This summary profile is taken from the Arrochar and Tarbet Community Action Plan published in 2003.

The Community Council area of Arrochar and Tarbet has one of the most spectacular landscape settings imaginable. Although the vast majority of its small population live practically at sea level, the area is framed by dramatic mountain scenery on all sides and borders on both the largest freshwater loch in Britain and an extended fiord-like sea loch. It lies at one of those vital cross roads in Scotland where the routes to the west and the north divide.

It has seen come-and-go fishing, cattle-droving, railways, forestry, hydro-electric energy, the defence industry and Vikings. Currently the main industry is tourism and hospitality. People live in one of four main settlements – Arrochar, Tarbet, Succoth or Ardlui.

People

In the last two hundred years the population has fluctuated between 500 and 1500 but, having dropped back to about 700 in the 1930’s, has grown to around 1000 at present. But this apparent population stability masks a changing situation - as younger people leave to seek work or a greater choice of affordable accommodation elsewhere, their place locally is being taken up by older and retired people moving in, attracted by the community setting and the opportunity to gain at least a part of their income through running bed and breakfast accommodation.

Housing

An increasing number of properties are used as second and holiday homes. This, coupled with the purchase of formerly rented accommodation (both council and forestry houses have been lost from the rented sector), has led to a lack of affordable accommodation for young families and first-time buyers.This demand has been met in part by the construction of a small number of new housing association houses.

Employment and the Local Economy

Arrochar and Tarbet’s story is one of disappearing jobs – fishing, farming, forestry, hydro power, defence and the Outdoor and Community Centre have all employed large numbers of local people in the past and all have either gone or employ very few indeed. The major employers now are the four big hotels, shops, pubs and restaurants and local service industries like building, garages and boat cruises. There are 26 bed and breakfast operators and five campsites and caravan parks. Many of the workers in the local tourism industry either travel in daily from elsewhere or are hired seasonally and live in tied
accommodation.

There are four farms in the Arrochar and Tarbet area, three operated by owners, one by a tenant of Luss Estates. All farms use contract labour. The farms run sheep and hill cattle in the main.

Social and Community Services

The community has a playgroup and a Parent and Toddlers group which is hindered at times by the fact that they need to share accommodation. The primary school serves local children well despite its appalling state of repair and includes a nursery class. The primary school roll has dropped from 94 ten years ago to around 70 at present. This decline is a source of anxiety locally as people fear for its viability in the future. Secondary school age students attend school in Helensburgh for the most part.

There is a GP practice in the village but no dentist and only a little, dedicated or supported accommodation for older people. There are a number of clubs and associations which are badly hindered by the lack of a community centre and a meeting place in the village. Many other local groups have closed down as a consequence of the closure of the Outdoor Centre, built by the previous local authority to serve also as a community meeting place. In parallel, the football club suffers badly from an unusable pitch and uncertainty over the future of its lease. People are, however, rightly proud of the community endeavour and dedication which has recently rebuilt the church. It has a small hall attached, which is well used but unfortunately not large enough for many of the activities that people wish to see in the village.

Transport Links

The local view is that neither buses or trains serve the community well enough as the timetables are not co-ordinated and it is not possible to commute to work or training in the city without driving to either Balloch or Garelochhead from where the services are more frequent.

Environment and Location

In contrast to the spectacular location, the built area of the community has a generally run down and dilapidated appearance. Arrochar and Tarbet stand at the transition between highland and lowland Scotland and this has a profound effect on the underlying topography.

Heritage

Heritage and tradition play a vital part in any community. Locally, the key points include:

• The mixing of cultures with the Viking story (Tarbet derives from an old Norse word) and the Celtic tradition (Arrochar has a Gaelic root)
• The cattle drove routes to and from markets
• Edwardian day trips on the steamers on Loch Long and the paddle steamer on Loch Lomond
• Poets by the score passing through
• The Fairy Loch and the Pulpit Rock

There is a clear role for the local heritage to act as the springboard for future prosperity.