Couple quit remote shop

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We sympathise with businesses that have struggled as a result of the extreme weather events. Where the council is able to act, we have done so as quickly as impact, safety and conditions have allowed us to proceed. We will not open roads that have sustained severe damage until it is safe to do so.

“Bringing every road in Argyll and Bute up to an A1 standard would be many, many times more than the budget we have available, and that is before having to respond to extreme events such as happened in October 2023.

“Our roads and bridge network plays a vital role in the economy and community life of Argyll and Bute and so maintaining its resilience is important.

“The council will continue to engage with the Scottish and UK Governments to seek investment for our roads and bridges as it has done successfully in the past. We did seek financial support for businesses affected by the weather, in a similar way that they were supported over in the East. However, Scottish Government couldn’t support our request.”

Meanwhile, Tim Eagle MSP has voiced fears that elderly residents in Connel will be cut off from accessing services after the Post Office revealed it is not looking to replace the village’s only branch which closed earlier this month when the shop shut its doors.

The Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands wrote to the Post Office calling for temporary services to be put in place until a permanent solution could be found but in a response, the Post Office confirmed it will not be replacing the branch due to a lack of potential operators in the area.

“We remunerate postmasters based on the products and services they provide. Without an agent in place we are not able to offer postal services. With no other retailers within Connel then we would not be able to find a new operator.

“The Post Office has undertaken a comprehensive review of the network, including at a very detailed, local level for Connel, analysing customer demand and accessibility of Post Office products and services in the area.

“The only other alternative that could be deployed would be what’s called an ’outreach’ type model. This is were a nearby postmaster visits an area and sets up within a local amenity for one or two hours a week.

“Firstly, we would need to find a nearby postmaster willing to take on the role which is unlikely. This is also an expensive option which provides a very limited service.

“As I know you are aware, it is a very challenging economic climate and we have finite funding from government. We therefore have to allocate these limited resources to deliver maximum benefit for all customers.”