Helensburgh Advertiser
Year after the storm
ONE year ago, Helensburgh watched in horror as its barely opened leisure centre lost its roof to Storm Eowyn like leaves in the wind. But what disappeared on January 24, 2025, with the closure of the centre affected the entire community. From swimmers...
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More than £75,000 spent on consultant fees for cycle path
CONSULTANCY fees totalling more than £75,000 have been paid out for work on the protracted Helensburgh to Dumbarton cycle path project since 2019 – when the preferred route could soon be scrapped. The Advertiser revealed in December that proposals...
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MOD WORKER EXPOSED HIS GENITALS IN FRONT OF TEENS
A MINISTRY of Defence employee who flashed his genitals in front of two teenage girls on a train has been told he should be ashamed of himself. Alan Beaton was so drunk he didn’t remember his actions until a police appeal broadcast his face across the...
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Portrait of care home life captured
A LATE Helensburgh man is at the centre of a photography project that aims to raise awareness of living and dying in a care home. Duncan Carson spent the last 18 months of his life as a resident at Northwood House, sharing his experiences. The...
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Teenagers as young as 14 caught with alcohol
TEENS as young as fourteen are being caught with alcohol in Helensburgh and Lomond, according to new police figures. Police Scotland stop and search incidents recorded across Helensburgh Central, Helensburgh and Lomond South, and Helensburgh North...
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‘App on my phone helped to save my life after hill walk heart attack’
A VIDEOGRAPHER says three words helped save his life when he suffered a heart attack after a Loch Lomond hill walk. Kevin Sage, who lives in Garelochhead and runs Helensburgh-based video production company Double Polaroid, has credited the app...
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‘£1m ex-skating pond spend is unjustifiable’
A HELENSBURGH councillor has dismissed a potential £1 million spend on sprucing up the town’s former skating pond as ‘unjustifiable’. And another elected member has stated that proper maintenance of the site in recent years could have avoided the need...
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Planners slammed for ‘reactionary’ decisions
PRIORITIES in Helensburgh are “flipped” by planners imposing town changes instead of asking what the community wants, according to campaigners. Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) heard that planning decisions are “reactionary” in the area rather than
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Campaigners vow to keep up waterfront fight
CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to continue their opposition to a Helensburgh waterfront supermarket despite losing at Scotland’s highest court. Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) was knocked back by the Court of Session last week in their judicial review...
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‘Her laughter and kindness will be remembered always by so many’
THE heartbroken mum of a Helensburgh schoolgirl who died after falling ill has paid an emotional tribute to her “kind” daughter. Olivia Curley, who attended Hermitage Academy, was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow after she took...
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Reopening date in doubt
THE reopening of Helensburgh Leisure Centre has been thrown into fresh doubt as time ticks down towards a deadline set down by council officials. Questions were raised about the progress of work at the site after Argyll and Bute Council claimed the...
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Hundreds sign petition demanding dedicated school bus service
HUNDREDS of people have signed a pupil’s petition calling for a dedicated bus service from Cardross to Hermitage Academy. The petition states pupils and their parents have been left with a “difficult” choice by a new bus timetable: leave very early or...
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11,000 days of roadworks in a year
THE scale of roadworks across Helensburgh and Lomond in a single year has been revealed. The Scottish Road Works Commissioner (SRWC) provided data to the Advertiser outlining every project carried out across hundreds of roads in the local authority...
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‘Give us back yellow lines’
UNCLEAR parking restrictions in Helensburgh town centre risk driving visitors away, community councillors have claimed. Questions were raised by Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) about parking on Colquhoun Street and space for coaches. Drivers are...
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‘Pathetic’: Sheriff slams mum over knife street clash
A SHERIFF has branded a Helensburgh mum “pathetic” after she admitted her involvement in a street disturbance with a knife. Mary Haughie pleaded guilty to assaulting a man at Old Luss Road and attempting to strike him with a knife on February 22 last...
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‘We will fight on after pharmacy bid rejected’
TWO businessmen hoping to bring a new pharmacy to Helensburgh say an NHS decision to reject their plan is “very disappointing”. But Muaz Jamil and Daniel Frame have vowed to continue their efforts to restore the town’s chemist provision to four...
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Sailors sentenced after bar bite brawl
TWO sailors involved in a Helensburgh bar brawl where each bit off a chunk of the other have been sentenced to very different punishments. Anthony McCallum hit Henry Rooms with a pint glass to the head, provoking the man to bite off part of the...
