Lessons, 6.30–7pm Brodick Embroidery Group, Library, Brodick, Christmas/New Year Holidays 2009/10— Lamlash Church Hall, Beginners 7.30– Aerobics, KA Campus, Lamlash, 7–8pm 7.30pm Wednesday 23rd December–Tuesday 5th 8.30pm, Intermediate 8.30–9.30pm Sannox Cricket Club, Indoor Practice, Rehearsal Little Whorehouse, Brodick Hall, January 2010 General Knowledge Quiz,Ormidale Hotel, Auchrannie Gym, Brodick, 7–9pm 7.30pm Pupils'/Teachers' return—6th January 2010 Brodick 10pm Lamlash Bridge Club, Golf Club House, Middle Eastern Dancers' Practice & Lessons, Midterm Holiday 2010—Monday/Tuesday Lamlash, 7.15pm Lamlash Church Hall, Beginners 7.30– 15th/16th February Yoga, Lamlash Church Hall, Lamlash, 7.45– 8.30pm, Intermediate 8.30–9.30pm Easter Holidays 2010—Friday 2nd April–Friday Friday 23rd 16th April 9.15pm General Knowledge Quiz,Ormidale Hotel, Yoga, Lamlash Churchhall, 10.30am, Summer Holidays 2010—Tuesday 29th June– suspended until 23rd January General Knowledge Quiz, Cameronia, Whiting Brodick 10pm Monday 16th August 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 9 Trident Green 'completely laundry dries useless' say in rain generals Brodick guesthouse is world’s first buyer of a ‘Shieling Dryer’ Three senior officers, Field folly. Instead of building a new nuclear Marshal Lord Bramall and Generals weapon systems, which UK taxpayers Expensive electricity bills could be Lord Ramsbotham and Sir Hugh Beach, pay for but under ‘dual key’ can only a thing of the past if a new design wrote to The Times newspaper last week be fired with American permission, for drying clothes outdoors catches denouncing Trident as 'irrelevant', and Westminster should be calling for an end on. David Gracie has developed the arguing that rather than wasting tens of to nuclear weapons and this shameful ‘Shieling Dryer,’ a tent-like structure billions of pounds renewing the scheme, waste of resources. that can be put up in the garden to the money could be better spent. 'It is not just defence chiefs that dry clothes, even when it is pelting Kenneth Gibson MSP agrees think the UK Government is wrong, down with rain. entirely. He said last week: but governments around the world. on Thursday, Chris and Jan 'This intervention lays bare the Scottish civic society, trade unions, Attkins installed the dryer in the truth about the UK's weapons of mass religious denominations, the Scottish garden of their Brodick B&B and Moira and David Gracie say the drier destruction, when even former defence Government and community groups and became part of the world’s 'runs for free on fresh air' chiefs admit they are a useless waste of like the Arran Justice and Peace Group first commercial sale of a ‘Shieling money. ...Trident is frankly obscene, are united in their determination to keep Dryer.’ The inventor hopes that it Depending on the model, the drier and in the current economic climate it a new generation of trident missiles out will become a popular and useful provides up to 40m of drying line must be obvious that resources should of Scotland. The voice of the former addition for households and those and in blustery conditions side be better spent. To build a 'son of defence chiefs adds considerable weight green-minded businesses that do shields can be attached to repel the Trident' would be an act of immense to the argument.' a lot of day-to-day laundry, such driving rain. as accommodation providers and last Thursday, some wet and restaurants. windy conditions were already putting the Shieling Dryer through Going global its paces. It remains to be seen just The week in numbers how it will cope with Arran’s fierce Each week The Arran Voice will bring you some varied and hopefully interesting David and his wife Moira run the January gales, although its inventor numerical information. If you have any statistics you think might be worthy for Shieling Campsite in Craignure on believes that two decades of Mull Mull and have been drying their weather constitute an impressive inclusion please get in touch. clothes in this way for 22 years. But badge of honour for his product. David has decided it is now time to The percentage of children take the invention global. In 1977, he The right time in North Ayrshire living in built a large tent on the grounds of poverty (August 2006). David suspects that it is hitting the 23 4,North Ayrshire’s300, share of000, the national debt 000 projected for 2013, due to UK Government plans to borrow a market at just the right time. ‘Maybe The number of times in further £500 billion over the next four years. now, with the price of electricity the past couple of years going up and global warming that The Arran Voice becoming serious, its time has come,’ has received crossword he said. submissions using fictitious 17 names. Chris and Jan Attkins run the 4, 000, 000 picturesque Belvedere guesthouse The amount paid in grant funding by the Isle of in Brodick, but they also run two The approximate value in Gigha Heritage Trust to purchase the island from the pounds sterling of the fuel laird in 2002. tumble dryers, which consume 4 recently stolen from a house kilowatt units per hour. ‘Sometimes near the Ross Road (see they are on all day and it adds up,’ 650 News from the Blues, pg 14) The proportion of drivers who said Chris. They are hopeful that the have parked illegally due to No planning permission required! Chris Attkins installs the collapsible drier in his dryer will save a few pennies, whilst The proportion of children frustration with the lack of guesthouse garden also being the environmentally born in Scotland to Eastern parking spaces (according to a responsible option. ‘It means that at European mothers. survey by Privilege Insurance). Not really a problem here, yet! his campsite to house and dry-out a this time of year you can hang stuff According to the head of 3 outside that you wouldn’t normally Scotland's Equality and ¹⁄ damaged clinker lifeboat, so that the Human Rights Commission wood could be repaired. ‘Later folks do,’ said Jan. ‘You don’t have to worry about the rain coming on.’ (EHRC), the country is The number of tonnes of on the campsite started using it to in danger of becoming a seaweed delivered to Arran's dry their clothes,’ explained David. For more information see 3 ‘retirement home sitting on Positioned at right-angles to the www.shielingdrier.co.uk or pop in shores by the high South- ¹⁄ the edge of Europe’ unless easterly winds over the weekend prevailing wind, it protects drying to see the Shieling Dryer in action at radical measures are taken (OK — so this one's made up!). to welcome new migrants. 241 clothes from the Scottish elements. Belvedere Guesthouse. Page 10 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009

PUT YOUR SMALL ANNOUNCEMENTS ON OUR MESSAGE BOARD, FREE! Marine Mike and Stef News Mike and Stef, two cheerful By John Kinsman folkies with banjo, guitar Fishing Correspondent. and countless songs, will play and sing for any get- HMS Daring leaves the Clyde Employees at the Scotstoun yard gathered together, just for the fun of it. on the quayside to wave goodbye for the Phone 700 340. last time to HMS Daring last Friday, 16th January, as the Type 45 Destroyer set sail to her Portsmouth base, where she will undergo further trails before beginning Happy Birthday Janis active service operations. The estimated £6 billion contact for construction of up from all the team to eight of the n ew battleships is credited with safeguarding 2,000 jobs in the Clyde region and saving Glasgow’s shipbuilding industry. The crew of HMS Daring paid tribute to the support they had received from the City of Glasgow since the launch of the warship in 2006. Commanding officer Montrose House would like Paul Bennett said: 'For some of Daring’s to thank Lochranza Choir crew, Glasgow has been their home for Donald (Freddie) Galbraith almost three years and it has been a the postie great place to be stationed.' The Type 45 for coming back after his Rehearsals Destroyer Class is intended to provide round to deliver the special Mondays 7.30pm, the backbone of the Royal Navy fleet Telegram for Cath Sillars Lochranza Hall over the next 50 years. Six are currently 100th Birthday. scheduled for construction, with another Starting 2nd February two awaiting UK Government approval. New members SFA football — Pre-schools Concern about stranded sailors “Mini-kickers” 3 and 4 year olds very welcome. 25 Filipino sailors involved in a union dispute are stranded on a cargo ship SFA football 5–7 year olds in the Firth of Clyde. The crew of the — call 01294 317460 for Silver Constellation has refused to go to sea in a dispute over wages and the ship’s information on block dates and times condition, and concern is mounting about their welfare. Food is said to be running low and one crew member is Athletics Coaching Class — believed to be unwell with a back injury. P1–P4 Thursdays- The International Transport Workers’ Federation has contacted the ship's owners P5–P7Arran High School — to request supplies. Thursdays Slump in prawn demand Call 01294 317457 Scottish West Coast fishermen expect for information on to see 50p per kg lopped off live prawn block dates and times prices as the nephrops market stays in the doldrums. Arran High School The price of tails has already come down to about £3.20p-£3.30 per kg at Mallaig, and 50p off live would simply Senior Young Musician be the latest development to depress the Competition Lamlash Footy Meeting prawn fleets in the Firth of Clyde. At this time last year, live was about £5 per kg. Arran High School This year’s high is more likely to be around Footballers interested Theatre the £4.25 mark, fishermen believe. Price in playing for or training reductions are bearing out predictions of 7:30pm — Wednesday, a sticky start to the year, with one Mallaig- with Lamlash are invited 28 January based spokesman for the industry agreeing to come for a meeting that the prawn market is effectively still in difficulties. However, things could have at the PHT this Friday All Parents and Friends Welcome been worst, he said, had it not been for an 23rd January at 7.30pm. easing of the oil price. This had allowed easier absorption of disappointing market levels. He said: 'This situation is recession- driven and reflects lack of demand in the market. Over-supply means cold stores are still full and just not emptying. Prawns are still in the doldrums and there is no sign of an upward trend.' 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 11 MP adds pressure Stef’s stab at the weather By Stef Holmer to poverty campaign Amateur Meteorologist

Summary of last week's forecast:

What a weekend! Managed to get out for a wee while on Saturday. Then it arrived as expected. I think 'blootering weather' is the appropriate Scottish expression. Is it going to get better? I can only use that favoured term forecasters find so handy, namely — 'unsettled'.

