VisitScotland blocks marketing group’s publications
PUBLICATIONS produced by a local marketing group for the benefit of tourists and visitors will only be available ‘under the counter’ at tourist information centres because of a planned new VisitScotland policy.
The umbrella body, which has been the subject of a great deal of flak since it took over the functions of the previous tourist boards, was in the news only last week when it announced that it was to close its London office - a move which attracted a storm of criticism.
Now it seems that the Edinburgh-based body is intent on stamping on the sort of local initiative that - on paper at least - it is supposed to be encouraging.
Dunoon and Cowal Marketing Group was formed some years ago to promote the area on a wide-ranging basis - not just as a tourist destination.
As part of its promotion the marketing group has produced a number of leaflets, which have proved extremely popular. A particular favourite is a full-colour publication with a street map of Dunoon on one side, and a map of Cowal on the other. It is partly funded by advertisements around the edge of the document.
The popularity of the publication is such that when it is reprinted every two years no less than 100,000 copies are produced.
The leaflets are displayed on specially-designed racks in prominent locations around Cowal, and probably the most strategically important of these placements is the Tourist Information Centre in Dunoon.
However, says Marketing Group Chairman Tony Miles, a new policy on the part of VisitScotland will see the leaflets taken off display.
“It appears that they have a rule which says that if they haven’t done a quality assurance test on advertisers then they won’t display any material containing their advertisements.
“However, a lot of our advertisers have little - if any - connection with tourism. This is because we’re a marketing group with a wider remit than just one facet of local business.
“Since these organisations aren’t members of Visit-Scotland, they can’t do quality assurance checks on them.
“Even worse, we had a link to their website, and they’ve removed that too. The reasoning is the same. It really makes you wonder just whose side they’re on.
“As I understand it, this is a countrywide policy, not just Cowal.
“I find it quite incredible. This is a body whose sole purpose is to promote Scotland. In producing brochures we are actually doing their job for them at local level; it defies logic that they are obstructing our efforts to promote Cowal for reasons which are totally spurious.”
Mr Miles stressed that he had no quarrel with the Dunoon Tourist Information Centre. “The staff have always displayed a high level of professionalism and customer care,” he said. “They are enthusiastic about selling the area to tourists and are a real asset to Cowal.
“It’s a pity that their common-sense approach isn’t shared by their bosses in Edinburgh.”
Any expectation of a change of heart on the part of VisitScotland was firmly knocked on the head by their response. When we asked for a statement outlining the logic of imposing the ban, VisitScotland area director Iain Close said: “The vital importance of driving up quality standards across Scotland’s tourism industry is at the centre of the Scottish Executive’s Tourism Framework for Change, which outlines the national 50 percent growth agenda for 2015.
“Accordingly, VisitScotland has already made a commitment to our visitors that the only information on accommodation provided through our network of tourist information centres will be those establishments that participate in our highly respected Quality Assurance scheme.
“VisitScotland is supportive of the work of industry groups around the country, including Dunoon and Cowal Marketing Group, whose commendable, customer-focused marketing activity has received financial assistance from VisitScotland’s Challenge Fund.”
Which, however, studiously avoided answering the question posed - since some of the advertisers on the marketing group’s literature have little, if any, connection with tourism and do not provide accommodation, how can they participate in VisitScotland’s ‘highly respected Quality Assurance Scheme?’
And since they can’t, why is VisitScotland using spurious excuses to actively block the efforts of local businesses to generate interest in the area?


