Home   News   Article An end to six years of war is celebrated in this week’s voyage to Buckie’s past Buckie in days gone by will look back at pictures of the town - and surrounding areas - and shine a light on some of the biggest events to have happened in our community Taken from the archives of the Buckie and District Fishing Heritage Centre Ltd the pictures show the town and its surrounding areas - in some cases more than 100 years ago May 8 will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day when the Allies declared victory in Europe as Hitler’s forces surrendered It brought to a close fighting on the continent which had raged since 1939 in the wake of Germany’s invasion of Poland although the war in the Pacific was not to come to an end until August 15 when Japan capitulated It sparked an outpouring of joy and relief across the country and this week’s photo shows a kids VE Day in Portessie celebrating in 1945 Do you recognise any of the people captured in these photos or can you shed light on the events shown Get in touch and let us know at mail@banffshireadvertiser.co.uk if you have any old photos from Buckie or the surrounding area dating up to 2000 which you'd like to share Bungling council bosses ordered £40,000 worth of windows that didn’t fit the Buckie homes being done up as part of a major project The blunder has only now been revealed years after the mishap with the valuable glazing left gathering dust in storage since the shambles unfolded It has now only now emerged that the council was notified of a potential problem with window sizes when the contract was being prepared But it was only when they were uncovered in October that an investigation was launched A contract for 765 new windows for 101 properties in Moray was issued back in 2021 This included houses and flats in Dufftown 96 replacement windows were delivered to replace those at 17 properties on Carnie Place in Buckie It quickly became apparent the windows did not fit a contractor reported an issue when they arrived at Carnie Place to install new windows in the properties This was reviewed by Moray Council’s building standards team who found the windows to be significantly larger than the openings there They were returned to a storage facility in Keith – along with 51 other windows that were not installed because “tenants refused access to the properties.” An elected member raised the alarm in October last year over the windows still sitting in storage and an investigation was ordered The investigation concluded in March and a report has detailed several failings by those involved to double check the window sizes manufacturers were informed of “approximate dimensions” of the windows by the council Moray Council’s then contracts manager said plaster board could be “chipped away” to fit the windows if there was a size problem The windows were then manufactured to the “approximate dimensions” of the original tender contract and were found to be between 2 and 10cm larger than the window opening As a result the windows could not be installed without “structural changes to the properties at significant cost” and disruption to the tenants The report also investigated how the wrong windows along with the other non-installed windows were then sat in storage for years An oversight with the council’s storage management system not taking note of materials “ordered for a specific contract” was reported as the issue The report adds the contracts manager responsible is “no longer employed by the council” but does not mention if this was a direct result of the window mishap The report has listed a number of recommendations for councillors to decide on It states: “Officers should be reminded to check deliveries on receipt against the purchase order to verify accuracy and allow for any issues to be raised with the supplier/manufacturer.” The report adds that the council should implement stock checking of contract materials to avoid any windows or other materials getting lost Councillors will the discuss the results of the investigation and the future of the windows on Thursday Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Home   Sport   Article The all-conquering champions are off to a flying start Friday saw the Abbeyside Moray welfare league season get under way and the team that swept the board last term sent a warning out to their rivals Former north junior club Buckie Rovers returned to action in 2024 after a spell in abeyance electing to play in the welfare ranks at first They proved to be a formidable force last term as they won the title and both cup competitions Rovers could be the team to catch again this season as they opened up with an 8-0 victory away to Lhanbryde United 16-year-old debut boy Lucas McPherson and Jordan Bisset got the champs’ campaign off to a flyer Aberlour Villa could prove to be Buckie’s closest rivals once again as they kicked off with an impressive 6-0 win at Cullen Villa’s season began last Sunday with a 9-1 Scottish Cup win over Peterhead side Boddam United and the Speysiders maintained their good form by seeing off their first Moray hosts Within 12 minutes they were well on the way to full points as Gary Morrison Korey Pring and Marcus Murray all netted to build up a 3-0 lead The scoring was paused until the 55nd minute when Ruari Watt made it 4-0 and two Craig Watt counters in the final 20 minutes wrapped up the scoring Lossie United amateurs built on their winning cup start by taking victory in their debut league match at home to Craigellachie a second string for junior football champions Lossiemouth United won in the Scottish Cup in Fraserburgh last Sunday and they repeated the 3-2 scoreline in a close battle with their Spey visitors Cairn Lasley replicated his opening day goal with the first United strike and Morgan Smith and Liam Petrie were also on target for the Lossie youngsters with Colin Coutts and Leo Ford replying for Craigellachie Luckless Portsoy scored two own goals in their opening day 4-0 defeat to Hopeman Gary Burr’s inswinging cross forced a Portsoy defender to run into his own net then Burr went on to score twice himself to put some daylight between the sides The game was all over when Hopeman’s 16-year-old Brodie McLeman made a darting run down the right wing past his man before sending in a cross which was again put into his own net by a home player Four more league matches take place on Tuesday night Hopeman welcome Craigellachie to Cameron Park Aberlour are at Portsoy and RAF Lossiemouth start their campaign at home to Lhanbryde A person was taken to hospital after a crash in Buckie last night Police attended a two-vehicle crash on March Road shortly after 6.30pm yesterday The road was closed following the accident and one person was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 6.30pm on Sunday we received a report of a two-vehicle crash on March Road “One person was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital for treatment.” enhancing its facilities in Elgin and Buckie The expansion brings MG to Moray for the first time The new garage in Elgin will showcase MG’s next-gen vehicles said: “In today’s rapidly evolving motor trade landscape Regency is proud to align with world-renowned franchises to offer the choice and quality our customers demand we will continue to provide some of the best automotive products from leading global manufacturers while ensuring a first-class customer experience “This strategic development marks an exciting new chapter for Regency and the motor trade in Moray We look forward to welcoming customers to our new and upgraded facilities in the near future.” Investment in Regency’s existing Vauxhall showroom will include an extension and refurbishment to incorporate Vauxhall’s new branding and provide space for the introduction of Leapmotor the dealer’s Moravian site will undergo a redevelopment to accommodate the Citroën brand alongside the existing KGM franchise and Ford-authorised repair services The body and repair shop at the Moravian site will be fully refurbished Regency’s Autovision Inverness site has already incorporated Leapmotor in the existing Vauxhall store and will be refurbished in 2026 Tagged with: Moray Regency You must be logged in to post a comment a UK based car finance provider authorised and regulated by .. Wishing all our customers and connections a super successful handover day #NewRegDay Use the affordable Keytracker intelligent locker system to securely automate the drop-off and collection lockers .. renowned for their top-quality paint and fabric protection systems We are pleased to share the launch of our new partnership with live-streaming service How will you adapt to higher National Insurance and general employment costs View Results Buckie locals are being asked for their views on new seating in the north east quadrant of the town’s Cluny Square The seating has been designed by S4 pupils at Buckie High School and is shaped like a herring in tribute to the town’s rich heritage and culture of fishing. The project is being taken forward as part of the Buckie Town Centre Improvement Plan The existing telescope and plinth will remain in place and the seating is expected to be installed by June 2025 An online consultation runs until Friday 21 February with an in-person feedback session in Buckie’s North Church Hall between 2pm and 7pm on Tuesday 4 February Views are being asked for on how the seats should be arranged incorporating cycle racks into the seating and what local phrases people would like to see inscribed on the seating and other street furniture Feedback is also being sought on the designs featured on nearby bollards.  Development and Infrastructure Services Committee said: “This seating will help create a lovely space that reflects the town’s unique heritage while allowing people to meet socially and enjoy the views across the harbour It would be great to see the whole town get involved in giving their feedback on the plans.” Cookie Settings Powered by Onclusive PR Manager™ The fate of much-needed revamp work on a secondary school will be discovered within the next few days Buckie Community High School (BCHS) - described by a local councillor as being one of the “worst” in Moray in terms of condition - had previously been thought to be in line for a revamp and/or partial rebuild It had initially been hoped that the crumbling school would qualify for funding from the Scottish Government's Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) Phase 3 project which would have seen a much-needed new school built Forres Academy ended up getting the nod from Moray Council for the cash a bombshell was in store in February when even the scaled-back refurbishment proposals appeared to be kicked into the long grass children’s and leisure services committee on Tuesday February 19 saw councillors told that due to the “significant reduction of capital” available to the local authority it was now the case that the “existing refurbishment options are not affordable” A final report is set to be placed before councillors on the education committee on Tuesday May 13 when it is expected that any significant upgrades for BCHS will be shelved for the foreseeable future A spokesperson for Moray Council said: “The council agreed to cut its capital budget within an affordability cap as a result there’s £32.32 million less than previously planned in the three-year capital budget for the learning estate the council has had to reassess the existing plans “No decision has been made yet on the way forward for Buckie High School “We’re looking at different options to make sure the school can be maintained to the required standards within the available budget as reported at the ECLS Committee on February 18 a new build or significant refurbishment isn’t financially viable within the capital plan approved by the council and so alternative affordable options must be considered backed by additional feasibility works and investigations with a proposed way forward in terms of affordability is planned to be submitted to the ECLS Committee in May 2025 for its consideration “Any proposal will seek where possible to the meet the existing planned timescales for the Buckie High School project which was originally targeted for completion by 2030.” The deteriorating state of Buckie High and its impact on students and staff has already been flagged up to Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth by local MSP Karen Adam she voiced “significant concerns” about the condition of the facilities at BCHS This included worries over capacity issues the school which has seen spaces initially earmarked for community use being pressed into use as classrooms or for other educational purposes The actual condition of areas of the school buildings themselves have long been a concern Connectivity problems - described as a “major challenge” by Ms Adam - have also been highlighted with reports of students having to wait up to 20 minutes to log on A mum-of-eight who was the victim of a stabbing two years ago has appeared in court after she assaulted another woman Elgin Sheriff Court heard that Kaylana Murray launched the attack on March 28 in 2024 The other woman had been driving along Cluny Place in Buckie when Murray’s black jeep in front braked abruptly Both vehicles again came to a halt a short while later at the junction with West Church Street Fiscal depute Sophie Marshall told the court that Murray got out of her jeep and walked back towards the car behind The prosecutor added: “The witness rolled down her window a little and told the accused to go away because she had a child in the car with her “The accused grabbed her by the hair and attempted to pull her out of the vehicle.” It was stated that Murray landed several punches When the police arrived on the scene they described the other woman as having “significant” swelling to her jaw and several scratches around her face A couple of days afterwards Murray went on her own accord to Elgin police station Defence solicitor Robert Cruickshank stated there had been a background to the attack accounted for the “heightened degree of ill will between the parties” Both had been involved in a public row outside the town’s ScotMid Store in June 2023 This ended with the woman’s partner stabbing Murray with a flick knife leaving her with a punctured lung and having to be airlifted to hospital in Aberdeen Mr Cruickshank asked for his 34-year-old client to be spared having to carry out unpaid work for the community Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov instead ordered for Murray to be placed under the court’s supervision for the next 12 months A main through road is set to be closed this coming week due to roadworks Buckie will be closed at No 87 from May 7 to May 20 as Scottish Water undertake works to repair a sewer A diversion will be in place via A990 Main Street Scottish Gas Network (SGN) are scheduled to begin work at some point between May 2 and May 12 for 10 working days outside Intricate Designs Openreach are due to begin a maintenance dig at 10 Findochty over May 2-5 for three working days south of the Maltings on March Road in Buckie Moray Council intend to finish work to create a new access by May 28 at the latest The local authority will also be in Douglas Crescent in the town to investigate possible subsidence in the road starting over May 6-7 for three working days Opposite Parklands on High Street the council plan to conduct patching works to the carriageway This is scheduled to commence between May 7-8 lasting three working days Urgent sewer repairs are currently on the go by Scottish Water outside No 55 The Yardie Arradoul the council aim to get footpath repairs under way by May 9 for two working days Some 200m south of Westerton Cottages on the C67l from Thornybank Road in Arradoul to the C17e at Thornybank Buckie Moray Council are patching the carriageway over two working days Between the A98 and Hilton Farm on the C11l from A98 south of Buckie via Maryhill to the U58l at Rosebank Buckie Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution installing new conductors outside the old Methodist Church at No 22 Gordon Street the council plan to begin over May 6-7 resetting gullies and undertaking patching work All star and duration times are estimates and may change without notice. To keep up to date with road closures and roadworks across Moray, click HERE The latest Sports Kit for All project launched in Buckie giving more young people help to get active and take part in sports This is Moray’s second Sports Kit For all project with the first launching in Keith in February 2023 which is no longer used but still in good condition can now be donated to Buckie Sports Kit for All to be passed on to individuals and families in the community who’ll benefit most from it Collection points marked with the Buckie Sports Kit for All logo have been set up around the town by the project partners - Buckie Active Schools & Community Sport Team and Buckie Community High Sport Committee The scheme aims to widen participation in sport and physical activity while encouraging recycling reducing the amount of textile waste going to landfill Communities and Leisure services committee said: “After the success of the first launch of the project in Keith we’re excited to now bring the Kit for All project to Buckie With the rise of poverty levels we’ve been experiencing in Moray it’s optimistic to see projects like these getting implemented to help combat this and improve the lives of children “I’d encourage anyone who can to donate their unused or unwanted items so we can make sure all young people can access the kit they need to get active and get involved with sports.” Donations of items for children and young people including sport trainers and boots athletic jackets and other associated items can be dropped off at the Buckie Sports Kit for All collections points at the following locations: sorted and distributed through the partners The Buckie scheme follows similar sportscotland initiatives already up and running across the country The project is expected to continue to be rolled out to other Moray communities Further information is available by emailing sportandculture@moray.gov.uk Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across Moray Sit back and enjoy all of the most interesting planning news phone company EE will extend the time they will operate their store from a truck in the Elgin town centre Glamping pods have been proposed near Spey Bay Golf Course The JD Sports store in Elgin could be given a makeover And a hotel in Tomintoul will breathe new life into their function hall we look at approved plans to transform a former church hall near Buckie Last August, we revealed the Church of Scotland had completed the sale of Rathven Parish Church. The 230-year-old church held its last service on May 26 last year Bosses had put the historic property—complete with hall and car park—on the market for offers over £120,000 This sale was part of a nationwide drive to cut costs by selling churches as congregations dwindle and fewer ministers are being trained In December, new owner Paul McCawley submitted plans to transform the former church hall into a three-bedroom home The makeover included energy efficiency improvements The architects previously said the “relatively minor” alterations and change of use would have little impact on the heritage of the site and B-listed parish church Now the plans have been approved for the former hall In November, we revealed United Kingdom Distilleries Limited wanted to transform the Hotel Square’s function hall in Tomintoul into a micro distillery Floor plans previously showed the makeover included a production area and a store Now the plans have been given planning permission Work can’t start until a building warrant is approved for the £45,000 transformation Grant And Geoghegan Limited has been representing the business in the planning process Six glamping pods could be built next to the Spey Bay Golf Course. Mr C Docherty is behind the plans for the pods will allow guests use of the existing communal facilities such as the putting green they will benefit from a golf preferential fee rate when booking the pods The operator wants to build relationships with local businesses to offer their goods and services to guests These services will be promoted within the pods and local knowledge of beauty spots will be given to guests too In 2023,  US-based Links Golf Club bought the golf course that just sits along the Moray coastline The 18-hole golf course includes an associated caravan park Links is an online community that was created in 2021 and mainly consists of tech-forward millennials and Gen-Z golfers who have found a passion for the sport The business says it wants to revolutionise traditional golf by offering enthusiasts unique and exclusive experiences Phone company EE has given the go-ahead to operate their store from a truck for a further six months as they continue to hunt for a new permanent Elgin home They were one of the businesses made homeless by the St Giles Centre closure the company has been running a temporary store inside a truck parked on the Plainstones This comes as they will serve its customers beyond the 28-day period they had previously had. EE says it will “continue to serve the community and safeguard existing jobs” Last year, Chest Heart And Stroke Scotland opened up a new charity shop in Elgin unit 6 at Elgin Retail Park on Edgar Road was home to Bensons for Beds Now Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland bosses want to form a storage area According to building papers JD Sports want to carry out £20,000 worth of work at their Elgin store According to a building warrant the work proposed at unit 2 at Springfield Retail Park on Edgar Road includes electrical works for new lighting a replacement counter and new furniture layout Access to the shop will be maintained and fire complementation unchanged Are you going to be submitting interesting plans? Get in touch at sean.mcangus@ajl.co.uk A pensioner who made explicit sexual remarks to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl was snared by an adult from a paedophile hunter group who was posing as a teenager Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Duncan Moir contacted the 'girl' calling herself 'Molly' on December 17 The 72-year-old told the ‘girl’ his age and was informed that his contact was 14 Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald that Moir Mrs Gair went on: "He asked her if she had a boyfriend and asked her for photographs of herself “The conversation became more sexualised." The court heard that Moir said the girl made him "horny" asked about her private parts and what sex acts she knew about He also told her what acts he would like her to do to him don’t tell anyone what I have been talking about or I would be in trouble." the decoy from online child abuse activist group 'Elite' informed another similar group in Scotland called 'Protecting Kids Scotland' They identified from screenshots where Moir lived and confronted him while live-streaming it online Moir admitted sexually communicating with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl between December 17 Sentence was deferred until June 3 for a background report and an assessment for the sex offender's rehabilitation programme Moir was also immediately placed on the Sex Offender's Register and his bail was continued Sheriff Macdonald warned him “all sentencing options are open to the court” People across the north and north-east of Scotland awoke with a smile on their face on the morning of May 8 As the Press and Journal reported the news of how Germany had surrendered and the Prime Minister Winston Churchill was poised to address the nation at 3pm the feeling of exhilaration and relief was overwhelming our headline – which simply read V-Day – reflected the reality that the conflict still wasn’t over in many parts of the world and particularly the Far East A small paragraph on the front page of the edition pointed out: “The war lasted 2,094 days – 526 days longer than World War I” But the paper also reported that allied diplomats were continuing their efforts to broker a peace deal with the Japanese which dragged on until the end of the summer that didn’t cast a veil over the celebrations which were held everywhere from Aberdeen and Inverness to Oban and Orkney and across the Mearns whether in large communities or tiny hamlets there were street parties throughout the city while thousands of people flocked to Union Street and the Castlegate As the late Aberdeen veteran Eric Johnston who fought on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 recalled: “There never was a day where so many strangers walked together and where everybody shook hands and enjoyed the fact we had won a war which was a just war “Many people went to church in the morning and I heard from my friends that it was the same all across Scotland the pubs were open and plenty of folk enjoyed a beer and a dram but my main memory of that day was of people coming together as one big community.” The festivities were grander in some places than others not everywhere could stretch to staging big events yet there was no shortage of wood for the bonfires which burned effigies of Adolf Hitler as the day progressed The trams which ran in Aberdeen often resembled something from a Hollywood musical with passengers breaking into spontaneous renditions of songs ranging from The Northern Lights to the National Anthem and We’ll Meet Again there were positive developments for those who lived around the coast and had become wearily accustomed to life under blackout regulations As the P&J reported: “The Secretary of the Admiralty has announced that lighting restrictions in the coastal areas are no longer necessary for defence purposes and they are now removed for the whole country “The news will be hailed with delight in Aberdeen and other north-east areas where the blackout has been in force since the beginning of the war.” It wasn’t just adults who were allowed to let their hair down and join the party Youngsters were given time off to join in the celebrations and enjoyed their real-life experiences as much as their comic strip counterpart who was depicted in rambunctious flag-waving form in The Sunday Post fun section As the Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives related: “At last Germany surrendered to the Allies in Europe and Victory in Europe Day was marked at school with two days of holiday the headteacher wrote: ‘Two days holiday was granted to celebrate the cessation of hostilities The children made their own bonfire and lit it at night’ a small committee was appointed to make arrangements for the children A religious service was held at 2.30pm and the children marched to the Gordon Arms Hotel where they were entertained to tea and games sports were also held in the pleasure park and money prizes given The proceedings were brought to a close by the lighting of a bonfire in the evening.” Ena Strachan was one of the pupils who joined her mother But as she said: “Some of us were luckier than others We felt sorry for the boys and girls whose dads had been killed or were still fighting.” it wasn’t only Scots who were involved in the festivities who had flocked to the Moray Firth when their homelands fell under enemy occupation settled in Buckie and made such an impact on their new surroundings the town became known as Little Norway These men and women helped establish a Norwegian Consulate during the conflict while a Sjomannskirken – a seaman’s church – opened in the Main Street in 1942 and King Haakon VII visited Scotland and met his compatriots the following summer investigated the many ties which were forged between the refugees and the locals He said: “People from both countries celebrated on May 8 back in 1945 and the links between them have never been forgotten “My grandmother married one of the Danish exiles and they went to live in Esbjerg after the war there is the grave of a little six-year-old Norwegian girl because she was buried near to my own family’s graves And there’s a letter which sums up all the feelings of one north-east couple who were married The correspondence was sent by Mary Ann (Molly) McKenzie from her Aberdeen home on VE Day itself to her husband who was in charge of a group of Russian prisoners of war in Holland but also a sense of frustration that the pair could not be together to enjoy the occasion And that was allied to a tinge of apprehension lest any harm befell the man she called her “darling” spoke about how the letter was precious in capturing the atmosphere as Aberdeen and other cities broke out the bunting Molly wrote about the scenes she and her family witnessed in the Granite City both on the streets and at a church service before they went home to listen to a BBC radio broadcast by the Prime Minister She said: “The whole town has gone gay