General Summary for 22nd January to 26th January: We have a very complicated picture on the weather charts this week. A nasty low pressure, just off our north coast, with the long weather fronts that gave us a thoroughly miserable day on Tuesday, started moving further north on Wednesday. This allowed us a wee bit of respite from the wind and rain for a few hours. However by Thursday it will have deepened, bringing more fronts, strong south westerly winds and more heavy rain. On Friday an associated low will come racing in to be centred over the south east of England, bringing more strong winds and rain. By Sunday and Monday we will find ourselves somewhere in between the two low pressure areas and things may ease off a little with less wind and lighter showers. Still paying attention? What does it all mean to us on the ground? Here goes….the voice of doom.

Thursday Local MP Katy Clark added her support to a motion keep sight of the end target, saying, ‘Despite the Overnight strong winds and heavy rain will continue through the morning, possibly calling upon the government to stick to its promise improvements in the last nine years much more clearing a little in the afternoon with a couple of sunny spells if you’re lucky. to end child poverty by 2020. still has to be done. With 3.9 million children still Temperatures will feel a little milder at 8°C. Later in the day the heavy showers will be 23% of children live in poverty in North living below the poverty line, the UK has one of the back. Also the wind will be pretty strong, force 4, and increasing as the day goes on up Ayrshire and Arran, well above the Scottish average. largest levels of child poverty in the industrialised to 25mph or more. ‘I find this figure deeply distressing,’ said Katy, ‘and world.' She warned, 'There is no doubt the current will continue to do everything in my power to help economic climate will make it more difficult to meet to raise the issue and campaign for more to be done the 2010 target,' but added, 'Child poverty shapes a to lift these children out of poverty.' child’s life. It can affect how healthy they are, how 600,000 children have been ‘lifted out of poverty’ long they live, what qualifications they attain from Friday since 1999, but Katy has urged the Government to school.’ Still very wet and windy (not so strong, though at around 20–25mph from the west). It will probably be more like heavy and frequent showers rather than constant rain. We will feel a sharp drop in temperature, down to 5°C. The wind and rain will ease off by evening.

Saturday Still very cold, around 4°C, with strong winds (20mph) and some heavy wintry showers all day (sleet and snow perhaps). There may be an odd glimpse of the sun, though. Take your chance to be out and about when you can, well wrapped up and with wellies and brollies. It looks like the wind will drop a bit later.

Sunday A wee improvement today. Remember the bit I said in the general summary about being between lows. The result will be a significant drop in wind, down to a 10mph breeze. There may be a lingering shower or two in the morning, but the afternoon will be cloudy with sunny intervals. It will be cold, though, at 4°C. A few more showers coming in during the evening.

Monday Another drier day with quite a few sunny periods, and only occasional showers. Still quite cold at 5°C and the wind will increase a little from the west and south. A better start to the week.

Outlook (Very long-range stuff) Quite a lot of rain and showers in the middle of the week with fresh to strong south westerlies. Staying cold at around 5°C. Ferry Notes The winds will certainly be strong, especially on Thursday. It will be close to the limit, but my feeling is that they will not be strong enough to cause disruption. Page 12 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 MP urges OFT probe into petrol prices Calls for the Office of Fair Trading to investigate Scotland’s rural fuel distribution and retail market have been made by Alistair Carmichael, Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland. As on Arran, his constituents pay over 10% more for petrol than in neighbouring mainland filling stations. ‘Anybody who tells you that the price difference is just the result of transport costs, forget it. It’s nonsense,’ said Mr Carmichael. ‘We sit now at about 15p per litre over the mainland price. When I started [as Member of Parliament] it was about 10p. For an island community where we don’t have the same critical mass of population, where the private Bob Haddow talks with Brodick’s community councilor Harry Davidson about his planning car is not just the only feasible means of application for a new filling station at Invercloy. The local fuel retailer believes Arran needs to address transport but even the environmentally the underlying causes for the island/mainland price difference. preferable option, such high fuel costs are a real strain.’ address the chronic price difference in favour of France’s application,’ said Mr coming weeks. Carmichael. Island pricing The Arran Voice will keep readers What is the long-term solution? posted on any developments in the Local fuel retailers recently joined situation, particularly regarding the in a petition by the Petrol Retailers Alongside improving market OFT’s response. Association to release the findings of mechanisms, Alastair Carmichael a study into the sustainability of rural believes that vehicle excess and fuel fuel supply. The Government-funded duty should be abolished and replaced Fuel the difference report has been published in part, but with road user pricing which would meanwhile, Arran’s fuel costs — like effectively be levied at a variable rate. Each week The Arran Voice will those of many other Scottish islands — He concedes that such a move publish the price difference between remain substantially higher than those could not happen overnight, but argues two petrol stations divided by 12 on the mainland (see below). that there are routes currently open to miles of water and a few hundred address the problem. ‘In the short to yards of tarmac. Market failure medium term I would like to see the Government in Westminster apply Prices are in pence per litre, quoted on ‘What we have is market failure,’ said to Europe for a derogation to allow Tuesday 20th January, 2pm Mr Carmichael. ‘Competition does not for different rates of fuel duty within come into being on Shetland. I think if the UK,’he said. Portugal, Greece, the OFT looked into this with an open Spain and now France have secured mind, they would find that the market permission for this for similar reasons. wasn’t operating as it is supposed to.’ local petrol retailer Bob Haddow Powerful irony of Arran Transport has questioned the massive price differential for many years, The UK Government has always but his enquiries could not be acted defended its reluctance to apply for a upon by Holyrood politicians, because derogation because, unlike Portugal fiscal regulations are a reserved matter. and Greece, the UK had no regional Now it seems that political momentum variations in fuel duty prior to joining is gathering in Westminster to treat the Europe. But more recently France issue with more urgency. Both Alastair gained new permissions to ease fuel Carmichael and Arran's MP Katy Clark duty for its rural areas. ‘The irony of say they will be discussing ways to it is that the UK government voted in 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 13 Council plans yellow lines for Brodick

There will undoubtedly be of traffic from the pier has made driving traffic, rather than yellow paint, which dissent about the yellow bands agreed through the village difficult and dangerous. causes the city-like noise, pollution and by the Arran Community Council to be At the ferry terminal, the questions about inconvenience. The Glencloy car park Subscribe to The Arran Voice necessary in Brodick. Many will concede picking up and dropping passengers will behind the small Co-operative store Annual UK Postal Subscription — £50 that the inconsiderate parking of cars doubtless continue, but the ban on parking usually has ample parking space available, Annual European Postal Subscription — £80 right up to the sharp bend at Kames along that section of the main road is likely and it must be hoped that an amicable Annual World Postal Subscription — £160 Corner has caused a hazard both to cars to be seen as no more than formalisation agreement can be reached about the new Annual PDF Subscription — £25 and pedestrians. Particularly at boat times of common sense. move. Annual Website Subscription — £15 during the summer months, it has been Predictably, arguments will be put our online poll this week asks for your All subscriptions are for 52 weeks. PDF and website subscriptions impossible for buses and commercial forward about the urbanisation of a rural opinion, and our letters page is open to are also available - for more information please visit our website. To order any subscription, please send a cheque for the total vehicles to get through, and the tail-back village, but logic must point out that it is your views. (to our office below), made out to “Voice for Arran” Prices include postage and VAT where applicable. You can also order online at www.arranvoice.com “Subscriptions”, Voice for Arran, This diagram shows the Pier area of Brodick, where Market Road branches Pier Buildings, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX off at the ferry terminal. Parking will be forbidden on the main road except in the existing designated bays, and at any point along Market Road where ferry traffic is involved.

This diagram shows the other end of Brodick and the junction at Kames Corner. Here, yellow bands will extend from the lay-by area at Inspirations almost as far as Brodick Hall. No parking will be allowed anywhere in this area or along the Post Office section of Alma Road. Similarly, West Mayish Road will be kept clear of parked traffic until further up the hill, well past the fire station. A zebra crossing is proposed in the narrow section opposite the Glencloy Co-op. Page 14 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 Fill her up! News from By Alasdair Smith

