8th November 2026
A busy week for Caithness has highlighted both the opportunities facing the area and the continuing challenges of maintaining towns, services and communities in the far north.
The past week has produced a varied collection of news stories across Caithness. There are encouraging signs of investment in community facilities and tourism, renewed interest in Wick Harbour's future and fresh efforts to revitalise the town centre.
But there are also reminders of the difficulties facing the area, from the condition of infrastructure and historic buildings to the future of public services and the challenges of attracting economic activity.
Taken together, the stories raise an important question: is Caithness making the most of the opportunities available, or are individual projects proceeding without a sufficiently joined-up strategy?
Wick Harbour: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
One of the most significant developments has been the continuing discussion around Wick Harbour Authority's draft masterplan.
At a consultation event on 6 November, chairman Bob Silverwood emphasised the need to invest now for the future, while consultant Anne Byers suggested that the masterplan could potentially be delivered within five years.
The proposal has been described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Wick.
The harbour has considerable potential, particularly with the growth of offshore wind energy in the Moray Firth and the wider North Sea. There are opportunities involving marine services, cargo, fishing, renewable energy and other commercial activities.
However, a masterplan is only the beginning. The real test will be whether it attracts investment, creates employment and generates business for the wider Caithness economy.
Wick needs opportunities that provide more than temporary construction work. Permanent employment and businesses that bring people and families to the area would make a much greater contribution to its future.
Carnegie Library: another chapter in Wick's regeneration debate
Wick's historic Carnegie Library has returned to the headlines following renewed efforts to find a future for the building.
Concerns have been raised that earlier public ideas have been sidelined and development funding redirected towards an NHS-related proposal.
Historic buildings can be difficult and expensive to maintain, but allowing important buildings to deteriorate also carries a cost. They can provide opportunities for community activities, cultural uses, small businesses and visitor attractions.
The challenge is finding a financially sustainable use rather than simply preserving a building without a plan for its future.
The debate also raises questions about how public investment decisions are made and whether community suggestions receive sufficient consideration.
Wick town centre: looking for inspiration elsewhere
Wick community councillors have been examining the experiences of Kirkcaldy and Huntly as they look for ideas to revitalise the town centre.
Traditional shopping centres are under pressure throughout Scotland. Online shopping, supermarket developments, changing consumer habits and rising operating costs have all contributed to the difficulties facing smaller town centres.
Wick is no exception.
The important question is what would encourage people to spend more time in the town centre.
Simply improving paving, planting flowers or installing new street furniture may make an area more attractive, but these measures will not necessarily bring businesses or customers back.
A successful regeneration strategy needs to consider housing, independent shops, community facilities, leisure, events and the availability of convenient parking.
New street lighting is also being installed along Wick's riverside path, improving an important pedestrian route and making the area more attractive and accessible.
These smaller improvements have a place, but they need to form part of a wider vision.
£237,155 for six community projects
There was some more positive news when the Caithness Area Committee approved six applications under the Community Regeneration Fund on 2 November.
The total allocation is £237,155, with funding going to:
Dunnet Forestry Trust: £25,000 for woodland regeneration at Dunnet Community Forest.
Thurso Bowling Club: £11,383 for improvements.
Thurso Royal British Legion: £11,144 for modernisation of its community hall.
Caithness Mental Health Support Group: £20,000 for improvements to The Haven.
Highland Council: £10,128 for picnic benches across Caithness.
Highland Council: £159,500 for access and visitor infrastructure improvements at Whaligoe Steps.
The Whaligoe allocation is particularly significant and forms part of a wider £900,000 funding package associated with improving access and visitor facilities.
Whaligoe is one of Caithness's distinctive attractions, but improving access and facilities is important if the area is to make the most of its tourism potential.
The other awards are also worthwhile. Community halls, mental health support, recreational facilities and woodland projects all contribute to the quality of life in the area.
The next challenge is ensuring that approved projects are delivered and that the benefits reach local people.
Thurso Community Café provides more than refreshments
Another encouraging story concerns Thurso Community Café, which is developing into a wider community resource.
Its activities include providing free food for those who need it, a community larder, soft play and a second-hand clothes shop.
It demonstrates how local organisations can respond to needs that might otherwise go unmet.
With household budgets under pressure and some public services becoming harder to access, these community initiatives can make a real difference.
They also demonstrate that regeneration is not always about large construction projects or millions of pounds of investment. Sometimes it is about people organising themselves to provide practical help.
Visitor levy consultation causes concern
The proposed Highland visitor levy has also generated discussion in Wick.
Local representatives have called for a rethink over the timing of a planned consultation drop-in event, describing the arrangements as restrictive.
The visitor levy could have implications for accommodation providers, tourism businesses and visitors.
