Highland MSP wants review of Urquhart Castle’s community benefit

Far North MSP David Green has pushed Historic Environment Scotland for a strategic review of Urquhart Castle to assess whether it was maximising its potential as a community wealth building asset.

The castle attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year and is considered to be Scotland's third most visited historic site – after Edinburgh and Stirling castles - with local estimates placing annual revenue at £6 million.

The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP highlighted that the last strategic review of Urquhart Castle was over twenty years ago, and that publicly available information that could help assess its potential is limited.

Speaking at the Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee on Tuesday, Green asked Historic Environment Scotland CEO Stephen Uphill about the need for an updated strategic view.

He highlighted the importance of community integration and expansion of events at the site, as well pushing for clarity on efforts to improve accessibility at the site.

Mr Uphill recognised that there was a historic difficulty with identifying the financial viability of individual sites, but that Urquhart Castle was one of HES’s key assets.

Responding to the need for a strategic review, he said this was “true of all sites” and that HES “need to understand how they maximise the return of key assets”.

Mr Uphill also noted that HES was co-ordinating with police to help reduce traffic congestion and increase accessibility.

Following the exchange, David Green MSP said:

“The issue is not whether Urquhart Castle should remain nationally protected and managed - it should. The question is whether the site’s operation, investment and commercial activity are structured to maximise local economic, cultural and community benefit.

“I welcome Mr Uphill’s recognition of the value of the Urquhart Castle to the local community and his comments on co-ordination with the police to reduce congestion.

“Urquhart Castle helps support local jobs, services, communities, and cultural activity. That is why I have urged Historic Environment Scotland to consider a renewed strategic review to ensure that the Castle’s potential benefit to the community of Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit and the wider Highlands can be met.”

MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Andrew Baxter added:

“Urquhart Castle is one of the Highlands’ best-known attractions, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to Loch Ness every year. That should bring lasting benefits to the people and businesses in Drumnadrochit and the surrounding area.

“It is right to ask Historic Environment Scotland to take a fresh look at how the castle is run and where it invests. A strategic review could identify more opportunities for local events, jobs and businesses, while tackling practical issues such as traffic and access. The castle’s success should be felt by the communities on its doorstep.”

ENDS.