In the small French Provençal — these are young wines. So young village where I spent a fine fortnight in fact that they are hardly out of the Blues some years back there is a tiny and nappies. Their ages are measured in quite fabulous wine shop, owned by terms of months rather than years Sgt Bob MacKay returned to Lamlash police M. Gibet. He's usually to be found (Ah yes, the October 2008, 15%, that station this week sitting serenely outside it, reading was a great month!) but what they the morning paper and smoking one lack in maturity they make up for The police report that it has been a 'quiet' week on the island, with a few of those little cigars you get in tins. in youthful charm and vigour – as incidents of note. The great thing about M. Gibet's well as a frighteningly high alcohol shop is that he will happily fill your content in some cases. These are empties at a fraction of the cost for wines for supping over a hearty plate 1,800 litres of fuel stolen the bottled article — and all he asks of pasta, or for those occasions (in for is modest remuneration and that our household at least) when we just Sometime between 23rd December 2008 and 16th January, a large your bottles are clean. (Actually, I want to slump down in front of the suppose all he really asks for is the TV, and not have to pay too much quantity of heating oil was stolen from a farm on the Ross Road. The money, it's up to you if you want to for a drink to make the programmes padlock to the tank had been broken and 1,800 litres was siphoned off. put fresh wine in dirty bottles.) Inside seem better than they actually are. The owner of the farm recently returned to the island and after the second his shop, its coolness enhanced by When your bottle is empty you the basic render finish on the walls don't throw it away, or even set it day back, he discovered the theft when the heating no longer worked. (very minimalist, very noughties!) aside for recycling in the big skip The value of the stolen fuel is estimated at £650. Police enquiries are lie six enormous plastic vats, each down at the supermarket. You simply still ongoing. with a small blackboard hanging give it a good rinse out, sterilise it if from the kind of nozzle and hose you must, then take it back along to you might see on an old fashioned M. Gibet the next morning and get it Out of date drivers spotted petrol pump. Scribbled on each is filled up again (along with the other such basic information as “Côtes du dozen empties you have.) Two drivers were issued notices when police noticed that they were Rhone, 11.5%,” or “Côtes du Rhone life is so much simpler. I don't 13.5%,” or (my personal favourite) have to stand in front of huge ranges failing to display a valid excise license on their vehicle. One driver was “Côtes du Rhone 15%.” The signs of imported wines, trying to decide issued the notice in Brodick on Tuesday 20th January. The other driver do not bother to tell you if the wine which of the 300 or so different was found without a valid tax disc in Lamlash last week. The incidents is red or white — you can see for varieties from the New World will are part of the police's continuing road safety campaign. yourself through the translucence of satisfy my palate. Just stick the the huge plastic vats. nozzle into the bottle and pull the We're not talking vintage here trigger. Santé!

the

voice More Snowboards and Sushi By Christian Pomeroy

I wrote about the first half of my from forming. My mum called these areas wings, and you lit it and it flew up into the ferry. It took about the same amount of cars holiday last week, and here is the rest. The ‘wakken’ and where these were the ice was air going BZZZZZZZZZZ ! And they were and people, and was loaded and unloaded next day (after a HUGE Christmas dinner) a lot thinner, so if you were skating (which really cool. I also ate some Sushi, which I in about half the time. We then drove we drove from my uncle’s house up to a many people were), you had to stay clear of had bought in a shop (the equivalent of Co- hurriedly back to Ijmuiden, and boarded the small flat island up in the north of Holland, them, or risk sudden immersion (falling in!) Op) and that was really good. There was overnight ferry, where we were once again called Texel, in the Wadden Zee. My other We collected oysters, which were even wasabi (grated Japanese horseradish), subjected to the Entertainment on board, grandmother is in the old folks’ home, but growing on the beach in the same quantities which I warily avoided because of its eye- and the cabin. The next day we arrived at we were staying in her house, where we as we have winkles on rocky Arran beaches, watering hotness. The sushi came with Newcastle, disembarked and drove back to settled and unpacked. which I found quite interesting, but not some soy-sauce in a small fish-shaped see- Ardrossan, Arran, and finally Home. Some The next couple of days there was amazing. We collected a bag of these, through bottle, which I thought was quite say home is where you hang your hat, but I frost and ice about five to ten centimetres meaning to eat them, but the bucket froze funny. think home is where you definitely need to thick, so we decided to go walking. I was over and we had to dump them back in the The next day I got up and came be after a holiday, especially one as long as complaining (as befits a teenager) about the sea. Then, on New Year’s Eve we bought downstairs to find my parents realising that 12 days. And anyway, I didn’t take a hat. absence of hills. It encouraged the wind some fireworks (the Dutch are really BIG the boat left today instead of tomorrow! to blow stronger, thus making my nose on fireworks!) including some handheld After a short while trying mobile phones This week’s Wee Voice was written by sore. This wind added extra chill to the (and thrown, obviously) rotjes, and at and getting as much reception as you would temperature of about negative one to two midnight we welcomed the new year with expect inside a lead box, we packed really Christian Pomeroy, who thinks sushi is degrees Celsius. It was really cold, so the a hail of rockets, fountains, rotjes and some quickly and left the island on the Texel tasty. ice got thicker, except where the wind had homemade pyrotechnics. There was a kind version of the Caledonian Isles, which was, I made the water ripple and prevented ice of firework called a ‘killer bee’. It had hate to say, far more organised than our own 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 15 A couple of Margot Sandeman corrections argot Sandeman, Despite the interruption of Margot’s who died this week, was study years by the war, by the time The Arran Voice would like to correct Mone of Scotland’s greatest she was 20 she was already making a mistake published in last week’s artists. Her love of Arran dated her mark in the artistic world. A from the early days of the Second article ‘Pipe band calls for new fellow-student and friend was Ian World War, when she used to come Hamilton Findlay, who died last recruits’. Grant Irving has not left to the island with her close, equally year but was considered by many to the band as published. The confusion talented friend, Joan Eardley. Both be Scotland’s most talented artist. lay in the fact that Ian Grant left the of them were at Glasgow School of Margot collaborated with him on Margo Sandeman in The Burnside. band a few months ago. And the Art during the years between 1938 publications for the Hawthorn Press photo was of Alan Stout, not Grant! and 1942, and when they came and produced all the illustrations for disinclined to interact with the public, Apologies. The Arran Pipe Band is on their frequent visits to Arran, his ‘concrete poetry’. but Mhairi Smeir persuaded her to still looking for drummers though, they used to stay in the little Corrie She married James Robson, a mount a solo show at the Burnside so anyone interested please get in house called The Tabernacle, in the superb potter, in 1946, and they Gallery in 2004, after which interest NEY ADVoI grounds of Hillcroft. The two young in her work boomed and her prices C touch with the band. bought The Bothy in High Corrie O E painters developed in different ways, in the years following the birth of were suddenly in the 'high demand' £ M £ The Arran Voice would also like to apologise to the hard-working Joan best known for her complex- her two sons, Peter in 1954 and bracket. Among the many glorious members of the Shiskine Village Hall textured evocations of city children David in 1960. Motherhood did not pictures shown were the 21 ‘sonnets’ in their gritty setting, while Margot interrupt her painting. Margot won that constitute a collective painted Committee. It was of course them, moved towards the lyrical, open gaze the prestigious RSA Guthrie Award tribute to Arran. They are among not the Shiskine Valley Trust that that gave her work an extraordinarily in 1964 and the Anne Redpath her most famous works. At the time, cooked up the haggis for Shiskine’s skilled simplicity, somewhere Award in 1970, with a Scottish Arts there was a strong appeal that they recent Burns Supper. between Matisse and the refined Council award in the same year. She should be bought for Arran and given traditions of Japanese art. They held solo exhibitions in the Richard a permanent home here, but alas, the remained closely devoted friends Demarco Gallery in Edinburgh and funding could not be accessed, and until Joan's untimely death in 1963. the Hughson Gallery in Glasgow, they are likely now to be purchased Margot was born in 1922 of and her paintings were bought by by Aberdeen for their collection. parents who were themselves countless private collectors. Always, They are Arran’s loss. artists, her father a self-taught water the visual rhythms and colours of What remains, however, is colourist and her mother, Muriel Arran lie at the heart of her work, indestructible. Margot Sandeman Boyd, an internationally-known informing even the richness and gave us a recognition that the embroiderer who trained with Jessie colour of still life compositions. Her patterns of the sea among rocks and Newbery at Glasgow Art School. close friend, the art historian Cordelia of brambles on cliff-tops, of sheep- Oliver, wrote perceptively in 1991 tracks, clouds, waterfalls, children that there was ‘no other whose work in the sun and a quiet moment of reveals such a combination of deep- looking at bluebells wilting on a rootedness in a given place with an table evoke the very spirit of Arran. equally strong sense of mind set free It is our everlasting fortune that these to soar into a world of visual poetry.’ things have been shown to us afresh Margot stopped exhibiting by an artist of such clear, uncluttered, Teamwork in the kitchen Drooping Bluebells after her husband's death and was sumptuous perception.

Freight of thePoem week Maura Dooley (1957- )

I am the ship in which you sail, little dancing bones, your passage between the dream and the waking dream, your sieve, your pea-green boat. I’ll pay whatever toll your ferry needs. And you, whose history’s already charted in a rope of cells, be tender to those other unnamed vessels who will surprise you one day, tug-tugging, irresistible, and float you out beyond your depth, where you’ll look down, puzzled, amazed.