with decorations and flags it was grand to see all the flags fluttering and even the trams had flags on them to say nothing of the children who were wearing a lot of red “I have never seen so many people in Union Street It was a moving mass between Market Street and the Castlegate We took the tram to George Street and when we got to the church at 11 I offered my prayers and thankfulness for your safe deliverance “We went up to your mother’s after we came back from the church and your Ma gave me a glass of stout and impressed on me it would do no harm “[In the afternoon] we all gathered for the Prime Minister’s speech at 3.00 and I wondered if you were listening to it it MUST have been for even Ma made us all stand up in a circle and sing God Save the King “We had a bottle of port and we had a toast – first to Charlie and last to those who shall not return [from the war] I have the feeling it won’t be very long before you are home Amid the exultant scenes which marked VE Day Scottish troops cherished the end of the war in Europe and the Gordon Highlanders were those who could attend ceremonies in Britain on May 8 were all too conscious that so many of their comrades had either fallen in the conflict or remained incarcerated in prisoner of war camps thousands of miles away Ruth Cox, curator of the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen explained how the regiment reacted as the world was changing around them She said: “Victory in Europe was marked by the Gordon Highlanders with celebrations and parades with the sounds of pipe music and many dinners being held “The cessation of hostilities would have been welcome for the PoWs in Europe and North Africa who experienced a wide range of treatment at the hands of their captors “But the same could not be said of those who were held in the Far East who continued to suffer as prisoners of war until Japan surrendered in August the Gordon Highlanders fought in a conflict that eventually ended in victory but at the cost of the lives of 2,400 members of the regiment who were killed in action or died of their wounds.” the peace which followed VE Day was a brief chance to toast the outcome as an editorial in the Press and Journal on May 9 made clear it was also a time to remember the immense sacrifices which had been necessary to ensure success It urged the region to “honour those who fought for democracy” which had been made by so many And it spoke of the need for the country to pull together A variety of roadworks will be running over the coming week in the local area Buckie Scottish Water are scheduled to finish work to replace lead pipes by Monday On the A98 east of the Buckie junction (from the A942 at Smithston to the A942 east of Inchgower) SSEN are due to begin work on Monday for three working days Over on the C11I from the A98 south of Buckie via Maryhill to the U58I at Rosebank Moray Council are set to complete clearing culverts and ditches by Monday Openreach should have ended work to install a fibre duct at 13 Redburn Drive Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution could be working until the middle of next week to repair a cable fault Moray Council will be working on either side of the road at Swiss Cottage on the A98 near Fochabers to patch the carriageway prior to surface dressing This is due to get under way at some point between April 28 and May 6 for five working days All start and duration times are estimates and may be subject to change without notice. To keep up to date with road closures and roadworks across Moray, click HERE A village near Buckie has come together to oppose a biomass plant developer eyeing up a site on their doorstep have signed a petition objecting to a development on a site overlooking the village Residents have spoken out about how the plant would affect their quality of life It is developer Acorn Bioenergy’s latest attempt at a digestion plant in Moray after a site near Elgin was refused just last week The plans are currently in limbo after an objection from Historic Environment Scotland forced Acorn to move the site More than 100 residents in Rathven have signed the petition which was accepted by Moray Council’s development management and building standards manager Neal MacPherson and councillor Scott Lawrence this week The petition outlines local concerns of detrimental HGV traffic smell and noise coming from the plant if it was to go ahead Local resident Scott Farquhar has lived in Rathven for 10 years and spent time gathering signatures for the petition “I’m not against the type of plant “It’s just not the right area for it.” “It’s not something the majority of the people in Rathven want in the area.” He said the landscapes around Rathven haven’t changed since he moved there and the village values its rural surroundings with an “abundance” of local wildlife Mr Farquhar added: “There’s so much biodiversity in the area it would be a shame for that to be disturbed.” “You just want to sit and enjoy your garden and your surroundings.” Ryan Taylor has also lived in Rathven for 10 years and was the village representative handing over the petition over to Moray Council Mr Taylor said many of the road safety objections the village have are similar to the recently refused Elgin proposal and says Acorn have again chosen the wrong site “The risks are greater down here because of the already high volume of HGVs,” he said “The fact we’ve had an accident on that road exactly adjacent to the new site just highlights it is a dangerous stretch of road.” A transport assessment from Acorn for the previous site entrance concluded there was enough capacity on March Road for the site and “will not result in any operational or safety issues.” Mr Taylor added the scale of the proposal will feel like “living inside an industrial estate.” He said his family would consider moving away from Rathven if the development was to go ahead said there is nothing Acorn could do to convince him to support the development Mr Milton said: “The actual concept of it is a very good thing I’ll see it from across the road but it’s the smells that will affect me in my house.” The plant intends to use “locally grown and sourced” crops and manure as its primary feedstock for the plant which produces biomethane and can be used as a heat source or fuel Distillery draff and pot ale can be added as part of the process which all breaks down into biogas and can be refined Mr Milton estimates there will be 10,000 tonnes of manure delivered each year to the plant “That’s colossal,” Mr Milton added “At some stage that’s got to be exposed and the smell has got to come out.” The Rathven plant’s original proposal hit a roadblock when Historic Environment Scotland took issue with the site’s proximity to a nearby cairn This forced the developer to look elsewhere in the field and have indicated they are looking at a site closer to Rathven The Buckie plans are one of three projects Acorn has been working on across Scotland As well as the recently refused plant in Longmorn near Elgin, Acorn also has an ongoing appeal with the Scottish Government for another refused plant at Balintore in Easter Ross Acorn Bioenergy have been contacted for an update on the Rathven plans Plans have been lodged to turn a fire-damaged property into part of a group of terraced houses Submitted to Moray Council by Elgin-based firm Houz Design it is proposed to undertake alterations to the property at number 12 and rebuild then subdivide the premises at No 14 to form a terrace of three houses The house at No 14 had been badly damaged by fire a number of years ago The planning application states: “Consequently including their associated rear garden areas “This has had a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the immediate surroundings The proposed development seeks to rectify this situation by undertaking a comprehensive rebuild and alteration of the fire-damaged property “This presents a unique opportunity to not only restore 14 Cluny Lane but also to enhance the overall character and functionality of the terrace.” This application, along with others, can be viewed at Moray Council’s planning portal Elgin housebuilder Springfield Properties has announced a new housing development in Buckie 130 homes will be built within the new Inchgower View development along the town’s Barhill Road Springfield also said 118 people have already registered interest in the properties The new builds will feature a range of two and three bedroom apartments and three Regional sales director Joyce Hadden believes the development is so popular due to limited options in the new build market in Buckie for some time She said: “We’re not surprised with the level of demand we’ve seen so far are energy efficient which is great for the environment and helps keep running costs low and they are complete with a high level of specification “We’re looking forward to releasing these homes for sale this weekend and helping home hunters looking to live start their home buying journey with us.” The homes will be available to reserve from this Friday and the housebuilder is adding an extra incentive worth £500 Springfield said buyers who are able to secure a home on April 11 will also benefit from a golf membership at Buckpool Ms Hadden said Springfield wants to make it as easy as possible for potential homeowners with plenty of options on offer before they move in She added: “Our kitchens include appliances even a dishwasher and a choice of paint colour is offered throughout so your home feels like yours from the day you move in we even lay turf in the front and back gardens so the outdoor space can be utilised from day one.” Among the first homes on release is a four bedroom detached Dunning house style with the layout also expected to be the development’s show home Proposals to build 174 homes on the outskirts of Buckie were given the go-ahead in November. The other 44 properties built by Springfield will be made available for affordable housing But concerns were raised at a meeting on Wednesday over a lack of public transport and connectivity with the rest of the town Springfield said: “The development is well connected to the wider area and includes green space throughout “I’ll be telling the creative players it’s their job to get me a goal in my last game - nothing else!” Andy MacAskill hangs his football boots up after this weekend’s Highland League match for Buckie Thistle against his former club Keith - and what a career it’s been Still a star performer for Jags just weeks before his 33rd birthday the Aberdeen-based social worker has decided to retire from the game and give his body a rest but MacAskill suggested he has noticed a “decline” in his ability in recent months and wants to go out on a high He explained how winning last season’s Highland League title with Jags was the final piece in the jigsaw and he looked back on 16 memorable years in football it's something (retirement) that's been on my thoughts for about 18 months or so,” he revealed “I spoke about it at that time with Spider (former manager Graeme Stewart) depending on what happened over that season which probably made the decision a lot easier “How my form has been and how I've felt over that time as well - football-wise I've maybe felt a sort of decline in my abilities over the last year so it just all adds up to be the right time for me.” “When you've performed at quite a consistent level for a while and you notice that change it's difficult to then enjoy your football because you're maybe not playing as well as you'd like to “And I'm very aware that once you get to my age I actually feel that the commitment level needs to increase And I just lacking in the motivation to do that maybe I don't quite have that hunger to try and recapture those levels if it's even possible I always felt if I was going to do this and play at this level that you should do it properly “My form this season has been OK and I could probably keep going for another year or two but I don't think I would really enjoy it if I was not playing as well as I feel I should be I don't think that would be too fair to Buckie or to my team-mates to do that “I'd like to finish where I still have that relationship with football where I’ve spent a massive part of my life and something I've loved doing I wouldn't want to get to the point where I feel I'm not enjoying it or that it feels like a chore.” MacAskill’s career began at Inverness Caley Thistle took him on loan spells to Formartine United and Clachnacuddin before making a permanent switch to Keith A successful spell at Turriff United was followed by a stint in Australia which he looks back on fondly He came back to Scotland and signed for Buckie just after their 2017 title triumph expecting to win trophies with the Victoria Park club but enduring a seven-year wait for silver by clinching his first-ever league winners medal The final curtain on a memorable time in the game comes down at Victoria Park on Saturday A prolific scorer throughout his Highland League years goals have been harder to find in more recent times but he would love to finish off on the scoresheet “I'll be telling Lyall Keir and all the other creative players that it's their job just to try and get me a goal - nothing else because it's the end of quite a long season and I’m quite looking forward to the break “Perhaps I might feel it and starting itching when it gets towards pre-season time It might be around then that it really hits “I'm not expecting to kind of be emotional about it on the pitch on Saturday but I guess you never know until the day comes around “It’s been seven-and-a-half years at Buckie and I feel we should have won more in that time But it was nice to finally achieve that (title success) “There’s been so many people at the club who have been really nice to me and I'm really grateful for that Hopefully we can go out with a win and maybe a goal to finish would be nice but there's not been too many of them recently “I probably did see myself as more of a creator than a goal scorer But I had a couple of seasons where I got over 20 goals which I felt for me was quite good because I was never really someone who was brilliant at getting in the right place at the right time and scoring a lot of tap-ins or whatever “But I’ve had a few goals and assists over the years and it would be good to finish with a goal.” MacAskill has long been regarded as one of the most skilful and creative players in north football a strong and stocky ball player with an