Lochgilphead


Lochgilphead is a town and former burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom, with a population of around 2,300 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The village lies at the end of Loch Gilp and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal. Lochgilphead sits on the A83, with Ardrishaig 2 miles to the south and Inveraray to the north-east; Oban lies north on the A816.
The council is based at Kilmory Castle, around which is located a woodland park and an Iron Age fort. Forestry and Land Scotland also have an office there.
Lochgilphead's facilities include a swimming pool, sports centre, fishing tackle shop, three banks, Co-op Food supermarket, two petrol stations, three homewear and hardware shops, a Renault dealership, a community hospital run by the local GPs, a 9-hole golf course, bowling club, a hydrotherapy pool, a regional landfill site at Dunchologan and Lochgilphead High School.
The town is home to shinty team Kilmory Camanachd and football team, Lochgilphead Red Star.

History

As a planned settlement, Lochgilphead was created in 1790, shortly after the completion of a road from Inveraray to Campbeltown. After the completion of the Crinan Canal in 1801, the town became more important as a link across the Kintyre peninsula. The town was linked to Oban, when a road was completed in 1830. In 1831 a pier was built, helping to link Lochgilphead with Glasgow and other major towns.
In 1975 Lochgilphead was chosen as the administrative headquarters of the Argyll and Bute District Council as part of local government reorganisation, due to its central location.
In the nearby Kilmartin Glen is a large number of Neolithic remains, including cup and ring marks.

Climate

Lochgilphead has an oceanic climate. As with most of the West Highlands, there are low sunshine levels and high amounts of rainfall, with around 1,150 sunshine hours and nearly of rainfall annually. The nearest weather station to Lochgilphead is at Lephinmore, which is to the north-east and above sea level.

Education

Lochgilphead Joint Campus is sited on the outskirts of the town and has a capacity of 727, with the Secondary School section drawing pupils from the wider Mid Argyll area. The Campus opened in October 2007, replacing the separate Primary School and High School.
Argyll College has two sites in Lochgilphead, one in Lorne Street, and the purpose built Construction Skill Centre in Kilmory
Industrial Estate.

Lochgilphead settlement profile 2014 - Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Total population was 3,825 in 2011, an increase of 3.2 per cent from 2001. By industry of employment, a higher share of employment in construction, public administration and defence, and health and social work than the Highlands and Islands and Scotland. By occupation, a higher share of employment in caring, leisure and other services, and sales and customer services than the Highlands and Islands and Scotland. Unemployment rates have increased to above the Argyll and the Islands, Highlands and Islands and Scotland rates. The annualised Jobseekers Allowance claimant count rate in 2013 was 4.0 per cent in Lochgilphead, 3.2 per cent in Argyll and the Islands, 2.4 per cent in Highlands and Islands and 3.7 per cent across Scotland. There is a smaller proportion of the adult population with no qualifications compared to Argyll and the Islands, the Highlands and Islands and Scotland, and more qualified with degree-level qualifications.

Healthcare

There are two hospitals in Lochgilphead:
In July 1982, Lochgilphead competed against teams from Perth and Oban in the then highly popular BBC Television It's a Knockout, presented by Stuart Hall. The town's team won their round and later competed in the international version of the series, 'Jeux Sans Frontieres', which was recorded in Switzerland.

Dalriada Provincial Mod

The town annually hosts the Dalriada Provincial Mod each September. The event is a Gaelic festival organised by the local branch of An Comunn Gàidhealach, which provides opportunities for people of all ages to perform across a range of competitive disciplines including Gaelic music and song, highland dancing, instrumental, drama, sport and literature.

Filmography

In the World War Two film, 633 Squadron, Lochgilphead's main street features briefly in an aerial shot, as the bombers of 633 Squadron fly over the unnamed town en route to the target in Norway.
The James Bond film From Russia with Love used locations in Lochgilphead for shots. The local cinema was used to watch screen rushes each day for the cast and crew.

Mid Argyll Music Festival

The town is one of the venues for the Mid Argyll Music Festival, which runs for around 2 weeks annually.

Lochgilphead Lantern Parade And Firework Display

This annual winter event had developed into one of the major highlights in the Argyll area, attracting crowds from near and far. However, the Lantern Parade did not occur in November 2014 after the organising committee responsible for previous events announced they would not continue in May 2014.

Invention and discovery

The Argyll Turbo GT sportscar was built by Bob Henderson in Manse Brae.

Mid Argyll Show

Lochgilphead hosts The Mid-Argyll Agricultural Show, which is a major event held annually on the second Saturday in August.

Notable people