The poet addresses her unborn child. ‘Freight’ is taken from Sound Barrier, Maura Dooley’s selected poems 1988–2008, published by Bloodaxe (www.bloodaxebooks.com). Page 16 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 ICE on Record Recipe your By Samantha Payn Drunken Lamb Shanks Collection Serves four mobile By Douglas Hamilton Ingredients • 1 bottle cheap red plonk • 1 bayleaf Douglas Hamilton resumes his guide to include Murray Perahia (on Sony — • Half a dozen peppercorns highly commended), Richard Goode on for safety the best recordings for anyone seeking to • 2 cloves garlic, crushed Nonesuch, Howard Shelly on Chandos, • 1 tbsp olive oil build a collection of famous and tuneful Mitsuko Uchida on Philips (also available • 4 lamb shanks in the 'Duo' series), Daniel Barenboim on ICE stands for 'In Case of classical music. He begins with all-time • 2 tbsp pearl barley EMI and Vladimir Ashkenazy on Decca. Emergency' great Mozart performances by Alfred • 1 tin chopped tomatoes The CD-buyer will find much delight in any • 1 fresh thyme sprig Brendel, who has recently retired from the of these performers. If you have the bad luck to be • ½ tsp dried thyme Why then choose Brendel as the concert hall. • 1 sprig fresh parsley involved in an accident or be struck outstanding performer? He is one of the • 1 tsp salt by sudden illness, paramedics will It is surely time for us to explore the riches most distinguished Mozart pianists of the • 150g/6oz carrots, roughly chopped of Mozart’s music. Mozart was perhaps the last 40 years, and when he gave his final want to contact your particularly • 1 large leek, cut into eight equal pieces most complete of all composers, excelling concert before retiring this year, he chose to close friends or relatives, to let • 4 small potatoes, peeled, quartered in every musical form available, universally them know what has happened. If play a Mozart concerto. His performance • 2 small onions, quartered you are carrying a mobile phone, admired by both his contemporaries of no.23 (K488 in A, one of the loveliest • salt and freshly ground black pepper (Haydn commented 'we shall not see his of all piano concertos, not just Mozart’s) they will check to see if it has an • 4 heaped tbsp flatleaf parsley leaves, like in 100 years') and posterity. Among moved The Gramophone reviewer to say it blanched and refreshed in cold water emergency number listed under the others, Tchaikovsky and Britten were great was 'as refreshing a performance as you simple heading of ICE (In Case of admirers. Where to start? In every genre of could ever hope to hear this side of heaven. Method Emergency). This is still a fairly new classical music, Mozart produced works of ...Brendel’s tone and translucent texture 1. Marinade the lamb shanks overnight in idea, so most often when they look at genius — and in considerable quantity! are a constant joy'. The same reviewer said the red wine, to which you’ve added you will notice that, in starting with the bayleaf, peppercorns and garlic. an injured person's phone they find Brendel's playing of No.19 (K459 in F) the Piano Concertos, I have listed two sets, 'sparkles throughout'. His performance of 2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3. only a list of names and numbers each of five concertos, which amount to just No.22 in E flat (K482) won The Gramophone 3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over that gives them no idea who to call. over a third of his piano concerto output. Concert Award the year it was issued, while high heat. Add the lamb shanks and The ICE idea was dreamed up by (Beethoven, by contrast, wrote 5 piano no.27 (K595) 'has an imposing opening fry, turning occasionally, until golden- a paramedic who had been faced too concertos, most other great composers even movement, a beautifully serene Larghetto brown on all sides. often with not being able to contact a fewer). Mozart himself performed many of and a graceful yet sparkling finale.' 4. Transfer the lamb shanks to a large these concertos, and used them to publicise casualty's close friend or relative. It is When the first set was reissued at mid flameproof casserole or ovenproof pan his music. Not all Mozart’s piano concertos price as a Duo double CD, the Penguin Guide with a lid, and add the wine used for catching on quickly, as it is so simple are as great as the ones listed below, but hailed it as 'the Mozartian bargain of all the marinade, tinned tomatoes, barley, and costs nothing. Paramedics the selections offered are all masterpieces. time…. Distinction of the performances…. herbs, and salt. Cover tightly with foil attending a crisis situation now Mozart at his best (and there is a great Sensibility of the playing, at one with and then with the lid, and cook in the routinely check the patient's mobile deal of 'best') is possibly the most uplifting the composer’s world.' The second set is oven for 1½ hours. 5. Remove the casserole from the oven, in the hope that an ICE number may composer of all. One commentator has described by the Penguin Guide as 'a first commented that some other composer add the vegetables and a little more be there, as this will enable them class follow-up…. Highly recommended'. or other may be more melodic, or more So, as a recommendation, the playing is water if needed. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, immediately to call the person (or harmonically daring, but Mozart’s writing highly distinguished, the recording first- persons) listed and let them know then re-cover the casserole, and return is almost always 'right'. rate, and it is a bargain too! it to the oven for another hour. what has happened. There are many great recordings of the Piano Concertos 19-21, 23,24 Concert 6. Remove the casserole from the oven Mozart Concertos, and Brendel himself Rondos: Alfred Brendel, Academy of St If you carry a mobile, just key in and check that the lamb is moist and the three letters, ICE, followed by has re-recorded some of them (9 &25; 20 Martins in the Fields conducted by Neville almost falling off the bone. If you &24; 22 & 27) with MacKerras and the the number of the friend or relative Marriner Philips Duo 442-269-2; also think that it's not quite ready, return Scottish Chamber Orchestra to great critical numbers 9, 15,22, 25, 27, the same line-up it to the oven for another 15 minutes who would like to know if you get acclaim. Other distinguished Mozartians on Philips Duo 442 571-2 and check again. involved in any kind of emergency. 7. Transfer the lamb shanks from the If you want to supply more than one cooking pot to a warmed serving contact person, simply enter further platter and cover with kitchen foil numbers under ICE2, ICE3 etc. It's while you finish the braised vegetables. easy to do, and it makes good sense. 8. Place the casserole over a medium heat and bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce ICE will speak for you if you are not the heat and simmer. Add more water able to. It could save your loved ones if required to provide a nice gravy. a lot of worry. Most likely you'll 9. Add the blanched parsley leaves and never need it, but in that case you've season, to taste, with salt and freshly lost nothing. List your ICE numbers ground black pepper. 10. To serve, ladle the braised vegetables today! onto warmed plates and place a shank on top of each portion.

Find this and many other great recipes on our website at www. arranvoice.com

Recipes can be sent to us at [email protected] or added directly through our website. 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 17 To a HOLIDAYS Duck Colin Auld, bearing in mind the Bard's birthday and the Homecoming Year, sends us this splendid Burns-style All Welcome salute to a duck, written by his father. Scottish Episcopal Church (in full communion with the Church of Guid health, my friend, England) St Margaret’s, Whiting Bay. And best o' luck Sunday, 25th January: Holy Wee bowly-leggit quackin' duck. Communion, 11.00 am. Mrs Janis Gallagher. Coffee after service. Be carefu' noo and no' get stuck Wednesday, 28th January: Holy Amang the glaur Communion, 12.15pm. All Welcome. For 'twixt thy chassis and the muck Church of Scotland Is no' that faur. Kilmory linked with Lamlash ‘A faith to proclaim ~ a fellowship to It fairly warms ma hert tae see share’ Sunday 25th January Your solemn face, your beady ee, Rev. Gillean Maclean Kilmory 10am As through the yaird, wi' rhythmic Lamlash 11.30am swee, All welcome Your ways ye tak — Scottish Charity SCO 15072 Tae pond or burn in which to pree Arran Free Church of Scotland Wi' joyous quack. 25th January 2009 Shiskine, 11am (Church is on the road between Machrie and Blackwaterfoot) Tae see you floating, calm, serene, Sunday School meets in the Church Your feathers wet wi' pearly sheen Hall Brodick, 7pm (Church is behind Or dook your heid in watter green Post Office) Rev David Karoon For grub or snail All Welcome, Tel:860426 Your scrabblin' feet delicht ma' een — Arran Baptist Church Your busy tail. Meeting in the Ormidale Sports Pavilion, Brodick. Sunday 25th January,10.45 How man can scan your donsie Communion; Tea and coffee from breist — 11.10. 11.30 Worship and Word, Not to admire, but, savage beast, Speaker: Tom Hutchison. Everyone Tae lick his lips and think o' feast welcome Aa' for his dinner — Arran Free Church of Scotland His slaverin' jaws in you weel (continuing) creished — Sunday 25th January, Trust Housing Lounge, Glen Estate, Brodick, 11am It maks me scunner! Evening Service, 5 Glen Road, 7pm, Prayer Meeting Wednesday 28th, 7pm I wonder what you think o' man — Rev.D.Macleod All welcome Can you perceive and understan' Church of Scotland, His evolution's mighty span Parishes of North Arran; Brodick, Tae things Atomic. Corrie, Lochranza, Pirnmill and Shiskine. Independent but working Do you regard him mystic — gran' — together. Minister Rev. Angus Or merely Comic? Adamson, Parish Assistant, Mrs Jean Hunter Your modest needs pit him tae shame Worship will be conducted at the following times: A few poor straws tae mak' your hame Sunday 25th January Some watter scooped frae dub or drain Brodick Church, 10.30am, Your drouth to slake Corrie Church, 12noon, Lochranza, 10.15am, Some cauldrife worms tae fill your Shiskine, 1 noon, 7.00pm, Service of wame — Health and Healing, An', whiles, a drake. A service of Worship will also be held in Montrose House at 1.30pm.

You do not share the flashing lights, Holy Cross Catholic Church The lordly hames in towering heights, Sunday Morning Mass 11am The thousand wonders and delights Whiting Bay and Kildonan He hauds in fee Church An' yet, my friend, Sunday 25th January 2009 You sleep o' nights — Worship will be conducted by the minister, Rev Elizabeth Watson, at One asks, does he? 10.30am. Lunch will be served in the Transept after the service and John Gillies Auld (1909–1999) all proceeds to Church Funds. All welcome. (Long-time course record-holder at Arran Churches Together Whiting Bay Golf Club — and still The offering for The Jacob Project at would be if they hadn't made the the Christian Unity Service on Sunday course so easy!) 18th January totalled £622.79. Page 18 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009

Win an Arran Aromatics gift box worth £30 this week Weekly Prize You have until Tuesday, 3 February 2009 to send in your completed cryptic crossword. This week’s crossword sponsored by Arran Aromatics, Tel: 01770 302595, Website: www.arranaromatics.com. Winners are asked to contact the shop Crossword One Crossword — before collecting their prize. Compiled by The Wee Scunner two sets of answers! Answers to Issue 91's crossword are on page 19.