ability to deliver dangerous setpiece kicks and crosses as well as a powerful shot His first taste of Highland League was at Formartine United on loan from Caley Thistle for three months “I played about four or five minutes of football in that whole time - I was maybe just a wee bit young,” he recalled “It was a team of old-school footballers like Mark Simpson and Kenny Coull I went out to Clach and played kind of every week and got a taste for what the league was about.” After another year at Inverness he was released and joined Keith under Darren Still “It was a really nice set of guys that I got on amazing with I kind of just fell in love with the Highland League from there to guys like Derek Nicol and Cammy Keith talking about all of their great memories of playing over the years “Turriff was a really positive experience and we managed to win the Aberdeenshire Shield there playing for a club called Holland Park Hawks “Australia was a lot of fun and the football was good as well I was there for two years and to be honest it was more about the kind of lifestyle and experiencing something different rather than the football “But I played with a lot of good players and met a lot of really good guys and the football was different “It was quite a bit slower-paced and a bit more technical So it probably actually suited me a little but hopes to enjoy a break from the game and watching matches All options to either refurbish or replace Buckie High School have been ruled “unaffordable” by Moray Council with no solution in sight The school was one of the next in line for a multi-million funding package but lost out in a crucial vote against Forres Academy in 2022 Work had been due to finally begin on designs for the new Buckie secondary school next year It had been hoped pupils would have been reaping the benefits of the investment by 2029/30 either in the form of a major refurbishment senior education officials have now ruled the project in any of the current options “unaffordable” after Moray Council slashed £32 million from the cash it planned to investment in schools over the next three years to balance the books That decision came amidst warnings the region already has “one of the worst” learning estates in Scotland in terms of condition and the lack of spending could increase the risk of unexpected school closures Senior officials say they will now prioritise spending at Buckie High where it is needed to “make sure the school is safe” and other targeted areas The latest Scottish Government statistics show Buckie High School is currently graded C for condition making it one of the busiest schools in the whole of Moray Buckie councillor Sonya Warren highlighted numerous issues with the school building including roof problems repeated leaks and delays of up to 15 minutes to access the internet She said: “This is really concerning for our pupils and Buckie because there are significant issues not just with the state of the building which is relatively quite poor but also with capacity and suitability issues “It’s taking our pupils 15 to 20 minutes to log on to the internet “There’s not just one issue at Buckie High “We need to have a building fit for future education we need it to be on an equitable standard for the rest of Moray.” Andy Hall, Moray Council’s learning estate programme manager, told councillors this week there is currently “no solution” to finding an affordable way to refurbish or replace Buckie High School. Work on a detailed report on the situation is being done in the coming months with a report expected to be presented to councillors in May Mr Hall described the problem as a “very difficult and complex situation” adding work was being done to look at how costs in any refurbishment or new-build project could be reduced He said: “We were looking at a new build (at Buckie) we were looking at a hybrid of new build and refurbishment “Clearly with that additional cut in the budget we’ve had to reassess All of those current options on the table are unaffordable to us “At this time we’re unable to say what the solution is.” A premier seafood processor was on the visit list recently for a north-east MP Aberdeenshire North and Moray East MP Seamus Logan took up an invitation from Associated Seafoods Ltd (ASL) to visit their Buckie plant to learn more about their high-quality Scottish seafood products and their processing facilities ASL is the parent company of two specialist fish and seafood producers Lossie Seafoods and Moray Seafoods and employs over 700 staff across their premises With a focus on business growth and encouraging increased seafood consumption by the public in their domestic and export markets process and supply smoked salmon and scampi to customers across the world Mr Logan MP said: “Visiting Lossie Seafoods in Buckie as part of Associated Seafoods Ltd was a real eye opener into the high level of care taken by the team in processing their products their commitment to the environment in terms of farming their products and sustainable packaging and the importance they place on looking after their staff their families and the wider community in which they operate “I wish them continued success as they invest in their future with their new fish processing facility in Arbroath and as major suppliers to Marks and Spencer “As a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Shellfish Aquaculture at Westminster I am concerned with the growing challenge of labour shortages in this industry and am committed to ongoing engagement with the seafood sector to ensure greater awareness of this issue in parliament I would encourage constituents living in the north-east to support their local seafood suppliers - with partners like Loch Fyne Oysters and Hebridean Mussels there’s nothing quite like the rich variety of Scottish produce available fresh from the sea and our beautiful lochs to your plate.” Mr Logan took the chance to look around the facility ASL employ in the region of 500 people drawn from a number of different countries Poor or inconsiderate parking could prove costly in a Moray town as Police Scotland unveil a new enforcement initiative Police officers in Buckie are to conduct high visibility enforcement operations in the town over the coming weeks following complaints raised from local business owners said “It is unfortunate to see these parking issues slowly creeping up in frequency again when there are so many legal parking areas available in and around the town centre of Buckie “Dedicated and targeted periods of enforcement are unfortunately required from time to time but will hopefully have a lasting impact to prevent such issues arising again in the future.” The police can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for a range of parking violations The chance to help shape a community sports hub project has been unveiled to people in a Moray town Merson Park in the Buckpool of Buckie is the focus of a joint venture between Welfare League champions Buckie Rovers FC and Buckie Thistle Football Development (BTFD) to create a sports hub into a facility for use by all kinds of clubs and groups in the town and surrounding area Rovers and BTFD are looking to take over ownership of the area - currently owned by Buckie Common Good Fund and run by Moray Council - by means of a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) they are keen to hear from current and potential users of the park about what they would like to see featured at a sports hub Groups and individuals are invited to pop along on Tuesday March 18 to hear more about the project and share their ideas and comments suggestions can be shared via an online survey Buckie Rovers president Mike Coull said: “The project is getting there and we’re making steady progress “Rovers and BTFD are working well together to move everything forward although a CAT is a very detailed process which takes time to do properly “We recently got our charity SCIO status and are in the process of doing a community consultation on the future shape of the sports hub Tell us what you think would make Merson Park better what you’d like to see in a sports hub and what you’d like us to do with the pavilion at the park.” Should the groups’ labours come to fruition the currently dowdy looking park and pavilion could undergo a spectacular transformation that would revolutionise sports provision in the area Mr Coull explained: “One of the first things we’re looking to do is tidy up the whole park which has been in a state of disrepair for some time “Longer term we’re aiming not only to refurbish the pavilion but add a sports hall facility to it We believe there is a real need for this and the hub in general especially with the new housing that’s gone up in the area already plus the new development which’re planned “The sports hub will give these kids and others across the town easier access to sports facilities “Later on we’ll look at other areas to develop “The community sports hub opens up a huge potential and the sports hall would offer many things other halls can’t.” He went on to stress that while Rovers and the Jags’ development arm were driving the project forward the scheme was very much focussed on including as many groups as possible Mr Coull continued: “It’s not just about Rovers and BTFD we want more clubs to come on board and more people to get involved “We know it’s a challenge but we’re not daunted.”” BTFD Head of Primary Duncan Lamont said: “In order for the club to keep growing and developing we need the support and facilities to enable this “The formation of a Buckie Community Sports Hub and a successful CAT for the Merson Park facility would offer this support and provide us a dependable access to a facility where we can feel at home and gives us a fantastic foundation for years to come.” March 18 at Buckpool Golf Club from 4pm to 8pm For those who cannot make the session but would nevertheless like to contribute, this can be done online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MERSON2025. The survey closes at the end of the month. For more information about the Buckie Community Sports Hub project, or to join up as a volunteer or sponsor, email buckiesportshub@outlook.com or visit the initiative’s Facebook page. One Highland League club finished their season on a high, and said goodbye to several established names Buckie Thistle defeated Keith 3-0 on Saturday to end their campaign unbeaten in 11 games with a points tally comparable to the final third of last year’s league-winning effort Manager Lewis Mackinnon wants to keep the progress coming but must build a squad without several of the men who earned title glory in 2024 The weekend derby win was Andy MacAskill’s last game before retiring while Sam Pugh and Joe McCabe will move to Banks o’ Dee and goalkeeper Mark Ridgers is leaving Jack MacIver spent the second half of the season on loan at League 2 Elgin City who are being tipped to make the switch permanent Mackinnon did reveal that he is set to unveil a new signing in the next few days a midfielder who is coming to the end of his contract at another Highland League side “There's four players obviously vacated the club there now,” he said “So there's going to be a big change here at the club It seems to be a wee revolving door at the moment “It certainly keeps me and the coaching staff busy and we’re going to have to get boys in Work started on that a month ago and it'll probably continue for the next couple of months but I would like them in for pre-season in June “We've secured one player that we just need to And we're looking at getting another four or five on board.” Three late goals did the trick for Buckie on Saturday as Innes McKay netted for the second game running to break the deadlock on 84 minutes before Darryl McHardy and Lyall Keir added two more MacAskill was about to be substituted in the final match of his illustrious career when he asked his manager for an extra minute then provided the assist for McKay’s goal before going off Mackinnon also knew it was a last Jags outing for McCabe and Pugh on Saturday “I always planned on giving the three guys 60 minutes and then taking them off It gives some guys a game in the team and obviously the way the game was flowing it was a bit tougher to get the goals than we expected “But Joe came off at half-time when he tweaked his quad again but I needed to leave Andy on a little bit longer because obviously his creativity to try and get that goal “It was getting to the point where I felt it was time to take him off anyway and he took an iffy touch which rolled under his feet and got out of the park “So he knew I had the young Bodhan (Campbell) stripped ready to go and he gave me the ‘one more chance’ finger So I gave him that and thankfully we did because he's put the ball right on the spot again and Innes has scored a good header and put us 1-0 up Mackinnon paid tribute to the retiring star and his considerable contributions to Buckie over the past seven-and-a-half years He's a great guy off the field but very demanding to management “And that's just because he's got a desire to win and do well and it's a good thing He's the first to criticise his own performance and he's very harsh on himself sometimes that's just a fitting way to sign off in the Highland League “We were trying to get Joe and Sam on new deals prior to the Celtic game last year and it failed so we were well aware of it but they were fully committed “They’ve both played with injuries at times for us and that shows their commitment to the club Even knowing they're leaving at the end of the season they’re both good servants and won league titles at the club.” Former Caley Thistle keeper Ridgers arrived at Victoria park a year ago as a high profile signing but ended up staying just one season With Clach’s current keeper Joe Malin retiring the Inverness club has been linked with a move to sign the experienced shot stopper “I don't know if it's public knowledge yet where he's going but there's one club obviously close to his heart - and it's not Caley - that he would always want to go and play for,” Mackinnon hinted He didn't come in and really hit the heights he should have been hitting until probably later on in the season “It's a bit disappointing the fact that he's adapted to part-time football His form towards the end of the season was excellent and he's now moving on “That's the sad side of it but it gives someone else an opportunity to play for a team like Buckie Euan Storrier’s had a good solid