Work is proceeding on the construction of the new Co-op store on the A835 in Gairloch with fitting out of the new store likely to start in early November and trading expected to begin in mid-December.
Apart from normal convenience store foods and everyday items, facilities will include soft plastic recycling, an ATM, 26 parking bays, 4 electric vehicle chargers and self service laundry facilities.
According to a spokesperson for the Co-op, a store of this size would typically create 15 local jobs.
Two Inverness sporting venues have reopened after refurbishment and improvement works costing £15.5 million pounds.
Bught Park received £9.6 million pounds enabling preservation of the grandstand with new changing facilities, a new pavilion and office space for the Camanachd Association and additional space for a museum of shinty. The Northern Meeting Park received £5.9 million pounds for refurbishment and preservation of its grandstand which dates from Victorian times.
A further project comprising the development of a new energy centre to provide heat and energy to Inverness Castle and Inverness Town House has also been approved bringing the total funding to almost £20 million pounds
The majority of the funding came from the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund established after Brexit with additional contributions from Sport Scotland’s National Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.
Meanwhile the 140 year old Infirmary footbridge across the River Ness, much used for access to Bught Park and the Northern Meeting Park, which has been closed for structural repairs should reopen sometime early this month.
The number of pupils achieving Gaelic qualifications in Highland schools is on the increase. Overall, 197 pupils in Highland achieved a National Five, Higher or Advanced Higher Gaelic qualification this year, an increase of 25 from the 2024 total.
This year 60 pupils achieved Higher Gaelic, up from 42 in 2024. Of those 60 pupils, 40 sat the paper for Gaelic medium pupils, and 20 for Gaelic learners. 2025 also saw a significant increase in the number of Gaelic learners achieving a National Five qualification, 74 in 2025 as opposed to 55 in 2024.