Tender tale of woe comes to an end
THE Scottish Executive’s tendering process ended in a final humilation on Monday when the sole competitor for the Calmac Clyde and Western Isles services, V Ships, announced that it was pulling out of the process, leaving the field clear for Calmac.
And one question remains without a definitive answer - was the tendering process necessary in the first place?
This latest addition to the tender tale of woe means that the nationwide tendering process, which has cost the public purse millions of pounds, has produced no change whatsoever.
The North Isles route is still in the hands of the same operator, neither the Campbeltown-Northern Ireland route nor the Dunoon-Gourock route attracted any bidders, and the requirements of the current process caused a hugely expensive restructuring within Calmac itself.
In a message to Calmac staff, the company’s chairman, Peter Timms said: “The future of the tendering process is entirely a matter for the Scottish Executive, and they have already assured us that they will be pressing ahead with it”
The recriminations from other quarters, however, have not been slow in coming.
First off the mark was Western Ferries, which pulled out of the main routes tender at an early stage.
Managing Director Gordon Ross said that it was time for a moratorium and a rethink on the process: “The tendering specification is so tightly drafted that the outcome was only going to be the replication of the current services,” he said, adding that the transport needs of islanders had changed dramatically but the Executive’s and Calmac’s service delivery had failed to change to match that need.
He continued: “There is now a golden opportunity for the Executive to gather all those interested in the future of Scotland’s ferry services to sit down and discuss the best way forward.
“Western Ferries believes that there is a clear and compelling case for the single bundle to be broken up and tendered on a route-by-route basis. This will improve ferry services on the routes, reduce the burden on the taxpayer, and ensure that those lifeline ferry services receive the support they need for a full and comprehensive service.”
The politicians, unsurprisingly, had different views of who was responsible for what is, by any measure, a fiasco.
Argyll and Bute Lib Dem MSP George Lyon, whose party holds the transport brief in Holyrood and is therefore responsible for the tendering process, had attacked V-Ships on a previous occasion when they pulled out of the Dunoon-Gourock tender. However, he blamed the EU for the present situation.
He commented “It is very disappointing that V-Ships have once again walked away from a tendering process,” but added that there were serious questions as to whether the EU rules that force Governments to put lifeline ferry services out to tender make any sense.
“The cost of the tender exercise would have been better directed at improving ferry services to island communities,” he said.
“It is time for a serious discussion with the European Union about whether it is sensible to include lifeline ferry services in their Competition Rules as there appears to be little benefit to island communities and significant costs to governments.”
The opposition, however, had a different view of where the fault lay.
SNP MEP Alyn Smith, however reiterated the argument that a ruling by the European Court of Justice - called the Altmark ruling after the bus company concerned in the case - rendered the tendering process unnecessary, This view was supported by local ferry activist Professor Neil Kay.
Their argument appears to be reinforced by a recent response to a question posed by Mr Smith of the EU’s transport commissioner, Jacques Barrot.
The Executive, however, continues to insist that their information from Europe is that tendering was the only option.
What is clear, however, is that the whole exercise has cost the taxpayer a great deal of money for no discernible benefit.


Burgh hall - UPDATE
Work on the Options Appraisal for the Burgh Hall is now well underway and the professional team dealing with the appraisal visited the building for the first time on Tuesday.
The mood was very positive and it was agreed that the good work of Argyll and Bute Council in repairing and maintaining the roof had contributed to the retention of a remarkable amount of the original fabric of the building. But it was agreed that there was no room for complacency.
Despite the best efforts of Fyne Homes to maintain the building, the current poor condition is a great cause for concern. Dry rot is beginning to threaten large areas of the ground floor and the rainwater washing out of gutters over the exterior stonework is causing concern for the structure.
Architect David Millar from Austin Smith-Lord, who is leading the appraisal said ‘This is an ambitious project for an important local building, and will require a major effort in order to ensure its survival.’
He added: “It is essential that the local community embraces the project and supports the efforts of the Trust for this project to succeed.”
A spokeswoman for Fyne Homes said: “The next steps are to review the various studies and proposals already put forward for the building and to undertake a more detailed inspection to determine the repairs that are required.
“ Over the next week you will see questionnaires in a number of locations in the town including the library. We need your views, so please take a moment to give us your thoughts and also attend one of the drop in consultations that will take place at the Argyll Hotel on Thursday February 8 and Tuesday February 13 from 2pm to 8pm.”
She issued an appeal for people to come up with ideas for the future of the Hall and any reminiscences they might have have of the building and events held there.
She went on: “We are also appealing for photographs of the building to help us understand how it looked in happier times. So come on Dunoon, tell us what you think and how you can help us to save the Burgh Hall!”


No end to James Watt woes
THE troubles of James Watt College are far from over. The college’s woes first hit the headlines in March last year when a black hole in its finances threatened the jobs of staff.
The crisis-hit college, which has a number of Cowal students on its books, has seldom been out of the headlines over the past year. The principal and vice-principal left in the wake of the cash crisis which brought the staff to the brink of strike action over proposed job cuts.
The prospect of job cuts looms yet again as the college’s interim managers have identified the need to lose 48 staff if the establishment is to survive.
But in a development which may have implications far beyond James Watt College, a report has condemned the cash-strapped college for squandering money.
The Further Education Development Directorate (FEDD) was set up by the Scottish Funding Council to assist colleges in financial difficulties.
James Watt College, which is £6.8m in the red, certainly fits that description. In identifying the causes of the college’s financial woes the FEDD was uncharacteristically brutal in its condemnation of the cause of the problems. It accused the management of being dysfunctional, condemning it for ‘blatant waste’ and a culture of ‘spend spend spend’.
Among the concerns identified by the FEDD were a £30,000 refurbishment of the vice-principal’s office, and £50,000 spent on a minibus.
However, this was small beer in comparison to the amount spent on foreign travel.
Despite having less than 30 foreign students, the college managed to spend no less than £224,800 on 22 trips abroad. Destinations for trips on college business to a total of 22 countries, included the USA, Mauritius. China, Thailand, Morocco and Egypt.
The report said that there was little evidence of a corporate culture, but there was ‘a prevailing blame culture’.
Planned redundancies to address the issue have been condemned by staff unions as ‘a short term fix’
However, James Watt’s funding problems, though exceptional, are not unique. Strathclyde Universityis also looking at a budget deficit of £10m and is contemplating substantial job cuts, and both Glasgow University and Glasgow Caledonian have been involved in cost-cutting measures.