season playing week in week out at Strathspey (on loan) where he's probably been quite busy “So he'll get an opportunity now at the club to grasp a shirt.” Mackinnon was delighted to see his team conclude an otherwise disappointing campaign with seven wins and four draws in their undefeated finale The 25 points they picked up over those last 11 games was just one less than what the title-winning team did over the same stage of last season “That’s a good final third of the season really when you look at it Hopefully we can carry that momentum through when we go back in June “We were not in contention for any silverware so the guys showed hunger and desire to keep doing well and keep getting points on board Sam Morrison and Liam Harvey will also return to the Buckie fold from loan spells at other Highland League clubs A Buckie improvement plan to transform an empty bank into a community hub could be at risk of stalling The current Hub offers help for vulnerable adults and families in Buckie It is run by volunteers and based in a former ice cream shop on East Church Street with one option looking at turning the nearby ex-Bank of Scotland into a “multi-purpose community hub” local groups in Buckie have raised their frustrations with a lack of funding and ability to progress the plans The Hub in Buckie has been in operation for a number of years and is now a familiar sight in the town it has been a long term ambition to expand the service into a community centre offering a number of other services Community groups have indicated several sites around Buckie could be used but one is the nearby ex-Bank of Scotland building This is being led by a local monitoring group made up of local volunteers from a number of different organisations The main two organisations responsible for the Hub is the Buckie Area Forum (BAF) and the Findochty and Buckie Development Trust (FABDT) funding has been secured to bring in a consultant who will investigate the case for a new Hub in Buckie In an update presented to Moray Council’s community planning board, officers warned progress on the plans could be at risk in the future They stated the “sense of frustration” among the volunteers that funding has been allocated to a similar Elgin project and not Buckie The Link in New Elgin opened late last year officers believe any “frustration” stemming from this could lead to volunteers leaving the project The result of this would mean current services including outreach support food parcels and information sessions could be at risk FABDT Chair and Hub volunteer Susan Chalmers spoke to some of these frustrations She said: “The need for some kind of community centre has been proven and that’s what we would like to progress “The frustration lies in that progressing it is proving very challenging.” Getting the money and the finances behind a project such as the new hub in Buckie is a “big challenge” “The difficulty is that there’s money available in certain places for certain things.” She added that funding in places like Elgin can be easier to get a hold of meaning projects like Buckie’s hub have to work harder When asked how she felt about the Link in Elgin getting funding instead of the Buckie Hub she said: “The difficulty is that there is money available in certain places for certain things because of where the funding comes from and for certain activities because of where the funding comes from.” “It’s the fact we’ve been beavering away trying very hard as community volunteers to progress things and yet if you happen to be lucky to be in a particular place where funding is more accessible then it’s easier for something to happen.” There are several more interested parties listed in the council report as being involved in the project One of which is Buckie and District community council who have since said they have no involvement in the Hub Chairman of the community council Peter West said: “As much as we would like to be more involved He added there are a number of local groups in Buckie he is keen to see work more closely together This would benefit not just the Hub project but many other community initiatives in Buckie Council documents state there will be future attempts to “bring community stakeholders together.” It is hoped the latest plans for the new Hub will continue to move forward this year A Buckie High School parent has launched a campaign for urgent investment in the building amid fears of a looming “catastrophe” without it Moray Council has warned all current options for a major refurbishment or complete new-build are “unaffordable” The decision provoked an angry response from Buckie parents bemoaning years of underinvestment in one of the busiest schools in the region Complaints about the school have included leaks worries about the condition of the roof and long waits to access the internet Nearly 1,000 people have signed an online petition within the last week calling for the same commitment to new education facilities that have been delivered in Elgin and Forres Moray Council says alternative proposals are being drafted and are due to be presented in May – but have warned they will be significantly scaled back due to budget cuts who has a son in S4 at Buckie High School with two younger children at Findochty Primary started the petition calling for investment The 43-year-old previously worked in schools across Moray as a technician before taking voluntary redundancy last year in budget cuts He said: “Every day I could see how bad a state Buckie High School is in compared to the new-builds in Elgin and Lossiemouth “It’s so dark and dingy compared to the newer schools When you go into the new-builds everything works “Buckie feels a lot more like make do and mend but it feels like they’ve been making do and mending for decades now “Part of the roof blew off a few years ago I’m always worried I’m going to get a call to say I’ve got to pick up my children because something’s happened “It’s risking a catastrophe—like a collapsed ceiling—before action is taken “I just feel like we were promised investment and every year it gets postponed or put off Buckie High School has now had an acting head teacher for more than a year Despite repeated advertisements to fill the position pupils and staff have been without a permanent post-holder since January 2024 The latest statistics show Moray Council has been graded C for condition, meaning it is below B for minimum standards. Meanwhile the school is at 87.5% of capacity, making it the sixth busiest in Moray.  Mr Birtwistle added: “I can’t help but feel the condition of the school is affecting the recruitment of a new head teacher “They’re offering a good salary of nearly £100,000 but if you had the choice of working at a nice new school or Buckie High School At the end of the day though it has to be affecting the education of our children.” John Stuart and Neil McLennan have given their backing to calls for investment alongside Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Karen Adam Ms Adam said: “I’m deeply disappointed to learn that plans to refurbish or replace Buckie High School have been ruled “unaffordable” by Moray Council “This school is already graded below the minimum standard and is one of the busiest in Moray “I’ll be continuing to push for the best outcome for our community.” Mrs Warren said: “The report saying there was no funding for either a new-build school or the cost of necessary refurbishment caused me great concern especially as there was no what next plan in place “It’s heartening to see I’m not the only person concerned.” who is a former Buckie councillor and has two children at the school In 2018 the council did groundworks ready for Buckie High to be the next school to be rebuilt “My message to the council has always been the same you simply cannot build super new builds in Forres Lossie and Elgin and then ignore schools on the east of the council area Two Buckie women who went on a shoplifting spree in the north of Scotland and targeted Inverness’ New Look store have been fined stole clothing and other accessories from the shop on the city’s retail park in Eastfield Way That shoplifting offence was committed on March 11 their lawyer Grant Daglish told Inverness Sheriff Court that both had been dealt with for the other thefts which he said involved "a spate of offending throughout the north and north-east at the time” The solicitor added that this case was still outstanding and asked the Sheriff to draw a line under it immediately Not guilty pleas to two other similar charges were accepted by fiscal depute Karen Poke He said that one had been placed on a drug treatment and testing order while the other was sentenced to a community payback order and there had been no further offending were each fined £190 by Sheriff Matheson after pleading guilty The chance to blow away those new year cobwebs will be the order of the day when an annual fun run gets under way Runners will be under starter’s orders on Buckie West Church Street on new year’s day when the Sair Heidie fun run gets ready for the off begins at 10.15am at the Episcopal Church hall with a 10.20am start for those walking the route and 11am seeing the runners get on their marks Entry costs £5 with raffles available at £1 per strip Runners must be aged 16 or over due to the event being held on open roads heading out to Strathlene before turning back through Rathven and back to Buckie.There will be prizes for the first male and female runners home Taking the tape last year were Alasdair Grant in a time of 27 mins 31 secs and Louise Lovie in 35 mins 10 sec All raffle donations will be gratefully received on the day together with donations for additional prizes to increase the prize list Runners and walkers will have the chance to enjoy a fly cup and a piece when they finish; any donations of food on the day would be most welcome a lead bike to guide the runners or as a tail runner covering the back markers This year all proceeds from the race will be donated to Buckie Wildcat Community First Responders The Buckie Men’s Shed have finally responded after rejecting a local man without explanation Derek Horrobin attended Buckie Men’s Shed at the end of last year and felt like he bonded with the members However, in January, the 72-year-old received a letter to say he had been ejected from the group. The fall-out from the decision has left the branch without leadership as the chairman and secretary have resigned due to social media backlash and amid accusations of unpleasant emails the shed have provided answers to their decision to refuse Derek’s membership They claimed Mr Horrobin ‘tried to gain access’ to the shed on his own and sent ‘derogatory’ emails to then chairman Les Foreman The Men’s Shed committee have also said that a situation where Mr Horrobin claimed he was given a ‘lathe’ intended for general use by the shed also led them to make the decision to refuse his membership Mr Horrobin responded to the post on social media by asking the members why they could not have produced a response earlier In a post on social media, the group announced the decision was “purely based” on his behaviour during his time at the shed They said: “Towards the end of 2024 Derek came along to our Thursday sessions and joined us for our Christmas and Burns events during which time he had been welcomed and seriously considered for membership “However earlier this year he wanted access to the shed on his own having tried to gain entry on several occasions and was not very happy when this was refused due to the Buckie Men’s Shed and Scottish Men’s Sheds Association rules “This was checked with the Scottish Men’s Shed Association who agreed with the committee decision “His reaction to this was to pen very nasty and derogatory emails to the chairman “He then accompanied several members to uplift equipment donated to our shed from a gentleman in Portessie “Afterwards he claimed that he was ‘given’ the smaller of two lathes “At a following meeting he seemed to ‘seek out’ the above equipment but was prevented from doing so.” Regarding Mr Horrobin’s application to the group the committee have said the reasons provided meant he was rejected “Derek had submitted an application to become a member of the Buckie Men’s Shed and due to the above mentioned issues his membership was refused,” they added “This was considered by the committee along with a few other applications at a meeting in January “It appeared to our committee that he was only interested in becoming a member for his own reasons and not for the benefit of the community.” In a bid for answers answers, Mr Horrobin sent a message to the Men’s Shed group’s WhatsApp group only to be removed. He then posted on Facebook calling for answers Now, on the Men’s Shed’s latest post listing the reasons, he commented: “Would it not have been easier to have discussed your concerns with me from the onset “I agree that I felt the shed should have been available more often but not necessarily for me on my own but rather I had nothing to do and at least I could have been doing something “It was later that I was informed as to the reason why key holders were restricted to the committee only “I did believe the smaller lathe was given to me but on this matter I accept I must have been mistaken.” I had attended a lathe turning course in Caithness and was eager to impart these skills to others “I am a badge wearing member of the Scottish Men’s Shed Association (SMSA) and am eager and enthusiastic as to the role of Men’s Sheds in our communities a circumstance perhaps perceived as something different by others.” The P&J reached out to Buckie Men’s Shed for its first article with three attempts made to contact members While Scottish Association of Men’s Sheds is not involved with the day-to-day running of sheds it has been working to provide clarity on the situation They revealed that Buckie Men’s Shed chairman Les Forman had chosen to resign due to “comments and allegations made against him on social media” The secretary has also made the decision to resign from the Scottish Association of Men’s Sheds said at the time: “I have spoken to the shed’s ex-chairman today due to the personal comments and allegations made personally against him on social media by the public he has become disheartened and resigned as has the shed’s secretary.” Mr Schroeder also said that if new volunteers are not elected for the legal positions of chairman and secretary then the outcome could be that the whole shed will close This