What's the problem with Seil

[Willie Danskin]

Is it just me or is there a severe lack of local's on this island i feel quite sad that i am one of very few left in my opinion this island has gone downhill badly because the island has lost it's identity community spirit !! the people that made seil a great place to live where is the party's
How many scottish people are living on this island born and bred ?

[Pentlandpirate]

I don't think you have to be Scottish to know how to have a good time! But it helps if you have a sense of community no matter where you come from. I don't think you have to be born and bred to be a teuchter, but it's something you have to have in your heart. You have to be deeply proud of the Highland place you love as your home. Incomers can inherit the same pride and passion for the place (some may suggest more so as they do not take it for granted).

You can't stop migration. Perhaps the question should be, "Where did the locals go, and why?"

[MA1BOB]

With all small communities there is a sense of belonging. But with that is also the desire to make one's own way in the world. Young people need to come and go. It makes the community both stronger and healthier. New ideas need to be infused with the old ways that things have been done on the Island.

Some of those that leave will be back. But now they will bring spouses and children. Some people will come to the Island looking for a better life. Others will come and go, not finding what they are looking for.

[Willie Danskin]

From knowing quite alot of people that have left this island their main reason is that they just can't afford to live here anymore unless you have a well paying job then you are scunnered, this place feels like a haven for the rich and old i'm not bitter honest

[MA1BOB]

The Isle of Seil is not alone in the rising costs of housing. The Isle of Bute has seen housing costs sky-rocket. You can't get a decent home for under 200,000. Upwardly mobile people from Glasgow are buying up property at outrageous prices to the point where locals feel that they can no longer afford to live there. With the higher prices comes higher taxes. Property that was A band taxed 5 years ago, now is E band taxed.

Couples with children find that they can no longer afford to live where they grew up. They must move to lower cost areas. A solution to this trend eludes me and probably most counsels.

Example: I looked at a nice little home along the Firth of Clyde in Toward 15 yrs ago. Cost; 50,000. Recently sold for just over 500,000. Its insane.

[Pentlandpirate]

Property doesn't have to cost so much. If the island community wants to attract people could the people come together in donating plots? Then using local tradesmen and services build houses which would be owned by a "Seil Island Trust". Occupants would pay a modest rent or mortgage to cover the costs, not for profit. Naturally the Trust could dictate what sort of person would be entitled to live in that house.

[Willie Danskin]

I don't think anyone would donate a plot of land on this island they would rather sell it of to the highest bidder but very nice idea can i be first in the queue

[MA1BOB]

I like the idea but I see some problems;

Determining type of housing. I don't think you want council type housing units.

Requirements of who is eligible. Are they going to live on the island? Families only? Must they work on the island? What if they are bad neighbors? etc etc.

Age limitations. Are retirees eligible?

And most of all. Bureaucracy.

[Pentlandpirate]

What about a commune on stilts in some sheltered bay?

[wasseventhseil]

I too feel Seil has lost some of its vigour in the last few years although it has more to do with the economic shift from a community that worked and lived on the island to it becoming a dormitory for proffesionals and a funeral home for the retired.
Yes the property market is completely insane ,viewing homes as an investment and not as an amenity is pretty stupid and we will reap what we sow as a society in due course.
But who cares as long as those who are comfortable in the present pollitical and economic climate remain so nothing will change.

Never mind as I try to find a new life off the island I will continue to take for granted my suroundings, how could a local like my self have the wealth of experience or the education to appreciate Seil and its environs!

A word to the wise Seil once around 15-20 years ago supported 3 hotel/pubs, 1 tea room,2 grocery stores/post offices, 3 gift shops and a plethora of small b&bs ........
Now we have 2 hotels(one with a public bar ),1 pub,1shop/post office,1gift shop and about 4 b&bs .........
for a community so heavilly reliant on tourism it seems strange that in 15 years about 50% of related retail has dissapeared.

But as a local what would I know about the mystical world of demographic change and the woes of the b&b keeper .

May all the world be smug and middle class.....................

