New tourism and business association proposed to build better future for Dingwall
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The voluntary organisation is an alternative to the business improvement district idea floated previously for the Highland town.
A recent community survey aimed at setting a baseline for improving the town’s fortunes received more than 200 responses.
Conducted by local entrepreneur Liam Christie (pictured), of Christie Consultants Scotland, he said it has now made it possible to sketch out a road map for the town’s improvement in the coming months and years.
“There were 245 responses to the survey and we will now be collating all the open questions to have ready for the start of next week,” he said.
“The closed questions are easy to report on – there will be no Dingwall BID.”
Earlier attempts to persuade town business owners to back the creation of a business improvement district – where they would pay a levy to support an organisation that in turn would work to promote the town as a whole – proved hugely divisive.
There were complaints of a lack of clarity over what was planned, how it would benefit the town and what people would expect to stump up to pay for it.
Although Mr Christie launched the Dingwall Community Survey 2021 last month suggesting nothing was off the table, this week he confirmed the BID idea was dead in the water.
“We won’t be looking at a BID proposal, that’s put to bed,” he said.
“It’s not the right time or mechanism for the town.”
Instead it has been suggested the best opportunity for the area could be the creation of a new tourism and business association to work closely with the already established Dingwall Community Development Company (DCDC).
Crucially membership of this new organisation would be voluntary.
Mr Christie said: “We are going to look to start a tourism and business association and get a voice for business that represents the whole town and one that can work with the Dingwall Community Development Company.
“We are pleased with the response to the survey, and we will now compare our results with the previous survey done by the DCDC and will be holding an online event to seek interested parties to join the new association.
“Everyone will be welcome at that meeting.”
At the survey’s launch Mr Christie said it was vital for Dingwall to get an organised plan in place.
“The town and the area has so much to offer, and we need to find a way forward to make the town all that it possibly can be,” he said.
“I know there are plans afoot for places further north, and there are plans for Inverness – and we need to make sure we are setting out with our own plan. We can then promote that plan to Highland Council and offer the drive to make sure it is delivered.”
DCDC secretary Robin Lingard agreed the idea of working together could bear fruit.
“We were established in 2017, but of course the pandemic delayed our plans for the town,” he said.
“What we are doing would work very well with what is being planned for the establishment of a business-led tourism and business association.
“We have just launched our website which makes our group more visible, and we are at a very exciting time in taking forward plans for the town.
“One of the very reasons the DCDC was established was to work with the many voluntary groups in the town, and we can see that by establishing a business-led initiative alongside what we are doing, there is much to look forward to in the town of Dingwall.”
Related article: Appeal to young folk to have their say on future of Dingwall in community survey