Cryptic Clues Across Down 1 Past plus higher, in addition (4,3,5) 1 Unctuously in a fawning way (12) 6 Initially with her imagination mainly notion (4) 2 Tie the French chosen (5) 10 Disgrace twitch marked person (9) 3 Yearbook from McCalman acts. (7) 12 Six hat cereal (7) 4 Red and French stop (5) 13 Sovereign Majesty (5) 5 Dithering when sick in holiday (11) 14 ...or lay of 13 (5) 7 Lift crowd round yours truly (5) 15 Star rodents (4) 8 Fitting encounter (4) 17 Sort starts in like kind (3) 9 I fire apt beverage (8) 19 Gut an coal clotter (9) 11 Large rodent concealed in decoy punch (5) 21 Humorist intelligence (3) 16 Stubborn tough bequeathed (12) 22 Suffer below shot (7) 18 Confusing sudoku loses university glory (5) 24 Assume negative hell (7) 20 A French mountain evil upset sherry (11) 25 Records (3) 21 Defeat most awful (5) 26 Clapped about eastern navy decorated (9) 23 Almost mend peg 21 (8) 29 Chase in stigma (3) 27 Fringed crept (5) Sponsored by 30 Just dry (4) 28 Army alibi (6) 32 German camp beer (5) 31 Spry soldier in beer (5) 34 Game soldier mushrooms (5) 33 Brief upset timer (5) 35 March that is illusion (7) 35 Recess in picnic heath (5) 38 Claimed on like Satan (9) 36 Spots cane (4) 39 Jug were upset (4) 40 Burden then do nuts. (5, 3, 4) Quick Clues — just for fun! Across Down 1 Adaptation (12) 1 French miss (12) 6 Powder (4) 2 Fourth letter of the Greek alphabet (5) 10 Spotted dog (9) 3 Desperate (7) 12 Small herring (7) 4 Cold (5) 13 Intended (5) 5 Impediment (11) 14 Bile secreter (5) 7 Foreign (5) 15 Three squared (4) 8 Masticate (4) 17 Writing liquid (3) 9 Issue of ones issue (8) 19 Waterfalls (9) 11 At no time (5) 21 Chafe (3) 16 Scatterbrained (12) 22 Unusual items (7) 18 Familiar (5) 24 Base (7) 20 Small measure of sugar (11) Please send your completed crosswords to The Arran Voice, Pier Buildings, Brodick, 25 Vale (3) 21 Automaton (5) Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX. Alternatively, e-mail your answers to [email protected], 26 Domestic machine (9) 23 Pictured (8) 29 Small child (3) 27 Big wheel (5) with the word “Crossword — Issue 93” in the subject line. 30 Posh grocer’s (4) 28 Greek tragedy queen (7) Name: 32 Edible bulb (5) 31 Rub out (5) 34 Weariness (5) 33 Port and hot water (5) Address: 37 Cockney thief (7) 35 Scottish seaside town (5) 38 One who comes into her own after dark (9) 36 Pack away (4) Telephone/E-mail: 39 Watery part of milk separated from the curd (4) 40 Gory (12)

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We are now offering prints of photographs that appear in each issue The Arran Voice* 8” x 6” prints from £8.50 8” x 6” front page prints from £15.00 CDs — £2.50 Images from £0.50 (exclusive of Postage & Packaging) Discounts available for larger orders. Other print sizes are available For more information, call 01770 303 636, or e-mail [email protected] * This only applies to images where we own the copyright of the image 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 19

Issue 91 Crossword Answers Sudoku really only has one rule: Every row, column and 3x3 box must contain the Cryptic Answers numbers 1 through 9. We’ve given you a medium and hard puzzle to try. Visit Across: 1 cadge; 4 backslide; 9 insipid; Sudoku our website at www.arranvoice.com to find new Sudoku puzzles everyday! 10 equator; 11 wanderlust; 12 inch; 14 go west; 16 addict; 17 grieve; 18 crayon; 22 ache; 23 determined; 26 havered; 27 control; 28 dormobile; 29 spear. Down: 1 chinwag; 2 dyson; 3 expressive; 4 bodily; 5 cheesy; 6 scum; 7 intensity; 8 earshot; 13 adornments; 15 whichever; 17 gnashed; 19 nodular; 20 mendhi; 21 rescue; 24 nerve; 25 ergo.

Quick Answers Across: 1 glove; 4 abdicated; 9 records; 10 arbiter; 11 larch trees; 12 toll; 14 discus; 16 cavity; 17 unlike; 18 editor; 22 pact; 23 analgesics; 26 elderly; 27 cudbear; 28 nosebleed; 29 delay. Down: 1 garbled; 2 oscar; 3 earthquake; 4 absorb; 5 deafen; 6 cube; 7 tattooist; 8 Darnley; 13 baldheaded; 15 silicides; 17 umpteen; 19 respray; 20 enzyme; 21 placed; 24 ideal; 25 grub.

Winner of Issue 91 Crossword: Congratulations to Chas MacAlister from Shiskine who wins the gift voucher this week. x Issue 92 Sudoku & Kakuro Solutions On this day... 1901 Edward VII becomes King after Kakuro his mother, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, dies. 1906 SS Valencia runs aground on rocks How to do on Vancouver Island, killing more Kakuro than 130. 1968 Apollo 5 lifted off, carrying the first Fill in the blank Lunar Module into space. squares in the grid with numbers 2003 Last successful contact with from 1-9 so that spacecraft Pioneer 10, one of the each horizontal or most distant man made objects. vertical line adds 2007 The jury portion of the trial against up to the total given Robert Pickton, accused of being in the box either to Canada's worst serial killer, opens in New the left or above it. Westminster British Columbia, Canada. Horizontal totals are given in the top right corners of the shaded boxes. Star Birthdays Vertical totals appear in the bottom 1869 Grigori Rasputin, Russian Monk left corners. You may 1965 Brian McCardie, Scottish Actor not use the same 1967 Eleanor McEvoy, Irish number more than Singer-songwriter once in any run. The 1981 Beverly Mitchell, American Actress number may be used 1986 Daniel Wayne Smith, again, however, in American Actor the same row or column, but as part 1988 Greg Oden, American of another run. Basketball Player

Subscribe to The Arran Voice Annual UK Postal Subscription — £50 Annual European Postal Subscription — £80 Annual World Postal Subscription — £160 Annual PDF Subscription — £25 Annual Website Subscription — £15 All subscriptions are for 52 weeks. PDF and website subscriptions are also available - for more information please visit our website. To order any subscription, please send a cheque for the total (to(to ourour officeoffice below),below), mademade outout toto “Arran“Voice forVoice Arran” Ltd” Prices include postage and VAT where applicable. You can also order online at www.arranvoice.com “Subscriptions”,“Subscriptions”, The Voice Arran for Voice Arran, Ltd, Pier Buildings, Brodick, Isle of Arran, KA27 8AX Page 20 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009