[novus ordo seclorum]

"teuchter" asks: <How many scottish people are living on this island born and bred ?>
Well, the population of Seil is 560 (2001 census) of whom 64% were born in Scotland.
How Scottish are those 64%? - Less than 4% of the population of Seil can speak the Gaelic!
It may be of interest to other contributors - to whom this is obviously some kind of issue - that 22% of the population of Seil are of retirement age; this is marginally higher than the figure for Scotland as a whole.
"seventhseil" contends: <it has more to do with the economic shift from a community that worked and lived on the island to it becoming a dormitory for proffesionals (sic) and a funeral home for the retired.>
It has been so since the closing of the slate quarries.
Seil is a microcosm of Scotland as a whole; the young have always left; there are more Scots living in England today than there are living in Scotland - Corby has more Scots than Oban! They don't leave because of house prices but to better themselves economically. Often they, or their descendents, return to retire bringing back with them their accumulated wealth and injecting it into then local economy. Where would our numerous joiners, sparks, brickies etc be without the work provided by new arrivals to our community?
N.O.S. (out of retirement to safeguard sanity in our brave new world)

[Pentlandpirate]

Perhaps Seil should take a page out of a neighbours book, and add a page into its website specifically to inform and attract those who might contribute to the regeneration of the island.....see

MOVING TO GIGHA




The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust receives many enquiries from people interested in moving to Gigha. We would strongly recommend that you visit Gigha and spend some time getting to know the island and its people. If you still like what you see and can see yourself living among our community then get in touch with us.

In line with the Trust's development plan we hope to increase the population on the island and by doing so contribute to the regeneration of the island. Some of the main skills that we are hoping to attract to Gigha are detailed below.

• Established businesses considering relocation and new businesses, relevant to the Gigha Development Plan, particularly those which may provide direct employment opportunities: Gigha Beer, Smokehouse, Small Scale Creamery. Emphasis on quality, premium / niche market, added value products, examples already present Gigha Fudge Company, International Flower Essence Repertoire
• Good Quality, Time Served Construction Industry Tradespeople; plumber, joiners, electricians, general builders / bricklayers, ditchers and dykers etc.
• Registered child minder.
• Renewable Energy Professionals
• Other professionals with skills which could be relevant to island needs.
• Professional writers, musicians, poets, sculptors and artists with proven track records particularly where the artform has Celtic roots or inspirations.

RELOCATING A BUSINESS/STARTING UP A NEW BUSINESS
The Trust is very keen to encourage new business to the island. Since the community buy-out we have seen the establishment of several small businesses including the Boathouse Café Bar, New Dimensions alternative therapy, Gigha Fudge Company. Two other businesses, a smokehouse and a stained glass/jewellery making business are in the process of relocating.

It is recommended written proposal is submitted for the consideration of the Board of Directors. Subject to the board's consideration, the next step after this would be a meeting with the board, potentially followed by a presentation to members. This procedure is the Trust's standard practice and has been considered a valuable approach for new and relocating businesses that have already decided to relocate here. Further advice and support for new and relocating businesses can also be provided by Argyll and Islands Enterprise (AIE), the local enterprise company, on 01546 602281.

HOUSING
A housing needs survey carried out in 2002 showed that there was a need for additional housing on the island. The Heritage Trust has 41 rented properties, which are mainly rented out to long-term island residents and the availability of the houses is extremely limited. In addition to Trust managed housing, Fyne Homes Housing Association are building 18 new houses for rent. The first eight will be available from December 2005 with the second phase being completed in July/August 2006. Again a local letting policy will apply, with priority being given to those with a Gigha connection or moving to Gigha to take up employment. Further information can be obtained from Lorna Andrew or visit www.homehunt.info/gigha.shtml . which explains the process by which the Trust housing stock is managed and the process for applying for Trust housing. Fyne Homes will be directly managing the allocation of their houses and applications forms can be obtained from Fyne Homes, 3 Harvey's Lane, Burnside Square, Campbeltown, Argyll, PA28 6GE

In addition to rented accommodation, a number of plots of land available for sale for private build to those who meet the above criteria and wish to move to Gigha to live and work. To be eligible to purchase a plot you must have a confirmed offer of permanent employment on the island, relocating an existing business or setting up a new business on the island.