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‘No’ to visitor levy
PROPOSALS to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ have been met with a resounding ‘No’, according to the findings of a public consultation. Residents and businesses were surveyed earlier this year on the plan for a five per cent visitor levy, with a report...
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Opposition mounts over fire station ‘cuts’ plan
OPPOSITION to changes at Helensburgh Fire Station continues to grow as a summer consultation nears its conclusion. Three public meetings in the past two weeks have heard concerted fears that proposed shift changes are not fit for purpose in the...
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‘I had five organs removed but I am one of the lucky ones’
A COURAGEOUS Helensburgh woman considers herself “one of the lucky ones” after having major surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. Two and a half years ago, a team of three surgeons worked for 12 hours to remove Jennifer Ogilvie’s ovaries, uterus,...
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Fire chiefs address crew change safety concerns
FIRE chiefs have sought to dampen safety concerns over proposed changes to crew cover at Helensburgh Fire Station - revealing that the town is the least busy of 19 similar sites across Scotland. have drafted plans to change how the station - and dozens...
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‘Appalling’ amount of taxpayers’ cash spent on fight over waterfront
ARGYLL and Bute Council has been slammed for the “appalling” amount of taxpayers’ cash it has spent fighting the community over its hugely controversial supermarket plans for Helensburgh’s waterfront. New figures show the local authority has spent...
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Swimming club left in the dark over leisure centre
MEMBERS of a swimming club struggling to survive amid the ongoing closure of Helensburgh Leisure Centre say they have been cut off from any communication with authorities. Helensburgh Amateur Swimming Club (HASC) made an angry appeal at a public...
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Teen attacker who left boy disfigured is named
A TEENAGER behind a violent and unprovoked attack in the centre of Helensburgh which left a boy permanently disfigured can now be named for the first time. Lennon Gallacher’s victim fell to the ground after he was punched in the head near Helensburgh...
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Banned driver, 55, takes dad’s car — with a tyre missing
A BANNED driver took his dad’s car without permission and hit the streets with a tyre missing - and he’s aged 55. Allister Strattan took his father’s vehicle from Helensburgh to Dumbarton with only three wheels, leaving scrapes along the road.
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Hundreds raised for waterfront legal fund
HUNDREDS of people have donated to the legal fund fighting for the future of Helensburgh’s waterfront. The appeal is continuing after lawyers for Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) challenged Argyll and Bute Council
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‘Our children deserve better’
PARENTS at Helensburgh’s largest primary school are calling for help to stop derelict land being turned into a social housing development. Campaigners from Hermitage Primary Parents for Active Learning (PAL) explained at a Helensburgh Community...
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‘Good citizen’ youth worker given MBE
A HELENSBURGH woman who once brought a stranger home as a teenager has been awarded an MBE for her decades of work with young refugees and migrants. Marian Spiers, now director of the Dost Centre in London, received the honour from King Charles III...
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Man jailed for carrying potato peeler
A HELENSBURGH man with a long history of carrying weapons has been jailed - for having a potato peeler. Connor Taylor was locked up for 14 months after pleading guilty to possession in the street of an item with a blade or that was sharply...
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OAP admits embezzling more than £54k from charity
A PENSIONER has confessed to taking hardship funds every week for more than five years from the charity where she worked. Catherine Bell, of Helensburgh, pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £54,000 from the Jewish Care Scotland charity in Giffnock,...
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Navy veteran’s ‘medical cannabis’ case dropped
A FORMER Royal Navy worker has been cleared of having drugs in his system when behind the wheel - because it was medical cannabis. Michael Tolley had been charged more than two years ago with having nearly twice the limit of THC in his blood when in...
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‘Hospital heroes brought me back from the brink’
A CARDROSS man has thanked hospital staff for MONTHS of care to bring him back to health. Bobby Beggs, 69, spent seven months at the Vale of Leven Hospital after collapsing at home and being admitted with serious health issues including liver...
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‘Jobs could go’ as part of fire service changes
MORE than a dozen jobs could be lost through cuts to Helensburgh’s fire service to help cover the cost of building repairs. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said a massive national backlog of repairing the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS)...