Readers' Recommended Books The need or otherwise for yellow will be accompanied by a sign listing lines in Brodick has been hotly debated the restricted times. If this does not for many years and this driver, for one, mention days of operation it means will heartily welcome their appearance that the restriction applies seven days at the north end of Brodick village. a week. With ample car parks behind the Double yellow lines always mean wee Co and at the Ormidale Pavilion, 'at any time' and they no longer need What a Carve Up! By Jonathan Coe it has always been a source of wonder to have an accompanying sign. for me that people must park at this In parking restriction terms Bank Penguin paperback £7.99 narrowest, busiest stretch of the high Holidays are not the same as Sundays, ISBN 978-0-141-03503-1 street. I know how frustrating it is so waiting restrictions will apply on a trying to get out of the wee Co car Bank Holiday unless they are expressly Some books get to be classics very park because the traffic flow at that exempted on the sign. quickly. Jonathan Coe’s wicked send-up point has been reduced to single file in It is true that yellow lines must have of the ‘eighties, first published in 1994, alternate directions by the presence of a T-bar where they terminate or change is one of them, and Penguin have very cars parked along by the bank. Yellow from double to single or vice versa, sensibly reissued it in their ‘retro’ list lines will, perhaps, prevent the vicious but T-bars are not required where a that looks exactly like Penguins always used to, orange at top and bottom with circle of ‘I’ll park on the road because I yellow line meets a parking bay or the title in the white centre bit. Coe’s can’t get out of the car park because of zebra crossing as bays and crossings disillusioned take on the Thatcher era people parked on the road’ — so long effectively sit on top of the yellow line. and the years that followed is furiously as people abide by them. This driver would argue that it angry, but it’s also very funny. For those who passed their test a is not the presence of the yellow Michael Owen, an incompetent long time ago and rarely take their car lines themselves that is a sign of writer with troubles of his own, is to the mainland here is a little refresher urbanisation, so much as the presence offered an astonishingly lucrative course on the significance of those of a multitude of cars and heavier contract to write the detailed history of the Winshaw family — and greedy paws on, including the state stripes at the side of the road. traffic. There are, of course, other ways bumbles his way into a horror story. industries and the Health Service. Single yellow lines can apply for to deal with this, like providing a better The Winshaws are appalling. Every The book is a complex structure, at anything between one and 23 hours public transport system. But in the member of the unsavoury clan, apart one level a blistering satire but at the per day, including Sundays. They meantime, I’ll see you in the car park! from mad aunt Tabitha and Mortimer, same time a baffling detective story, a hapless dissenter who eventually pursued with total incompetence by gets his own back, is an archetypal Michael, the reluctant biographer — Thatcherite monster. Dorothy Wishaw who himself, of course, has also been marries a decent farmer and turns his bought. The whole thing culminates in Squirrel beer farm into a nightmare of intensive a Gothic evening at Winshaw Towers production. Hilary Winshaw, through during which every member of the back-stabbing, ruthless rudeness and dreadful clan comes to a sticky and the voicing of loud, crude opinions, appropriate end. Satire morphs into competition delay becomes an immensely rich journalist farce –quite suitably, for the characters and TV presenter. Henry Winshaw, with concerned have throughout this savage neither morals nor brains, decides that book behaved so appallingly that they Due to a few last minute design tweaks, the Arran Brewery has yet to finalise the label politics is an easy option and fetches up are far beyond the world of reason. for its forthcoming Red Squirrel Ale, so photographers eager to see which image won the on the front bench. Roddy Winshaw, The same sense of something close to competition and scooped the £100 prize will have to wait until the next issue of The Arran wealthy West End art dealer, uses false hysterical amusement has marked this Voice. In the meantime, the Brewery has reported that the first batch of the new ale is a tasty promises of professional backing to year’s grotesque economic events, but wee beer, and as feisty as the red squirrels that inspired it. seduce female art students. There are Jonathan Coe saw the black humour more, each one a risibly recognisable inherent in the chance-grabbing ‘eighties exponent of the commercial free-for- before anyone else. When the chips are Calcutta Cup all that landed us in the current mess. well and truly down, he suggests, all Due to the lumpy sea and general weather Between them, they carve up, stitch up you can do is keep haplessly playing the conditions last weekend, the arrival and sell off anything they can get their game. Or give up and laugh. of the Calcutta Cup was delayed until Sport-at-a-glance Wednesday of this week (again, weather- Teams assemble for Knock-out permitting). A full report about the Cup's competition journey around the island will feature in The Arran Pool League Knock-out next week's Arran Voice. Competition will take place this Sunday 25th January in Kilmory Hall. Which team will join the island’s pool team hall of fame in the ultimate showdown of green felt teamwork? Previous winners were: Ormidale Hotel (1983-84) Kinloch Hotel (1984-85) PHT (1985-86) Whiting Bay (1986-87) Nags (1987-88) Breadalbane (1988-89) Drift Inn (1989-89) Nags (1990-91) Nags (1991-92) Drift Inn (1992-93) Lagg Hotel (1993-94) Steamers (1994-95) Drift Inn (1995-96) Drift Inn (1996-97) Lagg (1997- 98) Aldersyde (1998-99) Aldersyde (1999- 2000) Kinloch (2000-01) Kinloch (2001- 02) Bar Eden (2002-03) 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 21

SERVICES FOR SALE RECYCLING

Clifford Latona Plumbing and Potatoes for sale — Golden Wonder, Kerrs Lots of German books free to Pinks, Marris Piper, dirty carrots and pony good home(s): Novels, thrillers, Heating Engineers. Tel: 01770 carrots. Regular deliveries Sliddery-Brodick. non-fiction etc. Call Assja (700 600391 Corgi, Calor and Oftec Contact W. Cook 820218 662) or just drop by at the Argentine and make your choice. registered. Arran Lamb Prepared for the freezer £5/kg Delivered throughout the Island. Bagged Manure for uplift — Tel Professional Garden Services, Please Contact Richard McMaster - 600 517. Hedges, grass, pruning, Tel 820 253 Large capacity Lec fridge with strimming, drainage, paths, internal light, in full working order. Arran mutton available. £3/kg. Island patios, decking, fencing etc. Free Now surplus to requirements. Call delivery available. Please contact Richard Chris or Jan on 302 397. Will need estimates. Call Tony 303539 McMaster - Tel 01770 820 253 to be collected from Belvedere in New 30 String Irish Harp with carry bag Brodick by the end of this week. STAY SAFE — AND LEGAL! £250 ono phone 302150 PAT testing for all your electrical 18 speed mountain bike, hardly used but needs new tyres and appliances. Call Chris — 302 397. IKEA - Tall pine unit with four glass shelves - thorough overhaul. Free to uplift £40.00 Tel: 860 395 from Corrie Tel 810640 A fully operational PC, running Windows XP, built to last by ADVERTISING Andrew Grazier, is offered free to in The Arran Voice a good home. Call Chris or Jan on 302 397. 1/32nd Advertisment Do you have something for £25 (Mono)/£32 (colour) sale? Our competitive rates and in Classifieds — £16 (mono) in Personals — £11 (mono) clearly laid-out advertising will help sell your car, boat, sofa... 1/16th Advertisment whatever you have. £46 (Mono)/£60 (colour) in Classifieds — £30 (mono) Classified listings start at just in Personals — £20 (mono) £3.50 + VAT, though charities Line Ads from only £3.50 benefit from significant savings Discounts available for block bookings on our standard rates. All above prices plus VAT We will be happy to visit you at your premises to discuss any advertising. You can add your recycle items Our full ratecard is online at: www.arranvoice.com to ArranOnline.com free of charge, and they will appear here automatically, subject to space and suitability. Recycling Did you know that you can recycle your old unwanted items free of charge on ArranOnline.com?

If you have something that’s just taking up space — why not ARRAN visit ArranOnline.com, register CANDLEMAKERS free, and offer it to someone & SPION KOP else? WOODWORK Open: Tues; Wed; Thurs; 10am till 5pm You can also put in requests for On hill between Lamlash & Whiting bay items that you need. Phone : 01770 600 474

There are full guidelines on the ADVERTISING TERMS website, but the main rule is 1. The deadline for receiving advertisements is 5pm on the Monday prior to publication. At this time the Publisher reserves the right to that only items that are being create, repeat or substitute any copy missing from booked space. offered free should be added. 2. All advertisements must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice. 3. All advertisements must be paid for prior to publication. Extended runs of advertising will be invoiced monthly in advance, unless If there is space, we’ll also otherwise agreed in writing. add a note of items available 4. In the event of an advertisement not appearing for any reason, the liability of the Publisher will be limited either to a re-insertion, or for recycling in our Classifieds refund of the discounted cost of that advertisement. 5. Cancellation of any advertisement must be received at least 24 hours section of the paper. prior to the publication deadline. Any refund will take account of any block-booking discount that no longer applies due to cancellation. 6. Any error must be notified to the Publisher within 14 days of publication. A re-insertion or refund of the price paid for the incorrect Remember — one advertisement will be offered only if that error materially detracts from the advertisement. person’s rubbish can 7. The Advertiser (or their Agent) agrees to indemnify the Publisher in respect of any liability arising from publication of their advertisement, be another person’s however caused. 8. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. treasure! Our ratecard is online at: www.arranvoice.com Page 22 For more news, this week and every week, register FREE at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 Golf Results Brodick golfers 22nd January 2009 By Dougie MacFarlane lock clubs in Arran Golfers Association

