I have become aware that there is a bit of chat on social media and around Stonehaven about myself and Rickarton Estate and I hope you will allow me time to put my side of the story. By way of background, the Bairds bought the Auchmedden Estate, near Fraserburgh, in 1534 and Alexander Baird bought […]
Dear Bellman Those whose properties adjoin the route of the Tour of Britain cycle race on Sunday 12 September have received a letter dated 9 August from the Area Manager, Bruce Stewart, about traffic restrictions on the day. The letter had to be sent by first-class post to give suffice notice for residents to adjust […]
Dear Bellman I am very proud and excited to say that Kaleidoscope is now available to pre-order. As you may be aware, it is the first picture book to be designed to be more accessible for autistic children. If you wish to order a copy please visit the Pretty Pug Publishing website. Finally I just […]
Dear Bellman I am advised that on Facebook, Martin Sim has suggested that locals might paint the potholes. A good idea, but it would be a task not dissimilar to working on the Forth Bridge. On 5 April, 2021, I wrote to the Roads & Landscape Manager about Ann Street, Robert Street, Bath Street, High […]
Dear Bellman, I would like to clarify quotes attributed to me in a report in The Bellman dated May 12. My comments were made at the community council meeting regarding the application to erect a house on countryside beside the Carron River. I made a point of principle namely, that that IF the community or […]
Dear Bellman, Aberdeenshire Council at its caring best! The Old Pier cafe is open throughout the week, the Seafood Bothy is open Thursday to Sunday, children and others use the beach every day and yet the toilets at the Harbour are open only at weekends. The Council’s expectation must be that people should not patronise […]
Dear Bellman – “What kind of service are we getting from Aberdeenshire Council?” I know it is a disgraceful question to ask, but somebody has to. There is a site, “Stunning Stonehaven” and Stonehaven is stunning, but for reasons which the operators of that site would not wish to highlight. We have pot-holes which are […]
Dear Bellman Does anyone know what the concrete structures on Stonehaven beach used to be? Sometimes they are buried but just now they are visible – see photos. Our theory is that they are the remains of two of the bridges that used to cross the Cowie River when it used to run parallel with the shore to join the Carron before flowing into the sea. BUT – are we right? […]
Dear Bellman, Pandemic? Which Pandemic? My 34 year old grandmother died in November 1918. At her funeral my 36 year old grandfather fell ill and was dead a few days later. Both of them killed by the flu pandemic. Their daughter, my mother, not yet two years old, obviously survived and was cared for by […]
I would like to say a big thank you to teams at both McLaughlin & Harvey and Aberdeenshire Council following the most recent “near miss” flooding event we had on Saturday. I alongside many other concerned residents have been critical of both parties and challenged some of their decisions and failings, when I felt it […]