What has Tarbert, Loch Fyne, done to upset Vodafone and Google? None of us who live here have any idea why these two giant corporations seem intent on destroying our local economy and want to keep us incommunicado with the outside world.
This morning the Vodafone signal is down for the umpteenth time in recent months. Sometimes it can be out for weeks at a time. It has been happening for years and is now a regular occurrence. Vodafone don’t seem to care that it is the sole means of communication for many of our 2000 plus citizens nor do Vodafone care that it is the chosen supplier for many who work for the emergency services. Despite complaints, a campaign by our local paper and even an anti Vodafone Facebook page, Vodafone continues to offer a dangerously poor level of service and reliability to our population.
Google, the main means of finding out how to get to towns and village in remote rural areas, absolutely refuses to acknowledge Tarbert’s existence. There are around 12 communities named Tarbert or Tarbet in Scotland. Tarbert on Loch Fyne is by far the largest. Despite this Google continues to ignore us. Thus, when anyone wants to find us on Google Maps they are directed to other Tarberts. Google even refuse to put the name of our village on their map. The area is just called Carse for some obscure reason lost in history.
We have written letters, complained to our MSPs, had articles published in local and national Newspapers. Despite this Google continues to arrogantly ignore our pleas and insist that we don’t exist.
To many folk this may seem to be a quaint wee technological oddity but to our largest industry, the tourism industry, it is a major blow.
Perhaps Google and Vodafone really love Tarbert and want to keep it a secret known only to themselves? Maybe Google and Vodafone feel that our beautiful harbour, ancient castle (once a parliament for Robert the Bruce) and award winning seafood are too good to let the world know of its existence.
Whatever the reason, Vodafone and Google continue to make their billions while their neglect and indifference allows our local economy to crash and burn.
mullingkintyre 