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Fire station changes ‘could cost lives’
CAMPAIGNERS fighting proposed changes to fire protection across Helensburgh and Lomond have warned buildings and lives could be lost. A petition against potential crew changes at Helensburgh Community Fire Station has quickly gained more than 1,300...
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School ‘coming through other side’ as accounts published
THE introduction of costsaving measures and a restructuring plan will not impact the delivery of “excellent education” at Helensburgh’s only independent school, bosses have assured. Following the recent publication of Lomond School’s latest financial...
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Man in court over ‘attempted murder’
A MAN has appeared in court charged with attempted murder following a “disturbance” in Cardross. Steven McCulloch appeared in private at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on April 25. The 58-year-old is accused of assault to severe injury, permanent...
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Fundraisers take on charity challenge after cancer journeys
THREE inspiring Helensburgh fundraisers who have experienced the devastating impact of cancer are preparing to take on a charity challenge alongside thousands of others this weekend. Claire Balneaves, Ollie Johnston, and Jacqueline McGill will walk...
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Teenage attacker makes ‘no progress’ on sentence
A TEENAGER who attacked a Helensburgh youth in the street has made “no progress” with a courtordered punishment, a hearing has been told. The 17-year-old - who can’t be named because of his age - previously pleaded guilty to being part of an assault...
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‘We couldn’t have done it without you’
DEDICATED volunteers celebrating a successful yearlong campaign to bring a vital Helensburgh venue into community ownership have said “failing wasn’t an option”. The team behind the bid to keep the Tower Digital Arts Centre in St Columba’s Church have...
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‘Connectivity is critical’: Fears over bus service changes
SERIOUS concerns have been raised about Helensburgh being cut off from other communities by bus firms. Changes to the timetable of the First Bus service from Helensburgh to Glasgow are expected to make journeys even longer and risk being “unsafe”,...
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Man jailed over threats to rape police officer’s wife
A HELENSBURGH man has been jailed for threatening to rape a police officer’s wife in front of him. Barry Gilfedder openly refused attempts from the court dock to keep him in the community. It left a sheriff with no option but to lock him up -...
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Survivor tells tale of how she was ‘born dead’
A YOUNG woman who survived the health effects of toxic chemicals is sharing the story you won’t see in a hit new Netflix series. India Harrison, 25, will soon open her new shop in Helensburgh thanks to landmark compensation when she was a child. She...
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Wait goes on for storm-hit leisure centre reopening
COUNCIL officers still have no clarity on when Helensburgh Leisure Centre might reopen, nearly seven weeks after Storm Eowyn forced its closure. A councillor has also reported that more than half of the roof at the Waterfront facility was damaged in...
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Woman claims her hair was pulled out by ex’s new wife
A WOMAN claimed her hair was pulled out by her ex’s new wife - who she didn’t even know existed despite living across the street. Kelly Garden pushed her way into Lyndsay Scott’s John Street flat and they ended up on the floor, a court heard. Garden,...
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Number of empty shops doubles in just six months
EFFORTS are under way to fill gaps in Helensburgh’s high street after a survey revealed the number of empty shops in the town has almost doubled in just six months. found 24 currently vacant businesses, up from 14 in September. The results emerged as...
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Submariner jailed after Faslane sex attack
A ROYAL Navy submariner who groped a colleague at Faslane while on bail for another sex attack was jailed last week for two years. Jack Seviour, 25, preyed on the woman at accommodation at the naval base near Helensburgh on March 23, 2023. Seviour...
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‘It will happen’: Pier group’s pledge
THE volunteer-led campaign group bidding to restore Helensburgh’s historic pier has outlined its plans for the listed structure and vowed: “It will happen.” Members of the Helensburgh Pier Company spoke to the Advertiser as they aim to put the town...
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‘We told you so’
RESIDENTS and campaigners have sent a firm message to Argyll and Bute Council following the storm damage to Helensburgh Leisure Centre: “We told you so.” The fallout from Storm Éowyn’s trail of destruction at the £25 million waterfront site will lead...
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Trail of destruction
UNCERTAINTY remains over how long Helensburgh Leisure Centre will be closed after it was badly damaged by Storm Eowyn – and how much it will cost to fix. By the end of Friday, video footage of the destruction of the building’s roof had been viewed...
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Teenagers who attacked youth are spared prison
TWO young attackers who left a Helensburgh teenager with nightmares of their vicious assault have been ordered to behave. The youths - aged 16 and 17 at the time - will see no time behind bars, despite one having a previous assault in his background,...
