LOCAL councillors have granted planning permission for a new amusement arcade in Rothesay - but their decision has been branded "an absolute disgrace" by objectors.
Members of the Bute and Cowal area committee agreed on Tuesday to give permission for the development at 19 East Princes Street, on the site of the former Palace Amusements arcade, subject to limits on the premises' opening hours.
But that con
dition was not enough to placate two of the arcade's neighbours, who left the hearing complaining that the appearance of the town appeared to matter more than the concerns of its residents.
Bute South councillor Len Scoullar, whose ward covers East Princes Street, was unable to attend Tuesday's meeting, but his colleague Isobel Strong said: "I can understand why neighbours might think it problematic, but the site has been an eyesore for years and almost any use of that frontage would be an improvement on the present state of the building."
Captain Charles Lunny and his wife Moira, two objectors who attended Tuesday's meeting, submitted two letters objecting to the plan, one of which was accompanied by a petition with eight signatures.
Said Mr Lunny afterwards: "It was an absolute disgrace - there wasn't even a debate.
"We don't feel that our councillors represented us on this issue at all. There's been no consideration of the surrounding people - it was a foregone conclusion."