will mean “many more lives would be directly impacted including the whole community.” Scottish Hydro Electric are set to be conducting works on a section of the A98 this coming week on the A98 at the Rannas junction to lower conductors This is due to get under way on March 4 for one working day Outside 2-4 Station Road in Findochty Scottish Gas Network (SGN) should have completed work on a new gas service by March 10 Scottish Water plan to begin patching work at low street Openreach have three separate works planned Outside 122 Douglas Crescent the firm will be excavating a duct for ultra-fast broadband connections New pole installation is on the cards at 7 Provost Reid Crescent and at 83 Seatown both of which should be completed by March 4 Footpath repairs outside 61-63 High Street Buckie are estimated to be finished by March 3 Moray Council are due to bring footpath repairs to a close outside 3 Police Lane on March on Monday More footpath repairs are scheduled for 40 Seatown with a start date of March 3-11 with a five working day duration The council should be wrapping up water main work on the A990 outside Portgordon by March 10 the installation of a sewer and drain pipe north-west of Dryburn farmhouse near Fochabers is scheduled to start over March 3-4 for three working days All start and duration dates and times are estimates and may change without notice. To keep up to date with road closures and road works across moray, click HERE Two local roads are due to experience closures due to roadworks this coming week Work on Gibbs Lane in Buckie is due to keep the road closed until later this coming week while Moray Council remove a tree Drybridge will be closed 60m north of the rail bridge in order to allow for culvert works This is due to begin on February 10 until February 14 A prohibition of waiting order is due to come into force at three locations in Cullen from February 10 until February 14 These are: Seafield Road at the junctions with York Place and Seafield Place; Seafield Place - outside No 2 the council will be at work at 14 Samson Street replacing a low-level garden wall This is due to get under way by February 14 at the latest and last for 10 working days Scottish Gas Network are working to install a new gas connection outside 16 Sterlochy Street Findochty - it is envisaged they will finish this by the end of the week The firm should also soon be finishing work at 3 Great Western Road Buckie to disconnect a gas service under GSMR regulations Work to repair torrential rain damage to the carriageway on McLaren’s Brae in Buckie continues Two-way traffic lights will be in place outside Moray Crematorium southbound for 300m to allow access to underground telecoms structures for installation of fibre-optic cables Work is scheduled to start by February 18 - no indications as to duration have as yet been given All start and duration times are estimates and could change without notice. To keep up to date with road closures and roadworks across Moray, click HERE Norwegian expats at work during the war and a fishing boat under construction in Buckie take centre stage in this week’s past pictures from Buckie we take a trip back to World War II first of all to visit some of the workers at what was known as the ‘Norwegian slip’ at Buckie Harbour which had been established to ensure the continued seaworthiness of vessels from the Scandinavian nation contributing to the war effort Buckie became known as Little Norway due to the number of Norwegian and Danish refugees who made it their home after fleeing the Nazi invasion of their native countries Buckie even boasted a Norwegian consulate and seaman’s church and was visited King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav of Norway the focus switches to 1982 and Jones’ Shipyard where we can see the fishing vessel Andromeda LK 489 under construction Do you recognise any of the people captured in these photos or can you shed light on the events shown? Get in touch and let us know at mail@banffshireadvertiser.co.uk A devotion to a Highland League football club has reached a proud milestone Easton Thain is one of Buckie Thistle’s longest-serving committee members done countless hours of research on the club’s history and written a book about his beloved Jags The 59-year-old has also edited the Victoria Park club’s match programme since 1993 and on Saturday he published his 500th edition It proved to be an emotional day for Easton as his milestone publication landed on the very day that his late mother Roberta would have celebrated her 100th birthday Buckie made the occasion all the more memorable by defeating Keith 3-0 at Victoria Park on the final day of the Highland League season What makes Easton’s loyalty to the club all the more remarkable is that he wasn’t brought up in the north but hails from Edinburgh and didn’t move to Moray until 1992 “My brother took me to a Meadowbank Thistle game against Shrewsbury (in 1983) so I started watching them and sort of got to know the guys there - and eventually I got involved with their programme “I did that more-or-less until I came north in ‘92.” Easton’s interest in Highland League football led to him selecting nearby Buckie as his club sometimes even cycling along the coast to watch their games “There wasn’t time to get their programme started then but it was only a matter of time,” he added “Then in February ‘93 came the chance to do it “I ended up doing six programmes like that - anything that constitutes a programme is four pages or more Soon Easton’s editions had evolved into an A5 hardcover programme the first of which brought him full circle back to his first love oin the capital as Buckie took on Meadowbank and Aberdeen in a pre-season double header That only lasted four issues due to printing costs and it was into the 1994-95 season before Easton came up with a new plan Buckie’s programme had for some years been called Jags Mag which Easton carried on from previous editors but the need for a revamp saw him rename it the Thistle Review “The reason I changed it was really an homage who had started the Thistle Review in 1978 “Sadly he’s no longer with us but I've got his programmes that he did and they literally were ahead of their time.” Easton’s efforts have also gained recognition as he helped Buckie win the Highland League programme of the year award four years in a row and seventh best in the whole of Scotland in 2002-03 It was voted best non-league programme in the country in 2013-14 “You start something up and say ‘let's just see how it goes’ So to reach 500 is something pretty special in a way but I've been fortunate as I've had great backing from the club over the years.” He remembers some of the more amusing moments not least when former Rothes winger Chris Pilichos was printed as ‘Chris Pilchards’ when his handwritten notes went unchecked “I knew there was something fishy about that one when I read it,” he joked ‘Hamilton Aca Demical’ and ‘Partic Thistle’ were the mispelt names of Scottish League covers of two more Thistle Reviews One programme against Forres Mechanics was discovered to have something like 28 errors - prompting a move to proof reading each edition from that day forth Not only has Easton edited 500 programmes for Jags but he has also published editions for many of their neighbouring clubs “I lived in Keith for ten years so I did their programme as well for that length of time Some cracking games like when they played Blackpool when Colin Hendry was manager which was more fun because its junior football and a different world altogether a couple for Nairn and Forres and one-off games as well Easton has also been a regular contributor for Elgin City’s matchday programme in the SPFL unearthing some gems from his history banks Covering the testimonial matches for three of the club’s long-serving heroes Kevin Main and Jamie Shewan are right up there with the best “There was the Rangers game in 2014 which was incredible because so many people wanted that one.” And even when the pandemic struck and fans couldn’t attend matches Easton managed to get a special edition out when Buckie hosted Caley Thistle for a Scottish Cup tie at an empty Victoria Park and still managed to get a good number of sales So what does the future hold for football match programmes Many clubs have stopped printing or doing online editions yet Easton plans to keep his Thistle Review going for as long as possible “People ask why you do match programmes in this day and age when by the time it comes out it's all going to be out of date it’s there and you can pick it up and read it “The amount of programme fairs that are going on now is incredible There's collectors still out there and young collectors at that “I do understand why some clubs don’t do them any more Dundee United B begin their SPFL Trust Trophy campaign this evening by following in the footsteps of their first-team counterparts to Victoria Park in Buckie A clash with Formartine United or Dundee B awaits the victors of this evening's tie in the Second Round Spectators are permitted to attend the match with admission via pay-at-the-gate upon arrival - tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions (65+ Please note all turnstiles operate a cash-only policy You can also follow the action from home, with our X feed set to provide live updates from the Moray Firth The future of Buckie Christmas Kracker and Christmas lights looked a lot brighter following a well-attended public meeting Last November saw the annual festive extravaganza - the largest of its kind in Moray - draw over 2000 people to the centre of the town despite very poor weather conditions The popular family event saw a day of entertainment which was rounded off by the ceremonial switch-on of the Christmas lights and a fireworks display a stark warning was sounded directly after the end of the event by Kracker and Christmas Lights chairman Adam Murray that the lack of volunteers to help set up and run the event placed its future in dire peril He highlighted that the bulk of the 2024 Kracker was mainly made possible by a team of just four volunteers a situation that was not tenable going forward A public meeting held in the Buckie BB hall at ONE Marchmont on Thursday January 30 saw an appeal to both the general public and local businesses to step up to the plate or face the prospect of there being no Kracker for at least this year and maybe further into the future any fears the dedicated committee may have entertained as to a lack of local enthusiasm and support were soon banished as the community rallied round in numbers to hear how they could back the event and help it flourish Mr Murray said after the meeting that there was a need for the Kracker to adapt over the next few years to reflect changes in the wider community and economy He said: “It was very encouraging to see so many people here - there were more than we expected - and it’s certainly the best attended meeting we’ve had for quite some time “I’d like to thank everyone for coming along and I’d also like to thank the BBs for allowing us the use of the hall “We’ve had very good feedback from the meeting itself and we’ll see what the feedback sheets we handed out say It was great to hear from so many people who’re willing to help with the Kracker “What is clear is that the Kracker needs a freshen up We want to make changes that make it work for everybody “While we’re encouraged with the response so far we can’t make any promises yet about this year’s Kracker that depends on the detail of the responses Buckie Christmas Kracker and Christmas Lights Committee vice-chairman Stewart Findlay took the audience through some of the history of the event It has been held every year since except for a break of one year during the Covid pandemic He went on to outline some of the often eye-watering costs incurred by the committee just to make the Kracker happen - “just north” of £15,000 in 2024 Among the major costs were almost £4500 for a licence from Moray Council road closures and electricity to run the lights displays Other major outlays included the marquee (£4320) Santa’s grotto gifts (£1500) and extra rubbish bins (£1500) have to be met either by fundraising or sponsorship plus a percentage from the takings from the likes of the funfair Last year saw the introduction of sponsorship packages for the first time the committee estimated that the event generated some £40,000 for the local economy noting that the traders who came along to the Kracker were either from the Buckie area itself or from no greater a distance than 60 miles Mr Findlay was keen to stress that while it was a big commitment for the committee itself this was not expected from anyone who was able to volunteer some of their time either to set up the Kracker on the Friday during the event itself on the Saturday or for the clean-up the following day for example to allow another volunteer to go for a break and get something to eat and drink ranging from meeting and greeting traders at the marquee dressing up as mascots through to litter picking He went on to stress that the Kracker did not encompass just a one-day event annually it was a year-round effort to hold fundraisers In addition to an appeal for fundraising ideas and people to help run such events Mr Findlay also said the committee would be delighted to hear from anyone who could lend them their expertise when it came to running the Kracker’s social medial presence He added: “The committee don’t want to see the end of the Kracker - we do it because we want to do it for the town.” Anyone who was unable to attend the meeting but feels they could help out - whether that be by volunteering, sponsorship or both - or has feedback they wish to share is urged to get in touch either by messaging the committee via the Kracker Facebook page or emailing buckiechristmaskracker@hotmail.com A 16-year-old Keith boy carried out a hammer attack on an intoxicated man after they fought at a cash machine in Buckie pulled the weapon out of his rucksack to strike his victim twice on the head and fracture his skull in the East Church Street incident on the afternoon of April 1 last year When police who had been alerted to the assault found the rucksack The youngster appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court represented by solicitor Robert Cruickshank and admitted having the blade in a public place without reasonable excuse He also pleaded guilty to assaulting the man to his severe injury and danger of his life Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald heard that the first time offender who had since been placed on a community payback order for a subsequent offence told police on his arrest: "What do you think "If I wanted to kill him I would have kept going Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told the court that the pair were at a cash machine near a bus stop "when The accused pulled the hammer out of his rucksack and struck the man twice "The accused walked away and the complainer got up in an aggressive manner but was held back by witnesses a one inch laceration to his head and bruising to his brain." Ms Duffy-Welsh went on Deferring sentence until February 25 for a background report and a restriction of liberty order assessment Sheriff Macdonald told him: "You are a young man and you are in serious trouble." A new year may have dawned, but there seems to be little likelihood in a let up in the demand for the services of Buckie Community Hub celebrated its second birthday at the tail end of last year While some may believe that the cost of living crisis has begun to ease the Hub has remained as busy as ever helping some of the most vulnerable people in the local community This has ranged from helping with food parcels and vouchers to signposting people to a range of agencies who may be able to provide specialist assistance the chairman of the Hub’s parent organisation Buckie Area Forum (BAF) said: “We're seeing more and more people coming in because a lot of people at the beginning weren't quite sure exactly what it was we did “We've built up a reputation now of where you can come and actually have a chat with your peers about what you need and we’ll try make sure that if you're needing professional help that we’ll get that for you and direct you to the right people A lot of young families in particular over the winter have been coming in Obviously the elderly is also another very vulnerable group and the fleeces hot water bottles and the other things that we hand out “We actually put a lot of food parcels out as well as food vouchers “Over Christmas demand was up compared to the previous year and we found that this time around there was more demand from the younger age group whereas before it was mainly the elderly who came to us Perhaps it is better now that we can identify those in need more We're more in tune with the schools and some of the other agencies We’re getting more work to do in that sense whereas in the past we may have not been in contact with all the people who are really struggling.” Mr McDonald said he could not see any realistic prospect of circumstances improving markedly for many of the people the Hub help but basically there's certainly no sign that the cost of living crisis is over by a long chalk and that was bringing in a certain crowd of folk the general situation just keeps on continuing We do see some folk who are regularly struggling because they're down there and they can't get out the rut “We’re really beginning to see the effects of the cuts to the Winter Fuel Payments to a great many pensioners it's a far bigger issue than I thought it was going to be when we started but it's enough to knock families and everything else off the road “Other than that, we’re going into things that we never used to go into. That's why we're actually even looking to get a new premises We’re not just a place people can get a cuppa “One thing we’ve been finding is that a lot of the professional services have had cutbacks and are really struggling They're all going back into their own shells we’ve good relations with them but they’re really under a lot of pressure.” Since Moray Council withdrew their funding contribution the Hub has been left totally reliant on donations and grants to keep their service going Mr McDonald said: “We’re living hand to mouth We get nothing in cash terms from the council or any of the other organisations which we used to “Without the donations and grants coming in we’d really need to start to see how we can downgrade our services We've got bids in for a couple of grants and fingers crossed we get that when we've gone for grants a lot of people have actually appreciated the work we're doing because we give them anecdotal evidence as to what we're doing apart from the stats that we've got That helps us secure the loans and the grants “We don't have a guaranteed future but in all If the situation turns out that we can't go any longer at least all the volunteers can proudly say they tried their best and we've done what we can for Buckie which is unique because there's no other place anywhere Among the recent donations to the Hub was a festive boost from kids at Cluny Primary School who handed over a sizeable collection of food and other items to be distributed to those in need A charity - which has preferred to not be named - has handed the volunteer team a £3000 donation while Scotmid have donated 100 £5 vouchers Inchgower distillery staff recently gave the Hub £120 collected through a staff raffle The Hub currently has a dedicated volunteer team of around 30 To find out more about the range of services offered by the Hub, plus opening times, visit the charity’s Facebook page. Alternatively, phone 01542 780624 or email admin@buckiehub.com The countdown is on for a major Christmas extravaganza in a Moray town Saturday, November 16 will see the eagerly awaited return of the Buckie Christmas Cracker to the centre of town A bumper day of fun for all the family is on the cards with Santa himself set to take up residence in Cluny Square in his grotto Cluny Square will be packed with attractions and events which are due to get under way at 10am and 11am respectively The parade will feature mix of local groups Leading the procession will be Buckie and District Pipe Band with the event starting in East Church Street and heading west Bringing the event to a colourful - and noisy - close will be the switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights display The build-up will begin between 3pm and 4pm with live music which will continue on into the early evening The lights themselves will be brought into dazzling life around 5pm the occasion being topped off with a fireworks display One of those keenly anticipating the big day is Adam Murray who chairs both the Buckie Christmas Lights and Christmas Kracker Committees He said: “It’s all looking very good and everything’s in place for the 16th “If the weather holds on the day we’ll be delighted “We’ve now got live music happening at the Christmas Bar - also new for this year - until 9pm in the evening “We’re all looking forward to a great day and hope people will come along and enjoy themselves.” Music will also feature during the day on the stage in the Square the Cool Jam Cats and the BB Anchor Boys choir also set to perform The event will see the Kracker mascots will make a welcome return There will be an opportunity for younger visitors to the Kracker to have breakfast with them at one of two sittings - 9am and 10.15am For updates and further news on this year’s Buckie Christmas Kracker, visit the event Facebook page Last year saw the Kracker attract a crowd in the region of 3000 to the town Three of Moray’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will be working with reduced hours from Tuesday 8 October 2024 Buckie’s Gollachy site and Keith HWRC will be closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am until 4pm and Sundays from 10am until 3pm The change comes as a result of Moray Council’s 2024/25 budget saving measures where £19.2m of savings were needed to balance the budget as part of a wider budget consultation in the latter part of 2023 for their views on reducing HWRC opening hours Respondents were asked if they would support a reduction in hours with 77% indicating some support and 23% fully supportive The move comes as Moray Council meets again in the coming weeks to discuss the budget for 2025/26 and beyond Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee said: “We appreciate there may be a level of inconvenience for some recycling centre users but the change to opening hours has been necessary for balancing the budget Our consultation last year showed 42% of respondents said there would only be limited impact on them and 8% said it would be severe I hope this shows we’re paying attention to what is acceptable by locals for the future of our services.” The Scottish Government have been asked to intervene and come to the rescue of a crumbling Moray school Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Karen Adam has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth MSP to voice her “significant concerns” about the condition of and facilities at Buckie Community High School (BCHS) - described by a local councillor as “one of the worst in Scotland” The school had initially been in contention for funding from the Scottish Government's Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) Phase 3 project although it was widely believed at the time that BCHS be in line for a range of possible refurbishment options Buckie councillors and the local community were left poleaxed in February when it was revealed by Moray Council that cuts to the capital budget totalling £32.32 million meant that the likelihood of any substantial work being done on the school looked an increasingly forlorn prospect Ms Adam said: “This has caused a great deal of worry within the community as they feel the current school is not able to meet the needs of pupils and falls below the minimum standard “My constituents have highlighted a number of pressing issues regarding the school’s capacity I am advised that as the school is currently at capacity which were intended to be available for public booking and use are unavailable as they are required by pupils/staff I am told that connectivity remains a major challenge with network access taking up to 20 minutes which is a substantial loss of valuable learning time which is integral to both the curriculum and community well-being which constituents’ expected to be included in the new Buckie High development remains in poor condition and is now among the five worst libraries in Moray.” Ms Adam went on ask the Cabinet Secretary if the Scottish Government was reassessing school building and conditions and if there was any possibility of additional LEIP funding She went on to suggest potential alternative sources of funding such as allocating some of the Moray Growth Deal cash to BCHS and accessing Just Transition money for improvements The Banffshire and Buchan MSP added: “I have significant concerns for the learning environment for our Buckie High pupils and staff “They deserve a school that is fit for purpose I wish the council would recognise this and prioritise our Buckie community when making spending decisions.” Her intervention was warmly welcomed by Buckie councillor Sonya Warren who had previously condemned the likely row back on BCHS refurb funding stating that the school and wider community had been “shafted again” She said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Karen has become involved and is doing all she can to speak up for Buckie High “I’d like to see answers and that extra funding will be made available for areas of the community which have been left behind by previous decisions “In terms of condition and facilities Buckie High is one of the worst schools in Scotland never mind Moray and it’s certainly not getting any better In the midst of all this we have young people at BCHS working so hard and the teachers going above and beyond as a matter of course to produce excellent attainment figures “Our kids and teachers deserve the same standard and facilities as other schools in Moray It’s heart-breaking to see other schools rebuilt or refurbished to a high standard but not Buckie High and I want to see cash from the Scottish Government to address this.” Councillor Warren went on to stress that BCHS was not only a school but the town’s community centre and a vital hub for many local groups She also urged the eco impact of the school’s future to be factored in to any future plans noting that while some of Buckie High’s current infrastructure needs to be swept away there were many areas which could be updated and remain in service for many years into the future “Unlike many communities Buckie doesn’t have the luxury of a separate community centre,” Councillor Warren continued “Many groups can struggle to get good and affordable meeting spaces and the opportunity for accessing this at BCHS has been significantly reduced due to the need to use those spaces as classrooms.” The previous policy of “make do and mend” in respect to the various issues afflicting Buckie High was no longer an option “There’s been too many patch-up jobs which have become an intrinsic part of the current problem “In Buckie over the last few years there’s only been one major piece of investment in the school estate by the council and that was the revamp of Millbank Primary “Buckie High needs to be fit for the 21st century so fast and we have to be able to provide digital learning Kids now are going out to do jobs that didn’t exist 20 years “The last 15 years of austerity budgets mean that there’s nothing more left to give in local authority budgets there are lots of avenues that can be explored and that’s what we should all be working together to achieve I think that anyone who stands for the Buckie area in next year’s Scottish Parliament election should have a commitment to secure funding for Buckie High as an absolute priority.” A section of a local harbour has been closed due to storm damage The north pier at Buckie Harbour has now been shut as a safety precaution due to damage to the road surface there has been damage to the surface of the north pier It is believed the damage is such that the pier surface makes passage for both vehicles and pedestrians unwise Estimates for the repair work are thought to be in the region of £100,000 The matter is set to be discussed at the next Harbour Advisory Committee meeting More information can be obtained from Buckie Harbour Office, telephone (01542) 831700 or email buckieharbour@moray.gov.uk A Keith teenager who attacked an intoxicated man in Buckie with a hammer will have to wear an electronic tag for the next nine months who’s now aged 17 and cannot be named for legal reasons The rucksack was later abandoned following the attack on East Church Street during the afternoon of April 1 last year When found by the