Fladda Lighthouse

Pleased to see my photo in today's Oban Times

Ellenabeich, Seil Island

Is low occupancy the hidden factor driving Argyll and Bute’s housing emergency? While the Scottish Government and local authorities scramble to address the housing crisis through construction targets and taxes on second homes, an Argyll researcher and information specialist is wa...

Is low occupancy the hidden factor driving Argyll and Bute’s housing emergency? www.westcoasttoday.co.uk/news/is-low-...

To whet your appetite, an extract from my recently published book - a collection of true, humorous travel stories from Scotland, Cyprus, Europe, South‑East Asia, India, Africa, and more, accompanied by photographs amzn.eu/d/3jGG4wf Half of proceeds go to a worthy Book Aid charity

Need a laugh? Enjoy travel writing? Newly published book. #1 in Amazon's Hot New Releases. "Darby and Joan on steroids" "Funnier than Theroux". Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories. Costs less than a coffee. Enjoy! amzn.eu/d/aCTx0t4

Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories, by Roddy MacLeod. YouTube video by Roddy MacLeod

Just Published! Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories

Available from Amazon, for less than the price of a coffee, with half of any proceeds going to the Book Aid International charity.

True travel stories.
youtube.com/shorts/6PIpP...

Book title: Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s

Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories. Kindle Edition now available. "Funnier than Theroux" An anthology of true, hilarious short travel stories.
www.amazon.co.uk/Backpacking-...

Tourist tax to be paused in Argyll and Bute? Councillors have called for the visitor levy process to be paused in Argyll and Bute ahead of a key meeting next week. A short life working group held discussions on the proposed charge after a report showed that the majority of over 3,000 respondents were against a 5%t visitor levy in its current form. A decision on the next steps in the process will now be made at a full meeting of the council, with minutes of the working group meeting to be made available to councillors in advance.

‘The consultation results are a red light, not a green light. It is clear that residents and businesses oppose the visitor levy in its current form’

Glen Lonan highland cow

Shetland Islands Council decides against a 'tourist tax' Scottish local authorities now have the power to introduce a visitor levy on overnight accommodation.

Shetland decide against 'visitor levy' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Shetland Islands Council report advises against visitor levy Report recommends engaging with government on other levy models and discretionary revenue-raising

Councillors are being recommended not to pursue the introduction of a visitor levy in #Shetland

www.insider.co.uk/news/shetlan...

73% of respondents to the Council's consultation are against the imposition of a damaging visitor levy in Argyll & Bute

Dunadd Fort, Argyll & Bute

The people of Argyll & Bute have spoken (via the Council's consultation) and it is a resounding NO to the Visitor Levy tax on accommodation.

The Banana Pancake Trail - Cambodia, Laos & Thailand YouTube video by Roddy MacLeod

Banana Pancake Trail youtube.com/shorts/_MFpP...

Argyll and Bute Visitor Levy Public Consultation. The levy would be a disaster for a rural area like Argyll & Bute with a fragile tourism industry, but the Council doesn't seem to care. argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/public-consu...

🌹 Happy Valentine's Day, friends!
Psst—if you’re into thoughtful policy deep dives, check out @richardsonsrubicon’s latest episode debunking myths about Scotland’s visitor levy. Spoiler: It’s not what you think! 🏴🔍
👉 Listen here
#ValentinesDay #VisitScotland #VisitorLevy #TouristTax

argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com

Edinburgh Councillors seek to clawback VAT on visitor levy - Midlothian View Edinburgh councillors have voted to try and claw back millions of pounds per year set to be taken by the Treasury.

Who would have believed it? The visitor levy is multi-flawed www.midlothianview.com/news/edinburgh-councillo...

Argyll & Bute Visitor Levy - Argyll & Bute Visitor Levy Campaign Group Discover the truth about the Argyll & Bute Visitor Levy, an 'Accommodation Tax' affecting locals and tourists alike. Learn how it impacts the economy, why clarity is lacking, and how you can influence...

Https://argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/

Edinburgh Councillors seek to clawback VAT on visitor levy - Midlothian View Edinburgh councillors have voted to try and claw back millions of pounds per year set to be taken by the Treasury.

Let's see how long Severin takes to apologise www.midlothianview.com/news/edinbur...

Family 5-day July stay in Manchester, tourist tax is £10. Same family 5-day July stay Oban Bay Hotel, visitor levy would be £100. This ridiculous visitor levy will drive visitors away. Lose the Levy Argyll & Bute

Family 5-day July stay in Manchester, tourist tax is £10. Same family 5-day July stay Oban Bay Hotel, visitor levy would be £100. This ridiculous visitor levy will drive visitors away. Lose the Levy Argyll & Bute

Family 5-day July stay in Manchester, tourist tax is £10. Same family 5-day July stay Oban Bay Hotel, visitor levy would be £100. This ridiculous visitor levy will drive visitors away. Lose the Levy Argyll & Bute.

Scotland’s visitor levy: A blow to rural communities? Argyll and Bute’s proposed percentage-based visitor levy is the wrong solution for such rural communities, an accommodation provider argues

How the visitor levy in Scotland will damage rural communities bylines.scot/news/economi...

OK. So you're not interested in an item about the human side of the potential levy impact in rural Argyll & Bute. At least I now know why I don't see many copies of The Guardian on sale in that part of Scotland.

Lose the Levy Argyll & Bute YouTube video by LoseTheLevy ArgyllBute

A levy will be a disaster if applied to rural areas youtube.com/shorts/V3Vhj...

Lose the Levy Argyll & Bute YouTube video by LoseTheLevy ArgyllBute

This, however, is not wrong youtube.com/shorts/V3Vhj...

Post from LoseTheLevy ArgyllBute - YouTube Why Are We Concerned About the Proposed Visitor Levy in Argyll & Bute? Cities like Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Tokyo, Manchester, and others charge tourists a tax ...

Lose the levy Argyll & Bute youtube.com/post/UgkxIRg...

Visitor Levy. Family of 4 spending 5 nights in a hotel in Oban in July, typical cost is £2,500 so the Visitor Levy will add £125 to this. Same family stays in Manchester, the city tax is only £20 Even @argyllandbute.bsky.social can do the maths and see that the levy will send tourists elsewhere.