Looking Back: Wick’s first music festival, Protest at price rise and Nightclub boss to appeal

Wick’s first music festival

From the Groat of June 13, 1924

“From an early hour... till late in the evening the Rifle Hall, Wick, was the scene of active and attractive proceedings on the occasion of the opening of the first Wick Musical (competition) Festival.”

The festival had attracted over 160 entries, comprising around 900 competitors, and for such a “sparsely populated district” the organising committee considered this a “good beginning” for what it expected would become an annual event.

Performing the opening ceremony, Provost Green said the festival was “unique in the history of Wick; but it was, he felt sure, the foundation of what would in future be a beautiful edifice of true music”.

The chairman of the organising committee, James Steven, said it was shame that the event had attracted so few competitors from the country districts and the neighbouring counties, but he hoped that the result of the two days of competition and performance would create “a keener interest in their work amongst their country friends and bring more competitors from these parts to the next festival”.

Meanwhile, Wick Carnegie Library’s annual financial accounts showed that it was £56 in the black, a figure slightly down on the previous year.

However, £43 more had been spent on buying books, newspapers and magazines.

At its annual meeting the library committee also heard that the number of new readers had increased by 125 per cent.

Protest at price rise

From the Groat of June 14, 1974

Electricity boards “who had raised the price of electricity” had been strongly criticised by Bailie John Rapley at a meeting of Wick Town Council’s housing committee.

He condemned the change in the tariff for night storage heaters and called on suppliers to “keep their promises” concerning cheaper power.

Bailie Rapley said: “We were informed year after year that if we put in storage heaters we would get electricity at half price. Now we are told that the prices are going up by 31 per cent. It is breaking faith with the public.”

He said he appreciated that electricity prices “must go up” as costs had gone up “in all kinds of ways”, but it was “most unfair” on those hoping to take advantage of the cheaper rates.

Bailie Margaret Robertson noted: “We in the north of Scotland derive our electricity from water. There is no 40 per cent increase in water.”

Provost William G Mowat said that manufacturers and retailers throughout the country were being asked to keep price increases down to a small percentage but here was a nationalised industry doing the opposite.

He thought it was “high time that some attention was paid to the normal law-abiding citizens of the country who don’t threaten strikes or anything else”.

Nightclub boss to appeal

From the Groat of June 18, 1999

Wick nightclub boss John Sutherland was to appeal against a decision to refuse renewal of the licence for the Waterfront.

The newly elected Caithness Licensing Board had turned down the application following an objection from Northern Constabulary.

Wick-based Inspector Andy Walker had outlined a list of concerns regarding alleged underage drinking and misuse of drugs.

Mr Sutherland said he had received almost 200 telephone calls of support following the ruling and was confident that he would win his case.

“I know that I have done no wrong and intend to fight to clear my name,” he said, claiming that the case against him had been based on “innuendo and anecdotal evidence”.

Mr Sutherland said he intended to look into police claims that a 14-year-old girl had been admitted to the nightclub while “extremely drunk” and had later been indecently assaulted. He was also to investigate a report that a 12-year-old girl had been removed from the premises by her father.

He reiterated that he had adhered to the licensing rules ever since the Waterfront had opened in 1993. While the appeal process was ongoing, the nightclub was to continue trading.

Elsewhere, final preparations were being made for the start of operations at Thurso’s pioneering battery plant. The factory was due to be up and running by the end of the month.

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