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Builders appeal against refusal of new 120-home development
A HOUSEBUILDING company has appealed against a decision to refuse a change of conditions for a planned development of more than 100 homes in Cardross - accusing the local authority of “misunderstanding” the facts. Cala Homes has lodged an appeal with...
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Warning ‘more businesses could follow’ after shock shop closure
THE shock closure of a fixture of Helensburgh’s High Street this week, after more than a decade in the town, has been blamed on a lack of government support - and a warning has been fired that further small businesses could fold this year. The Olde...
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Campaigners to challenge council bosses in court
CAMPAIGNERS fighting against a waterfront supermarket have won permission to challenge council bosses in the country’s highest court. The Court of Session granted Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) permission for a judicial review of Argyll and Bute...
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Submariner groped woman at Faslane
A ROYAL Navy submariner who groped a colleague at Faslane while on bail for another sex attack offered to buy one of his victims “flowers and coffee” after confessing to his “rapey behaviour”. Jack Seviour preyed on the woman at accommodation at the...
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Driving ban for man who aimed car at police officer
A MAN who drove at a police officer standing in a Helensburgh street yelling at him to stop has been banned from the roads for more than two years. John Rae previously pleaded guilty to being five times the legal drink limit when he aimed at the...
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Backing for ambitious pier takeover bid
A RECENTLY formed community group’s ambitious bid to take over the running of Helensburgh’s historic pier has received resounding support from councillors. The Helensburgh Pier Company, established earlier this year, has expressed an interest in...
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Teens admit to ‘vicious’ attack
TWO teenagers have confessed to a “vicious” unprovoked attack that left a local teen with blood gushing from his head. The youths - only one of whom can be named because of their ages - pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to the assault when...
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First look at proposed new waterfront store
PREVIOUSLY unseen mockups of Helensburgh’s new waterfront supermarket have been revealed by campaigners trying to stop the plans. The “indicative” designs for the site between the leisure centre and West Clyde Street were presented to councillors last...
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Intoxicated man drove straight at police officer
AN INTOXICATED driver who was previously charged with attempted murder has pleaded guilty to aiming his car at a police officer in Helensburgh. John Rae, who was five times over the legal drink limit, drove the vehicle at the male PC as he held up his...
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Pier campaign group’s ‘major step forward’
CAMPAIGNERS bidding to refurbish and reopen Helensburgh’s dormant pier say their efforts are gathering pace after they successfully set up a registered company. The local group behind the plans has taken a major step forward by forming The...
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Man charged with attempted murder
A MAN has appeared in court charged with attempted murder following an alleged serious assault in Helensburgh last week. Ross Taylor, 41, made no plea during a petition hearing held in private at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday, November 4. He is...
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Flower power
PEOPLE in Helensburgh were surprised - and delighted - to be handed beautiful bouquets of flowers as they walked through the town last week. And the secret behind the kind-hearted gesture has now been revealed. For a second year, Helensburgh Flowers...
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Appeal to fund court action over ‘secret’ waterfront plans
COMMUNITY campaigners have launched an appeal to take council bosses to court over their controversial and secret waterfront plans. Helensburgh Community Council have set up a fund-raising drive for £30,000 towards getting a judicial review of Argyll...
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Offender jailed again for haul of indecent images
A HELENSBURGH sex offender who was caught with thousands of sickening indecent images of children for a second time said he got a “thrill” from sorting out the pictures. Kieran Webster was locked up after admitting possession of 28,000 indecent images...
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Business suffered ‘nightmare’ hack
A HELENSBURGH couple have spoken of the “damaging” and “stressful” impact of a comprehensive cyber attack on their business which cut them off from customers. Mairi and Stephen Clayton, of Tweedie and Leather Guild, are still fighting to restore...
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Rally against waterfront supermarket plans
HELENSBURGH residents are being asked to turn out in force to show their opposition to plans for a supermarket on prime waterfront land. Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) announced at their meeting last week that they would be holding a...
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Machete thug jailed after leaving chip in man’s skull
A MACHETE thug has been jailed for an ‘utterly disgraceful’ blade attack that chipped a man’s skull in a Helensburgh street. Connor Taylor admitted attacking Paul Wright at a property in Buchanan Road on November 29 last year. He also pleaded guilty...
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