police a knife was also discovered inside the teenager said: “The guy came towards me Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told Inverness Sheriff Court that the pair were at a cash machine near a bus stop "when The prosecutor added: "Both became aggressive a one inch laceration to his head and bruising to his brain." He regrets it and realises he went too far during an earlier appearance at the same court had already admitted having the blade in a public place without a reasonable excuse Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald heard that the teenageer had been a first-time offender when the attack happened but has since been placed on a community payback order in relation to a subsequent incident As an alternative to custody she ordered him to stay indoors at home from 7pm to 7am for the next nine months the teenager will have to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work for the community Sheriff Macdonald told the youth: "This is exceptionally grave – an offence of significant violence The public needs some protection and you need some support “If you were over 25 you would go to jail for several years But you are getting a tenancy and staying out of trouble plus there is the support of your parents.” A cannabis cultivation has been discovered during a raid at a Buckie property Police exercised a search warrant in the Brigend area on Thursday afternoon Officers descended on the property at around 2.10pm to begin the search Upon entry, police discovered a cannabis cultivation within A valuation has not been provided as investigations into the discovery continue Police are appealing for anyone with information about drugs or crime in their hometown to get in touch Constable Chris MacKinnon said: “This significant recovery is an example of our efforts to tackle and disrupt the trade of illegal drugs in Scotland “Our enquiry into this matter continues I would urge anyone with information about drugs or any other crime in their area to contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” Plans to build a bioenergy plant in a Moray town are set to take centre stage at a public meeting Last summer saw Acorn Bioenergy unveil proposals to construct an anaerobic digestion plant on agricultural land to the south of Rathven and adjacent to the March Road Industrial Estate If granted planning permission by Moray Council it is envisaged that the plant would support 15 above average pay jobs Two consultation meetings outlining the plans were held in the Fishermen’s Hall in June 2024 where members of the Acorn team were on hand to explain the proposals A public meeting is now planned for Monday March 3 at 7pm in the Boys’ Brigade hall at Marchmont Crescent It will provide an opportunity for people to ask representatives from Acorn Energy about the plans and learn more about the plant itself and its proposed operation The plant will generate energy by using a process called anaerobic digestion This is a naturally-occurring biological process carried out by a mixture of microbes breaking down agricultural materials to use as an energy source in an air-tight tank The key microbes are methanogenic bacteria which produce biogas from the intermediate products The anaerobic digestion facilities will then refine the biogas to extract biomethane and green CO2 Speaking at last year’s drop-in consultation Business Development Director at Acorn Bioenergy said the concentration of distilleries in the area and across Moray was one of the key factors in the firm identifying Buckie as a preferred site for the new plant He continued: “We’re looking to have a symbiotic relationship with distilleries where we take their co-products and we can return biomethane straight back to them “A lot of distilleries are off-grid so the idea is we can literally deliver the gas they need on a daily basis the famers round here are looking for a break crop to fit into their rotation so then we can take the digestate back to use as fertiliser This will help farmers decarbonise from the fertilisers they’re using at the moment “Decarbonisations is also where the distilleries are coming from too as it’s cheaper and cleaner than diesel.” it is envisaged the plant would operate from 9am to 5pm during the week with reduced hours at the weekend Talented Balloan Thistle teenager Bodhan Campbell has agreed a deal to sign with Highland League champions Buckie Thistle The 17-year-old forward has joined the Jags after signing a contract which will run until the end of the 2026/27 season who plays with Balloan Thistle Under-18’s in the Under-18 Highland League North has scored 35 goals in all competitions this season He also scored twice in Balloan Thistle’s 5-1 SYFA Scottish Cup quarter final win over Spartans last weekend. Buckie Thistle manager Lewis Mackinnon says he is delighted to secure Campbell’s services He said: “Over the past couple of months Bodhan has been training with us and from the first session did not look out of place “He has been doing very well for Balloan in the youth league and Scottish cup this season with his scoring and assist stats showing up very well Bodhan reminds me of your traditional number nine he already has a good build for a 17 year old and can certainly finish “He is one for the future but we hope to nurture him over the next season or two and Buckie and Bodhan will reap the rewards all going to plan." Read: Inverness club Clachnacuddin are having their best season in the Highland League for over a decade - Midfielder Fergus Adams explains what is driving the club’s success on the pitch. Read: Clach sign Ross County goalkeeper until end of the season in second Dingwall to Inverness switch A community is being invited to gather and celebrate the centenary of their local war memorial April 12 will see military veterans and members of the public gather at Buckie war memorial to mark 100 years to the day since it was unveiled Doing the honours that day was Lt Col John Dawson DSO to dedicate the memorial to the memory of all the local men who had perished in World War I Saturday’s ceremony is due to begin at 12 noon with the service being conducted by Rev Canon Jeremy Paisey from Buckie All Saints Episcopal Church The Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Andrew Simpson will open the ceremony before saying a few words of introduction Joining the list of guests will be Maj (Ret) Maurice Gibson MSP Karen Adam and Councillor Sonya Warren Commissioned by the then Buckie Town Council in 1921 the memorial was designed by John Kinross and sculpted by William Birnie Rhind Originally erected in the middle of Cluny Square it was later moved after being judged a traffic hazard A Moray group which supports and encourages vulnerable adults to take part in a wide range of activities is expanding Coastal Creations, which is based in Buckie Town House, works with adults with learning disabilities participate and develop an interest in craft, musical, gardening and community activities. is the brainchild of local woman Karen Hills a band of dedicated volunteers and a committee comprising of people with a background and interest in the care sector and/ or education Ms Hills said: “I started Coastal Creations SCIO because I realised there was a shortage of affordable alternative services in Moray and I wanted to create a service that gives more agency to our users in how the group is run.” The years have seen Coastal Creations grow in popularity which has seen them extend their day services by adding an extra session on Tuesday mornings This adds to the existing sessions held on Monday mornings and afternoons Wednesday mornings and afternoons plus a karaoke evening on Thursdays at Buckpool Golf Club Coastal Creations aims to be a very open and inclusive group with the day sessions always starting with a friendly cuppa and chat skills and interests of service users in order to bring fun and make a real difference to the lives of all involved The group regularly welcomes visitors who pop in socially and Coastal Creations has made strong links with some other local community groups service users have benefited greatly from specific input from local musical groups and lots of fun and active participation is encouraged On top of the charity take every opportunity to celebrate important local and national events which often inspire their craft and musical activities There are some spaces available for service users and the group is now open to enquiries from not only the Buckie area but also from a wider geographical area and even into Banffshire and Aberdeenshire due to growing interest in and need for what Coastal Creations has to offer If service users from outwith the local area have access to transport they are encouraged to contact the charity for more details of the services availability and to enquire about the availability of places Often it is a family member who makes the initial enquiry or someone from a social work or council setting visit their Facebook page or email coastalcreationsscio19@outlook.com A Buckie man has been sentenced for going to the pub rather than staying at home under a court-imposed curfew Sean McDowell was granted bail on December 5 at Elgin Sheriff Court on the understanding that he remained indoors during the evenings when the police called at his Baron Street home at 7.30pm on January 26 they found he wasn’t there The officers rang the 34-year-old’s mobile and were told by him that he was just a short walk away in a bar McDowell was subsequently cautioned and charged The court was told that he was initially cooperative but his mood changed as he was being brought into custody Fiscal depute Karen Poke said: “He became difficult He adopted a fighting stance and told one of the officers Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill stated that his client had become upset because he believed his bail conditions allowed him to remain outdoors until 8pm on Sunday evenings The lawyer added: “He apologies for his behaviour.” McDowell was given nine months to pay a £210 fine Sheriff Philip Mann ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work for the community Brechin City’s Breedon Highland title bid was dented by Buckie Thistle as the sides drew 2-2 in an absorbing encounter at Glebe Park In a battle of the sides that have finished first and second in both of the last two seasons the Jags were well worth their point and frustrated the Hedgemen for long periods Two fine Fin Allen finishes twice had the champions ahead but Dayle Robertson’s penalty and Marc Scott’s counter secured a draw for City The result means Brechin are two points behind leaders Brora Rangers at the top of the table and the sides also clash at Dudgeon Park on March 15 In the opening quarter it was Buckie who won the midfield battle and as a result they carried the greater threat of the two sides An attempt from Allen was held by goalkeeper Isaac Carmody and the lively Lyall Keir flashed in a tempting cross from the right which evaded everyone But the Jags kept probing and an excellent goal gave them the lead midway through the first period Keir passed into the feet of Aaron Nicolson who laid off to strike partner Allen and he curled a sublime shot into the left corner of the net from 20 yards Brechin had been subdued but they restored parity after half an hour Marcus Goodall’s ball forward was blocked by Fraser MacLeod which allowed Robertson to race through on goal and he was tripped by Mark Ridgers as he tried to round the goalkeeper Once referee Abbie Hendry had pointed to the penalty spot Robertson fired into the bottom left corner Brechin tried to up the tempo after scoring but on the stroke of half-time it was Buckie who almost retook the lead Keir’s cutback from the left found Joe McCabe who saw his net-bound effort from 12 yards turned away by Carmody Seven minutes into the second half it was the woodwork that denied Thistle Kevin Fraser and Sam Pugh combined and the latter’s delivery into the box was headed against the crossbar by Allen but MacLeod and sub Ewan Loudon both shot straight at Ridgers from the edge of the box At the other end Allen’s lob from 40 yards dropped just over the crossbar but Allen wasn’t to be denied in the 64th minute Keir’s ball down the right flank caused a problem for Brechin as both Kevin McHattie and Brad McKay went to clear it and collided Andrew MacAskill collected the loose ball and teed up Allen to curl into the left corner from the edge of the area Brechin responded again though and equalised for a second time on 73 minutes Scott Bright drove forward at pace on the left before passing to Loudon whose cross-cum-shot was forced into the net by Scott from close range Both sides pushed for a winning goal in the closing stages and it was Brechin who came closest to getting it on 81 minutes when Lewis Milne’s cross from the left was swept narrowly wide by MacLeod from 12 yards Brora Rangers Rangers strengthened their position at the top of the table by beating Turriff United 2-0 at the Haughs The Cattachs struck in either half through Connor Bunce and Shane Sutherland Forres Mechanics dented Banks o’ Dee’s title challenge by winning 3-2 at Spain Park in fixture that kicked off at 2pm Jordan Alonge put the Can-Cans in front early in the second half but two goals in the space of five minutes from Andy Hunter and Lachie MacLeod gave Dee the lead But Forres battled back and Alonge restored parity from the penalty spot and Matt Jamieson bagged the winner for the visitors on 83 minutes The result means Mechanics move up to 11th in the table Dee remain third but are six points adrift of Brora having played a game more Formartine United struck late on to defeat Strathspey Thistle 3-2 at North Lodge Park Graeme Rodger opened the scoring for the Pitmedden side on the stroke of half-time Daniel Whitehorn levelled things up early in the second half but Formartine were soon back in front as Rodger netted his second The Grantown Jags’ task was made harder when Ali Nixon was sent off shortly after the hour mark but they equalised for a second time in the closing stages thanks to Paul Brindle’s penalty United had the last word as Rhys Thomas netted their winner deep into stoppage time Fraserburgh and Wick Academy drew 1-1 at Bellslea Kyle Henderson struck in the first minute to give the Scorries the lead but Kieran Simpson equalised early in the second half Clachnacuddin v Huntly at Grant Street Park and Keith v Rothes at Kynoch Park were postponed due to frost