Go-ahead for gateway welcome feature in Ullapool

THE visitor magnet of Ullapool is to have an attractive new welcome feature erected at the south entrance from Garve.

Highland Council has granted planning permission for the gateway feature to be constructed in a layby on the A835.

Local group Welcome Ullapool was behind the move to replace the current sign with a new welcoming installation both at its northern and southern gateways. There are also moves to replace the northern road entrance.

The Wester Ross village was at one time a major producer of herring, a fish on which the village was built and became prosperous, and it is fitting that the gateway feature will include a stainless steel sculpture of herring “balling”, a phenomenon where a shoal bunches together usually during a feeding frenzy

Welcome Ullapool secretary Angela Ford said the existing south entrance sign was not popular with many, and added: “We thought to introduce a more dramatic entrance. We want to introduce a sign that makes a statement about the village, that would mark Ullapool out and that tourists and passers-by would notice. We hope this will also benefit local businesses.”

The project will utilise local stonework and the name Ullapool and the sculpture will be backlit by LED.

A condition of the planning consent is that the existing flower bed at the south entrance be removed and the layby reinstated.

Ullapool will look blooming beautiful

Ullapool bookshop is a big hit on Twitter

Ullapool campaigners use pocket ashtrays to tackle environmental danger

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.