Retired. Interested in information, travel, tourism, Argyll & Bute, the outdoors, and more.https://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mkpxwtdzak2bThis letter points out some of the negative consequences of the tax on second homes, for many rural areas. These include: less new-builds, less renovation of empty houses, more empty houses, population decline, etc. And for first-time buyers, it may even make it more difficult to get a loan.30 Apr 2026 15:54 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkpxwtdzak2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mkcxfh7lok2kNegative consequences of the council tax second home premium for locals25 Apr 2026 11:39 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkcxfh7lok2khttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mczbyjbhqs2ePleased to see my photo in today's Oban Times22 Jan 2026 13:26 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mczbyjbhqs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mctylh5krk2rEllenabeich, Seil Island20 Jan 2026 10:54 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mctylh5krk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mcaqwubzos2bIs low occupancy the hidden factor driving Argyll and Bute’s housing emergency? https://www.westcoasttoday.co.uk/news/is-low-occupancy-the-hidden-factor-driving-argyll-and-butes-housing-emergency12 Jan 2026 19:17 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcaqwubzos2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3mag2fxvxhs2oTo whet your appetite, an extract from my recently published book - a collection of true, humorous travel stories from Scotland, Cyprus, Europe, South‑East Asia, India, Africa, and more, accompanied by photographs amzn.eu/d/3jGG4wf Half of proceeds go to a worthy Book Aid charity20 Dec 2025 10:59 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mag2fxvxhs2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3m6vwryiouc2eNeed a laugh? Enjoy travel writing? Newly published book. #1 in Amazon's Hot New Releases. "Darby and Joan on steroids" "Funnier than Theroux". Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories. Costs less than a coffee. Enjoy! amzn.eu/d/aCTx0t401 Dec 2025 07:47 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6vwryiouc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3m6lyvlkcg22xJust Published! Backpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories Available from Amazon, for less than the price of a coffee, with half of any proceeds going to the Book Aid International charity. True travel stories. https://youtube.com/shorts/6PIpP65j0nA27 Nov 2025 08:58 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6lyvlkcg22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3m5tau5gbmc2qBackpacking the Banana Pancake Trail in your 70s: And other short travel stories. Kindle Edition now available. "Funnier than Theroux" An anthology of true, hilarious short travel stories. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Backpacking-Banana-Pancake-Trail-your-ebook/dp/B0G2H9FS8N/17 Nov 2025 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tau5gbmc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lyzvetd5mk2sGlen Lonan highland cow17 Sep 2025 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyzvetd5mk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lyzvcmzs4s2mShetland decide against 'visitor levy' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6xrkd3l9ro17 Sep 2025 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyzvcmzs4s2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lymtq5lmzk2o73% of respondents to the Council's consultation are against the imposition of a damaging visitor levy in Argyll & Bute12 Sep 2025 08:27 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lymtq5lmzk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lyidmw6f6k24Dunadd Fort, Argyll & Bute10 Sep 2025 13:28 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyidmw6f6k24https://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lyidjnher224The people of Argyll & Bute have spoken (via the Council's consultation) and it is a resounding NO to the Visitor Levy tax on accommodation.10 Sep 2025 13:26 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyidjnher224https://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lotgvxncis2mBanana Pancake Trail https://youtube.com/shorts/_MFpPB8ltTc?si=ymVFOUxelz5Lg74F10 May 2025 17:14 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lotgvxncis2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3ljvwmvwan22g Argyll and Bute Visitor Levy Public Consultation. The levy would be a disaster for a rural area like Argyll & Bute with a fragile tourism industry, but the Council doesn't seem to care. https://argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/public-consultation/09 Mar 2025 01:55 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljvwmvwan22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lhwxkxc46c2p argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com12 Feb 2025 00:54 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhwxkxc46c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lhwwzi3wvc2zWho would have believed it? The visitor levy is multi-flawed Https://www.midlothianview.com/news/edinburgh-councillors-seek-to-clawback-vat-on-visitor-levy https://www.midlothianview.com/news/edinburgh-councillors-seek-to-clawback-vat-on-visitor-levy?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email12 Feb 2025 00:44 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhwwzi3wvc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lhwvbnwfus2gHttps://argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/ https://argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/12 Feb 2025 00:13 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhwvbnwfus2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lhpda5yt3c22How the visitor levy in Scotland will damage rural communities https://bylines.scot/news/economics/business/scotlands-visitor-levy-a-blow-to-rural-communities/09 Feb 2025 00:01 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhpda5yt3c22https://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lg3yk5ger22uLose the levy Argyll & Bute http://youtube.com/post/UgkxIRge1ci93PQTkkCpfVJmU_VdKob6a6zp?si=vMow0XXqrcME1fja19 Jan 2025 14:04 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg3yk5ger22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfz6hnllyc2cVisitor Levy. Family of 4 spending 5 nights in a hotel in Oban in July, typical cost is £2,500 so the Visitor Levy will add £125 to this. Same family stays in Manchester, the city tax is only £20 Even @argyllandbute.bsky.social can do the maths and see that the levy will send tourists elsewhere.18 Jan 2025 11:12 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfz6hnllyc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfwyfcjrbk2kVisitor levy. Highland Council. Good explanation https://www.lighthousekeeperscottage.co.uk/the-highland-council-visitor-levy/17 Jan 2025 14:18 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfwyfcjrbk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfwreycjek2tIf implemented in Argyll & Bute, the visitor levy will add at least £94.44 and up to £142.56 to the cost of a typical family July stay in the #3 Tripadvisor best value hotel in Oban.17 Jan 2025 12:13 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfwreycjek2thttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfsrgpyszs2tArgyll & Bute is not at all like the various cities where tourist taxes have been introduced with some level of success. Argyll & Bute is large, rural, sparsely populated, and has poor transport links. Lose the levy, Argyll & Bute argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com https://argyllandbutevisitorlevy.com/15 Jan 2025 22:03 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfsrgpyszs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfsllqq3ws2nVisitor levy fears https://www.bbc.co.uk/naidheachdan/bhidio/cz7q4elqljzo?fbclid=IwY2xjawH01KVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXrTNpvRTPkGp0qs0nPAESVeOtNZquR3qB8FLF_b6XzGBxrgeiYGYR6qkw_aem_ot318dmdnDm4kALKVeZAHQ15 Jan 2025 20:19 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfsllqq3ws2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/libram99.bsky.social/post/3lfm2udauhc2lIf Argyll & Bute impose a visitor levy, then all of the 20% VAT payable on the levy will leave Argyll & Bute and go to Scotgov/GovUK.13 Jan 2025 06:03 +0000at://did:plc:eacf6oxddswyhmyep62styrf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfm2udauhc2l