This is going to be on the BBC local news shortly!
Last edited by neepnipper; 10-Sep-10 at 18:31.
I think its a sin, on their website it calls Groats a small dismal town?? well.... its a village and small right enough, therefore all the more economically sensitive when given bad publicity possibly leading to reduced tourism in the county affecting all of us Golach's!!!
A right big get it up ye from me Carbuncle folk! The tourists come here to see Caithness, Sutherland and the Orkneys for the whole highland visit not just to go to Groats which has some awesome scenery and things to do....... You can keep your built up high crime areas where the folk are no as nice and you have til lock your door just till put the bin oot i know where i'd rather be!!
Last edited by sporty; 10-Sep-10 at 23:06.
Very slanted and manipulated news item which didn't show any positives such as the craft shops, it just showed the run down hotel. Typical pi** poor BBC news item taking the rise out of the far north.
If they had bothered to show the Stacks of Duncansby, the sea tours, the fantastic views. the sea life.
Cheap news which will have a negative effect on tourism; just what we need (not!)
I thought at mysel'. He was sorely in need o a haircut!
I like this! When I was a teenager I used to work as a breakfast waitress in Groats and I mind one man who kept banging on about how he was doing LEJOG. The other guests were getting a bit tired of his obnoxious loudness and when he told me (again) that he was heading off to Land's End on foot. I replied that we often had LEJOG people in and the day before we had a guy staying who had come from Land's End riding a unicycle whilst blindfolded. There were a few sniggers round the dining room and he shut up after that...
I went to John O'Groats today with family, had a wildlife cruise and a coffee and a snack there. Great afternoon out.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
There is no such thing as bad publicity, I went up to Groat today and could not get near to the place to park my car , because there was that many folk having a look at what all the fuss was about.
Whenever I get visitors to stay with us in Wick, we try and show them around the county and all of them have been surprised with what they see at J.O.G.
A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears.
Myself and my wife have just had a fantastic time in JOG camping at Stroma view campsite, we will be coming up again soon too, we love the place and what it has to offer.
The new bit..ie the shops etc are nice but the hotel really lets the look of the place down.
If its renovated the whole place would be nicer as the eyesore would be gone.
There are nice bits there and I love the first and last shop for the novelty factor and dont want the whole place to become a theme park type must see place and like the understated ambvience of JOG. but there has to be more of a lure now ... but dont know what these days
If the hotel were brought back to its original beauty, I cannot imagine it not doing a good business. It has such potential but is a very sad sight now.
I think doing up the hotel as a normal hotel would be a very bad idea. There is no passing reason for folks to stay at Groats that isn't already provided by local B&Bs, campsites and such like.
It needs a specialist pull.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Isn't it a shame we orgers can't get together and buy the place. What would we do with it?
Two things are infinite: the Universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the Universe.
Einstein
I took my Mum over to Groats the other day and we had a lovely time. Sun was shining, lots of tourists about, she enjoyed the shops, then tea and a cake - lovely!
Its such a shame to see the Hotel so run down. I can remember having dinner in the dining room with a fantastic view of the sun setting over Stroma and a drink before hand in the cosy (but tiny) bar infront of a roaring fire. Bliss.
I've always thought it could be a goldmine if done up by someone with a bit of get up and go about them. Imagine serving gorgeous lunches and a thriving bar and place to eat in the evenings. Such a shame to turn it into apartments.
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