SCHOOLING
A frequently asked question when people are thinking of moving to Gigha is schooling. Pre-5 and Primary schoolchildren are well catered for on the island with the superb Gigha Primary School, and then its off to Campbeltown Grammer School. Pupils can travel daily on the early ferry and return at night, so no overnight stays in Campbeltown as used to be the case. To read a personal account of what its like leaving Gigha Primary and going to "Big School", read Bethany Towns account here.

[Willie Danskin]

If you speak gaelic you are scottish ?
Where were our numerous joiners, sparks, brickies etc before the new arrivals ?
Normal people are put of by the house price's -unless your family income combined is more than £60,000 per year you will probally not be able to afford a house here unfortunately the young people i know that want to move back to the island are in a £25,000 per year bracket.
Maybe it's the class of people(snobs) moving here that's spoiling it, this place used to be full with working class common as muck folk
In fifty years what will be the % of scottish people on this island ?
The less well off are being driven into the city's

[Pentlandpirate]

Teuchters are Scottish, but most Scots are not teuchters. Do you have to be considered a teuchter to be local?

[Willie Danskin]

Teuchter (choo-chter) Dialect, chiefly scottish more commonly used by city folk to describe rural dwellers

[Pentlandpirate]

Teuchter is a Lowland Scots word used mainly for Northern or Highland Scots, although sometimes to any rural Scots, by urban Scots.

or

TEUCHTER
(choo-chter) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. (trad.) one who derives from the Highlands of Scotland ( a Hielander); more commonly used by city folk to describe rural dwellers. 2. Gaelic-speaker (mostly to each other) esp. at strange gatherings known as Mods. [definitely not Rockers]. Occassionally partakes of a wee dram. ( also heuchter teuchter).

The point I'm making is that the majority of Scots are not teuchters, but sassenachs, as explained on this authoritive website.
http://www.flyinghaggis.co.uk/scotland/visiting.htm

[MA1BOB]

I checked out the Isle of Gigha website. Brilliant concept. With the Trust owning the whole island they truly can set things up the way they want. They have a ways to go but they do see the big picture. I look forward to watching them grow.

Cheers

Bob

[wasseventhseil]

Is that 22% a national average?
As I have said before the scottish executive deems this as a problem should we not too?

To have your young people leave as economic migrants to be replaced by retiree's is a pretty poor economic model to follow as an Island and as a country.

Yes maybe Seil has been on a downward slope since the end of the slate quarrys but even in living memory we have had light industry and a wide variety of work available on Seil....I understand that with a changing economic climate these things eventualy have to change but to pretend that the status quo is ideal is folly.

I cant think of many people who are in full time employment on Seil who actually live on the Island. But at the end of the day N O S as long as you are happy it's not a problem.

[novus ordo seclorum]

"teuchter" asked: <In fifty years what will be the % of scottish people on this island ? >
Using the 1991 and 2001 census data it appears that the percentage of people living on Seil who were born in Scotland is declining by 1% every two years so, if this trend continues, in fifty years time 39% of islanders will have been born in Scotland; Scots born will in fact become a minority in 28 years time.....this is already the case on Easdale where, in 2001, only 42% were scots born.

[Seilant]

Scots are born in Scotland with no choice in the matter. Incomers who move to Scotland and stay here are here by choice.

One of the problems with Scotland is that there is no route to becoming a Scot other than by accident of birth. I moved to Scotland nearly forty years ago. My wife is Scots, my children are Scots, but I will never be. I could move to (e.g.) the U.S. and become a citizen within a much shorter time.

I love Scotland and consider myself a Scot. Sadly, my fellow countrymen will never do the same.

All over Argyll and throughout the Highlands and Islands the locals have been leaving in droves for decades, to make better lives for themselves - as they see it - in the cities or abroad. Communities that were dying have been reinvigorated by an influx from outside, often from South of the border.

I don't see the ethnic origin of the inhabitants as being one of Seil's problems - it is just a demographic fact. Everything that has happened in the last 50 years has been the result of the political systems people have voted for. The way people are ranting in this thread you would think that the English had come in gunboats and bought the island for a handful of beads before killing off the locals with some kind of social disease to which they had no immunity.

- Seilant