There is a legitimate debate about whether visitors should contribute towards the infrastructure and services that tourism places under pressure.
However, the practical details matter. Businesses need to understand how the levy would work, what it would cost them to administer and how the money raised would be spent.
Consultation must also be accessible to the businesses affected. Holding meetings at inconvenient times risks excluding precisely the people whose views should be heard.
D&E Coaches records £700,000 profit
There was interesting news about Highland Council-owned D&E Coaches, which reported a £700,000 profit after tax in its first full year under council ownership.
The company has retained the profits rather than distributing them.
This is particularly relevant to Caithness following the transfer of the former Stagecoach operations in Wick and Thurso to D&E Coaches in October.
The acquisition secured the jobs of 26 employees and brought the local operation, including its fleet and depots, into the publicly owned business.
Public ownership offers the possibility of taking a longer-term approach to rural transport, where some routes may not be commercially attractive but remain essential to communities.
The £700,000 profit is encouraging, although the important test will be whether the business can continue to operate sustainably while maintaining and improving services.
A profitable bus company is useful, but a reliable bus service that people can depend on is the real measure of success.
Infrastructure problems and maintenance
Wick also experienced a burst water main on the High Street on 6 November, disrupting supplies to homes and businesses.
At the same time, specialist equipment was being used in a drainage operation aimed at tackling locations where road flooding has been a recurring problem. Pavement improvement work was also being completed ahead of winter.
These may appear to be routine local news items, but infrastructure maintenance is particularly important in northern communities.
Water supplies, drainage, roads and pavements are essential to residents and businesses. Neglecting them can eventually create much larger and more expensive problems.
Road safety: A9 death crash case
A particularly sad story emerged from the courts.
Hollie Potts admitted causing the death of motorcyclist Lorne MacMillan by careless driving following a collision on the A9 near Latheron in August 2025.
The driver had been travelling on the wrong side of the road when her car collided with Mr MacMillan's motorcycle.
He died from his injuries two weeks after the collision.
His family expressed disappointment at the charge admitted. Sentencing was deferred until December for the preparation of background reports.
It is a tragic reminder of the consequences of road accidents and the importance of care on rural roads, where journeys can involve long distances and varying road conditions.
Wider Highland developments with implications for Caithness
Several other stories from the week are worth watching because they have implications beyond the immediate locations involved.
Highland Council has agreed to commission an independent review of its licensing arrangements, following concerns about the reputation and operation of the system. The outcome could affect businesses and organisations throughout the Highlands, including Caithness.
Councillors also rejected a motion seeking a report on Chromebook and digital device usage in schools. The debate reflects wider questions about technology in education, screen time and how best to balance digital learning with traditional teaching.
There are also growing concerns about the pressures created by large wind turbine movements on Highland roads. Police resources are being affected by the increasing number of major renewable energy transport movements. This is relevant to Caithness given the scale of wind energy development and associated infrastructure in the north.
Another issue concerns the growing number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the Highlands. Reports suggest the number has increased substantially, creating challenges for accommodation, education and support services. Although this is a Highland-wide issue, it is another reminder of the pressures facing public services across a large rural area.
Sutherland Spaceport attracts American interest
A US-based space company is exploring the possibility of establishing regular launch operations from Sutherland Spaceport.
Although the development is in neighbouring Sutherland, it could have wider implications for the northern Highlands economy.
Regular operations could create opportunities for specialist employment, supply businesses, engineering services and tourism.
It is important, however, to distinguish between expressions of interest and confirmed investment. The economic benefits will depend on whether proposals progress into regular commercial activity and how much work is retained locally.
What does all this mean for Caithness?
The week's stories illustrate two different sides of life in Caithness.
There is considerable activity around investment, regeneration and new economic opportunities. Wick Harbour has ambitious plans, community organisations are securing funding, Whaligoe is moving towards improved visitor facilities and publicly owned transport is expanding.
At the same time, Wick is still wrestling with the future of its town centre and historic buildings. Infrastructure needs continuing attention, and local organisations are increasingly important in supporting people who need help.
Perhaps the most important question is whether these developments are being brought together.
A harbour investment programme, town-centre regeneration, improved visitor attractions, better transport and stronger community facilities should not be treated as unrelated projects.
They can reinforce one another.
For example, a more successful harbour could generate business for shops, accommodation providers and local suppliers. Better visitor facilities could encourage people to stay longer and spend more. Improved transport could make employment and services more accessible.
But that requires coordination, long-term thinking and a willingness to look beyond individual funding announcements.
Caithness does not lack ideas or potential. What it needs is to turn those opportunities into lasting employment, stronger communities and a more sustainable local economy.
That is the real test of regeneration.