Results: Winter League 2008/2009. Saturday 17th January 2009, Third Clochendichter round results, Corrie Golf Club By Lenny Hartley The 3rd round games got underway at the second time of asking, with a slight break in the wind and rain Eye-on-the-green Lenny Hartley reports Lenny Hartley in the team. well against an under-the-weather Bert enabling two games to take place, on the much-lamented loss of Brodick golf Game 1: The Village captain John McGunnigle (5-4), Sid Sillars beat Peter although by the end of the matches Beattie was playing against Lenny Hartley McCalla (3-2) and Bruce Jenkins beat the weather was definitely winning club’s Scots pine, news of Peroni’s city and the game was evenly matched until Gus Robertson (4-3). the day. The game between Corrie and Lamlash was postponed as break for putting practice and Aly Hume’s the turn when John went two up after Lamlash had four players on the bunnet.... pars at the 9th and 10th. Hartley was The Street vs The Knowe mainland and a few others missing under pressure after a very poor display for the rescheduled date. This will against Machrie in the AGA at Corrie the In the other match the league Leaders were Clochendichter, 17th January: now take place in the next couple of previous day and was lucky that a heavy up against the Knowe. Under pressure weeks. The game involving Corrie Alma 4-1/2 Village 2-1/2 squall blew John off course. Hartley won Knowe manager Gordon ‘Nog’ Hendry and Brodick from the previous Street 4 Knowe 4 month will be played hopefully four out of the next six holes to win 2 up. wielded the axe and brought in many new before the beginning of March, Game 2: Alma VC Donald 'Stud' faces in a desperate attempt to stop the The first games of the singles matches enabling a slightly clearer league Mckinnie was paired against Jimmy slump. McRae, Dobson and Raeside were were played on a cold, blustery and table going into the final round of 'Jasper' Armit. A close match was all dropped with Bobby ‘Peroni’ McRae matches in March. showery day after high winds brought shrouded in controversy, with McKinnie being despatched to an exclusive rehab trees down all over the Island, including sinking a short putt out of turn. Jasper clinic in Glasgow to practise his putting. The first game to be played was one of the Scots pines which stood between Machrie and Brodick which could have claimed the hole, but in majestically midway between tee and ended in a tied match overall with 2 keeping with his new appearance decided Fight-back green on the par 5 5th hole. points each. to be a gentleman and let the matter rest. The 30ft high tree finally succumbed Jimmy was probably wishing he had Match 1 saw the Street Captain Nicol The second match was between to the weather after being battered by golf claimed the hole as he lost 2-1. Hume play young Matt Dobson. Nicol Whiting Bay against Shiskine. This balls since the re-modelled course took game ended up with Whiting Bay Game 3: Andy McCrindle was was soon 5 up but lacked the killer touch shape 13 years ago, and is now reduced edging out Shiskine by 2 and a half paired against the Village's Iain (Bung) against a fellow Killie fan and let Matt to a 15 foot high skelf. Another Skelf, points to 1 and a half. McMillan. Bung incidentally should be back into the game. Matt deserves great Appologies for the short report approximately 10ft smaller, grievously in the Guinness book of records, as in credit in fighting back for a draw. but as the day was so awful not remarked that Club Captain Brian Smith’s around six decades of golfing he had only John Hartley and Dougie Robertson too many people stayed around to absence could be explained by his being gather details of the matches and been a 2nd Class competitor for approx starred in a battle of the Jammy Dodgers. called away to an urgent meeting held the appeal of a warm bath and a 6 hours when he played on the Brandon With Hartley, using his handicap wisely by the ladies, as they wished to place an large whisky seemed slightly more the other week. He scored so well that to go 4 up after 4, preserved his lead to appealing!! (Dougie MacFarlane) elevated tee on top of the remainder of he went immediately back to First class, win by 2. the tree in order that some of them may in a stroke reducing his playing time by Russell Duncan and Brian Robertson Fixtures: achieve a par 5. 4th round next month February 1st, half. Fresh from his sprint to the Pier, faced each other for the first time since Lamlash Golf Club McCrindle steered a course through the their victorious campaign In the 1983 Draw as follows: Horn start puddles using his handicap to the full to Merchants Trophy. Brian was one of Lamlash v Brodick, 10:00am win 3-2. the new faces brought into freshen up Machrie Bay v Shiskine, 10:50am Due to Health and Safety it was decided to the Knowe and would have been happy Whiting Bay v Corrie, 11:40am forgo the usual Shotgun Start and instead Holy encounter holding southpaw Russell Duncan to a blow a ship's horn to alert the players of the half. Whiting Bay Golf Club commencing match. Unfortunately this Game 4: Sam McCalla was paired with The other matches resulted in wins caused Sneaker's last minute replacement Aly Hume. Not much to report in this for the Street’s Andy Martin and Stevie Results: Andy McCrindle to head for the pier match. I was hoping that Aly’s bunnet Bunyan, who beat Gordon Hendry and Saturday 17th. Whiting Bay beat thinking that the Clansman needed a Shiskine by 2 and a half points to 1 would get blown onto the beach so I could Brian Boal. The Knowe’s Iain McDonald, pilot for a trip to Greenock. Fortunately and a half points in the AGA Winter recount the tale about Aly in the early Gordon Robertson and David Hendry for all concerned Calmac discovered League at Corrie, played in ..... [I] sixties when the first hippies were arriving won against Willie Innes, Chris Paddinton interesting [/I] weather conditions! that they still had a few unused trips to on the Island. Toddler Aly was down at and Gordon Sillars respectively. Ardrossan from their secret wintertime the beach and a long haired, bearded Fixtures: Frugal Ardrossan Redirection Transport hippy appeared out of the surf, causing an League Table The Winter Cup game on Sunday Shipping (FARTS) Policy. 18th was postponed due to the astonished Aly to run home proclaiming As tradition dictates, the first match weather and will now be played that Jesus was on the beach! However his • Street 25 pts always includes the reigning champions next Sunday, the 25th January. hat din't get blown off so I won’t mention and Alma were playing the Village. The • Alma 20 pts that one until I get the slightest excuse. match promised to be a cracker. In the The game finished with a crucial win for • Knowe 18 pts corresponding fixture last year with Alma with Sam beating Aly by 1. Alma’s Captain Lenny Hartley on Safari, • Village 17 pts Game 5: Robbie Duncan was playing vice-captain Jim Nichols took over the Lindsay Keir. Lindsay was two up after reins and steered Alma to a historic 8-0 four holes but Robbie fought back to Next Game February 15th victory. However, for this year Alma square the match, causing the vertically- was without manager Jim Nichols, who challenged baker to demand that we stop • Alma v Street preferred the company of an Anglo- playing singles and instead play carpet Nubian and was bleating about vice- • Knowe v Village bowls or pingpong! captain Donald Mckinnie's selection of In the others matches Matt Keir won • Horn start at 10:30am 22nd January 2009 / The Arran Voice Ltd Tel: 01770 303 636 E-mail: [email protected] Page 23

Brodick Bridge Club Lamlash Bridge Club Results Results Isle of Arran Primary Schools’

