The Socio-Economic Impacts of the Commissioning of Dounreay

[Rheghead]

Can anyone remember any negative socio-economic impacts that the commissioning of Dounreay had on the area? We all know that it had economic benefits and that that largely led to the depopulation of Stroma, but I have been told that Broubster suffered the same fate because of Dounreay. Can anyone remember any more bad things to happen because of the social impact of Dounreay?

Did agrarian practices become less diversified? Did fishing decline? How did house prices react? Was there more crime?

:confused

[Big hughie]

Rheghead Its hard to make a firm judgementb with anything regarding the Fishing industry due to many factors involved but a look at the state of the fishing industry in Thurso pre Dounreay (ie the amount and size of vessels belonging to the port) and after would make confirm that it was to the detrement of the industry as people moved to work at Dounreay basically for the security of the wages (In many cases they were probably worse of but at least they knew what was coming in each week)
All best and thanks for an interesting thread
Beeeg Hugheeeeeee

[oldchemist]

There was a lot of criticism by church leaders about Sunday working and associated moral decline. Also local employers moaned about having to compete with the higher wages paid to Dounreay workers.

Neither of these was a negative in my opinion but they were peddled as such at the time.