View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 17 February 2010

Wednesday 17 February

Occasional wintry showers and feeling quite cold today. Only 3C on the thermometer, so definitely down on recent times.

A lot rougher is the weather in the Indian Ocean. It is mid summer in Mauritius, which means that it is hurricane season down there. Tropical cyclone Gelane is moving south from a position of about 550 miles north of Mauritius, and will pass to the east of the island by about Sunday. Winds around the centre could peak at 110 mph, but probably will not impact Mauritius.

Locally, the contentious proposals for upgrading the 80-year old Town Hall have come in front of the council. Unfortunately, as I type this, the link provided by local news site Heb News is not working. The Stornoway Gazette link does give more info, and says that the committee decision will be put in front of full council tomorrow. If approved, the Scottish Government will have to give its consent for the alterations to the listed building. Opponents to this scheme have vowed to take their fight to the Scottish Government.

The letters section of Heb News is filling up with cries of woe from expat Lewismen who hold fond memories of days of yore in the Town Hall. I wonder what they would have to say if the building fell to pieces on them.