15th January 2009 Monday 19th January Sports Hall Athletics Festival 2009

N/S N/S Results: Girls — Track/Field & BOYS — Track/Field 1st M. McGill & E. McConnell +3440 Isabel McArthur & E. McKellar +640 2nd T. Martin & D. Hamilton +3210 E. McNiven & V. Iutz +500 Event Position School Name/s Time/Dist/Score 3rd D. Bruce & J. Murchie +2650 J. Barclay & J. McArthur +160 2x1 Lap Relay 1st Brodick Sarah MacNeil, Ailsa McMillan 29.5 2nd Shiskine Gemma Bennett, Taylor Smith 30.9 3rd Lamlash Rebecca Crawford,Cara Miller 31.8 E/W E/W 4x1 Lap Relay 1st Brodick Erin Boal, Isla Sillars, Alyssa Colwell, Isla Hill 62.6 1st J. MacLure & A. McKelvie -1710 H. Boyd & J. Murchie +1220 Imogen Armstrong, Asha Simspon, 2nd H. Boyd & E. Paul -1730 P. Adamson & E. McConnell +970 2nd Whiting Bay Ellie Miller, Lynsey Fleming Anna O’Donnelly, Abbie Jackson, 64.0 3rd C. McAllister & V. Iutz -2090 A. Carr & P. Thomson +800 3rd Corrie/Pirnmill Dee McGloin, Saskia Thorburn-Eady 64.7 6 Lap Paarlauf 1st Brodick Sarah MacNeil, Ailsa McMillan 134.5 2nd Whiting Bay Eilidh MacNeil, Kirsty Stewart 136.9 3rd Lamlash Gabrielle Allison, Hannah Bone 144.8 2x2 Lap Relay 1st Whiting Bay Eilidh MacNeil, Lynsey Fleming 63.9 2nd Brodick Erin Boal, Isla Sillars 64.7 Arran pool league 3rd Shiskine Gemma Bennett, Heather Snowdon 68.6 4x1 Lap 1st Kilmory Chloe Brookes, Charley Napier, Alex Muir, Katie Morrison 133.9 Over/Under 2nd Lamlash Rebecca Crawford, Megan Ingham, Lina Locatelli, Courtney Taylor 135.3 Relay 3rd Whiting Bay Lauryn Fleming, Beth McCartney,Ellie Miller, Adelina Azemi 138.0 — week 9 Circuit Relay 1st Corrie/Pirnmill Anna O’Donnelly, Dee McGloin, Ellis McKelvie, Fiona Bulger 157.4 2nd Whiting Bay Beth McCartney, Ellie Miller, Lynsey Fleming, Chantelle Gunning 157.7 3rd Lamlash Cara Miller, Lina Locatelli, Sarah Simpson, Courtney Taylor 159.5 Nicol executes ‘stunning granny’ 7-0 against the Catacol and went on to win Field with a comfortable 8-game margin and steal P.T. 1934 came as close as any team this the gallon. Speed Bounce 1st Brodick Ailsa McMillan 67 season to a major upset last week, when Corrie were host to the PHT and the  2nd = Corrie/Pirnmill Dee McGloin 64 2nd = Lamlash Hannah Currie 64 they were beaten by the margin of just 7-5 home team managed a rare home win, 2nd = Whiting Bay Eilidh MacNeil 64 by a visiting Bar Eden team. The match also despite the best efforts of the visitors. The 3rd Lamlash Megan Ingham 62 saw in-form pool maestro Euan Ingram lose PHT seem to be best when teamwork is Standing 1st Corrie/Pirnmill Abbie Jackson 163 his first singles game of the season in his involved and their 1-shot-per-3-minutes Long Jump 2nd Corrie/Pirnmill Dee McGloin 150 bout against Jamie Picken. The Southender strategy won them a fine gallon round. 3rd Brodick Sarah MacNeil 147 laid a cunning trap which coaxed Euan into Chest Throw 1st = Brodick Isla Sillars 4.50 potting the white along with the black. Results: 1st = Lamlash Cara Miller 4.50 Bar Eden’s 'golden balls' recovered in the Kildonan (G) 2 – 10 The Drift 2nd Brodick Erin Boal 4.0 doubles session, when he and Nicol Auld Cameronia (G) 10 – 2 Catacol 3rd Corrie/Pirnmill Abbie Jackson 3.5 pulled off (in Nicol’s own words) a ‘stunning Corrie 8 – 4 PHT (G) Vertical 1st Whiting Bay Eilidh MacNeil 35 granny’ against Tommy Mulholland and Bar Eden 7 – 5 (G) P.T. 1934 (G) Jump 2nd Brodick Erin Boal 34 Stewart Kilpatrick. A good night was had Doubles competition 3rd Shiskine Taylor Smith 33 by all. Matches to be played by February 15th. Standing Triple 1st Brodick Ailsa McMillan 5.0 elsewhere, a travelling and temporarily Venues in bold. Winners please phone Jump 2nd Whiting Bay Eilidh MacNeil 5.0 3rd Whiting Bay Ellie Miller 5.0 homeless Drift In Drift Out squad conquered 600418 a mentally tough Kildonan team 10–2. The 1. D. Cudrie/Richard (PHT) or C. Event Position School Name/s Time/Dist/Score Kildonan players are becoming so resilient Blackham/M. Wetton (Catacol) vs. 2x1 Lap Relay 1st Brodick Lyle Bunyan, Roy Soong 28.0 to their regular losses that Northend Thistle B. Radtkouski/P. Holmes (PHT) or V. 2nd Corrie/Pirnmill Alastair Innes, Jamie McLaren 30.1 are considering taking sports psychology Dillon/Billy TF (P.T. 1934) — Bar Eden 3rd Shiskine Jasper Herbert-Lilly, Callan Taylor 30.8 coaching lessons from the pool team. 2. M. Worthington/C. Galloway (P.T. 4x1 Lap Relay 1st Lamlash Rory Hunter, Myles Johnson, Reece Currie, Marcel Gren 60.3 Kildonan have yet to win a point from 1934) vs. S. Weir/S. Logan (Catacol) — 2nd Kilmory Alan Dillon, Daniel McAllister, Donald Mulholland, Kieran Robertson 61.1 their first nine matches, but they still have PHT 3rd Brodick Michael Smith, Harry Anderson, Oisin Swinton-Boyle, Conner Percy 62.4 the remainder of the season to improve 3. J. Copperwheat/S. Scott (Drift) vs. J. 6 Lap Paarlauf 1st Shiskine Kerr Rankin, Iain Clarke 134.8 on the performance of other recent league lyon/S. Lawson (Catacol) — Bar Eden 2nd Lamlash Rory Hunter, Tilly Ford 138.9 bottom-dwellers. In 2001-2002, a dispirited 4. G. Willis/J. Ainsworth (Cameronia) 3rd Kilmory John Mulholland, Donald Mulholland 139.4 Drift Out managed just three points with or A. Duncan/N. Auld (Bar Eden) vs. 2x2 Lap Relay 1st Brodick Lyle Bunyan, Roy Soong 59.1 three draws (home and away to Cameronia l. Logan/N. Bond (Catacol) — PHT 2nd Kilmory Alan Dillon, Kieran Robertson 64.0 A, away to Breadalbane). In 2005-2006 the 5. I. Murchie/S. Heaney (Drift) vs. G. 3rd Shiskine Iain Clarke, Callan Taylor 64.4 Catacol scored only one point in the entire McLeod/D. Hackett (Bar Eden) or 4x1 Lap Over/ 1st Whiting Bay Jasper Herbert-Lilly, Jack Simmons, Robert Thomson, Matthew Tetlow 123.7 season with a memorable away draw at C. McBain/J. Ferguson (Cameronia) — Under 2nd Corrie/Pirnmill Peter Gillson, Alastair Innes,Gregor Stewart, Aidan Gold 124.1 Lagg. League secretary and P.T. 1934 player Kildonan Relay 3rd Kilmory Lyle Robertson, John Mulholland,Matthew McAllister, Daniel McAllister 125.8 Eddie Picken fears Kildonan could sneak a 6. S. McGovern/S. Pringle (Bar Eden) vs. Circuit Relay 1st Shiskine Finlay Murchie, Kerr Rankin, Jasper Herbert-Lilly, 139.4 hallowed point at Kilmory Hall this year. e. Ingram/J. McPherson (Bar Eden) — John-Luke Betley-Stewart 'The Lagg/P.T. 1934 might be vulnerable for 2nd Corrie/Pirnmill Peter Gillson, Alastair Innes, Jamie McLaren, Aidan Gold 143.4 Bar Eden Fergus Gunn, Mungo Paul, dropping the home point again this season,' 7. L. Little/I. Roberts (PHT) vs. D. 3rd Brodick Harry Anderson, Adam McNicol 148.0 said Eddie. 'That will be a twitchy night that Head/F. Barr (Bar Eden) — Kildonan one.' 8. H. Driver/C. Wannop (Kildonan) vs. L. Field In Whiting Bay, the Cameronia were up girbow/C. Black (Drift) — Bar Eden Speed Bounce 1st Shiskine Iain Clarke 73 2nd Corrie/Pirnmill Jamie McLaren 71 Pld W L D F A GOB Pts 3rd Brodick Oisin Swinton-Boyle 62 Standing 1st Brodick Lyle Bunyan 1.77 Bar Eden 10 10 0 0 78 42 6 30 Long Jump 2nd Whiting Bay Joe Robson 1.75 Drift 10 7 2 1 73 47 6 22 3rd Lamlash Rory Hunter 1.71 Chest Throw 1st Shiskine Finlay Murchie 4.50 Corrie 10 5 4 1 56 59 5 16 2nd Whiting Bay Jack Simmons 4.25 3rd Kilmory Daniel McAllister 4.0 P.T. 1934 10 4 4 2 64 51 5 14 Vertical Jump 1st Corrie/Pirnmill Peter Gillson 44 Cameronia 10 4 4 2 56 59 7 14 2nd Brodick Lyle Bunyan 41 3rd Whiting Bay Jack Simmons 38 PHT 10 3 6 1 56 63 5 10 Standing Triple 1st Corrie/Pirnmill Peter Gillson 6.0 Catacol 10 3 6 1 53 67 5 10 Jump 2nd = Kilmory Alan Dillon 5.5 2nd = Brodick Roy Soong 5.5 Kildonan 10 0 10 0 34 79 1 0 3rd Kilmory Daniel McAllister 5.25 Forarran more news, this week and every week, register FREEsport at www.arranvoice.com / 22nd January 2009 Arran's young Lamlash athletes on track for finals football on the up

A recent meeting held in the Pierhead Tavern has signalled the renaissance of Lamlash village’s footballing ambitions. After failing to muster a squad last year, almost 20 players pledged their support for the coming season last Friday.

Coaching ‘It’s time to get this running again,’ said Lee Little, who alongside Ben Tattersfield had called the meeting to kickstart Lamlash’s 2009 league hopes. In 2007-2008, a ‘management power vacuum’ in Lamlash led to a he island's primary schools gathered North Ayrshire Leisure team were involved bit of disorganisation and by the time for an afternoon of field and track in the organisation of the event, which will the season had come around, there Tevents last week as part of North see some of Arran's best young athletes was no side to field. This year Scott Ayrshire's sports hall athletics competition. progress to the competition finals next Campbell (Skeets) has volunteered to Deafening cheers filled the Auchrannie month. Ten boys and ten girls (plus two help out with some coaching. sports hall as children from Arran's reserves) will be selected to take part in seven primary school's gave some vocal the final at the Magnum Leisure Centre on Loan period over encouragement to their classmates in the 24th February. Organisers said a big 'well ‘We need to get out training each week,’ various running, throwing and jumping done' to all the children who took part. said Lee. Unlike Brodick, Northend, events. A number of teachers, staff from the See page 23 for the results from the field Shiskine and the Southend squads, the Auchrannie and members of the mainland and track events. Lamlash gents have not kept up their footballing skills with weekly training sessions during the winter. But a Playmaker Jamie Sillars could be instrumental in turning few of the more talented Lamlash the Lamlash team around players have benefited by joining the strict training regime of Northend ready compliment, knowing Thistle. Lee Little has acknowledged that other teams’ eagerness to God and the Post Office that any league success for Lamlash beat them is a mark of both fear Jim was touched. He showed the letter to his this year will doubtless be the result and respect. fellow workers, and they had a whip-round We are indebted to John at Whiting Bay Post of the Thistle’s excellent coaching lamlash footballers are between them that produced £96 — only £4 method, but told The holding another meeting this Office for this story. short of what Agatha had lost. They put it in an that all Friday 7.30pm and envelope and sent it off to her then went home, Arran Voice The Jim worked for the Post Office, in the department slightly the poorer but thinking with a warm glow such players will Arran Voice will keep where they deal with mail that has no legible of the old lady and her friends enjoying their be called back. league supporters address. One day shortly before Christmas, he Christmas dinner. ‘Their loan posted with further picked up a letter that simply said, ‘To God.’ Jim In the New Year, Jim recognised Agatha’s p e r i o d developments within opened the letter in search of a return address shaky writing on another letter to God. With a is over,’ the squad. — and couldn’t help reading the shakily written smile, he called the others and began to read it to words. They said: them. It said: confirmed Lee. except for Dear God, Dear God, Northend Thistle and Southend I am 83 years old. I had saved up £100 from my small I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful gift. My United (who have pension for Christmas, but yesterday somebody stole friends and I had a glorious Christmas, thanks to your not won a league my purse. My two friends were coming for dinner as divine providence. a special treat, but now I cannot buy food and the match for over 15 electricity meter will probably run out, as there isn’t a PS — I thought you should know that the money was years), Lamlash are Despite the absence pension day until after Christmas. I have no family to £4 short. I expect those bastards at the Post Office had it. many sides' favourite of goal-bagging hitman turn to, so you are my only hope. Please, can you help team to beat. But t h e Jamie Murchie (above), Lamlash me? Agatha. Agatha. has a promising squad for the 2009 Lamlash lads take this as a season