A 'lunatic fringe' of jet-skiers who were harassing the Largs-Cumbrae ferry and other local boat-owners should be cordoned off from other water users, according to RNLI officer Henry Crawford in the Largs and Millport News this week in the year 2000.
Henry, who was a legendary figure in the lifeboat, took to the national airwaves to voice his concerns.
Henry, who also worked on the ferry said that an area, buoyed off away from the ferry route and that of other water users, should be provided for the jet-skiers and is ready to work with Ayrshire jet-ski retailer John Wilson in pushing for such restrictions to be put in place.
Speaking on Radio Scotland’s Lesley Riddoch show, which was being recorded on Largs seafront, Mr Crawford said: ”The jet-skiers are not all bad. There is a lunatic fringe that just won’t behave itself.
“They come straight at the ferry and when they are a few feet away they spin around and shoot the water up over the passengers. It is a deliberate move.”
He believed that there was no law to stop the harassment at the moment: “There’s no law. There used to be in the days of the Town Council when there were by-laws to stop them speeding and it is time that they were re-instated."
Calls were made for the parking restrictions operating along the A78 through Largs and near the shore to be lifted during the busy summer months. That was the suggestion of Largs Community Councillor Ian Murdoch after concerns that a new town centre management initiative would lead to the loss of around 35 parking spaces from the Main Street,
Mr Murdoch argued that the parking problem in the summer was bad enough without the loss of the Main Street spaces.
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A renowned artist from Fairlie was a number of select artists invited from around the globe to paint one of the last remnants of the Berlin Wall, creating a potent symbol of the coming together of East and West following the fall of the Iron Curtain. Margaret Hunter, a noted artist in Britain and Germany, was asked to returnto the site of one of her most poignant works to preserve the painting created almost a decade before.
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Inverkip was set to be given a massive boost by a £30 million luxury housing development at the village’s Kip Marina. The proposed development, which would see 195 homes styled on a traditional Scottish harbourside, had been given a recommendation by Inverclyde Council’s planning department.
The development was set to include 34 detached houses - with 22 five-bedroomed - 75 terraced homes and 86 luxury flats. The buildings were to be between 21⁄2 and 31⁄2 storeys high
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The annual Country and Western Festival in Millport was looming large as the organisers geared up, quite literally, for the cowboy bash on the island. Pictured were organisers, from left, Julie Jamieson, Maureen Mackay, Ion McBay, Marion Millar and Angela Giorgetti
Largs Thistle went down 4-0 to an energetic young Morton side who at times threatened to tear the home side apart at Barrfields Park.
However, there were a number of positives for the Thistle fans to take from the game, particularly in the showing of ex-Morton manager Ian McCall who, moving into midfield after playing at sweeper on Saturday, was able to show a vision and range of passing which stood out from those around him.
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The long-established Largs and Millport Weekly News Trophy was contested in the Routenburn Golf Club Ladies Open at the weekend.
The trophy was presented to overall winner Wendy Gorrie. Looking on is scratch winner, Morag McQueen, on left, and professional Greg McQueen.
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