Get in Touch - Dornoch Area Community Interest Company (DACIC)
The Dornoch Area Community Interest Company (DACIC) is a voluntary organisation which aims to:
• Enhance Dornoch town centre, while preserving the historic & cultural heritage
• Encourage the development of new business employment opportunities
• Ensure a quality range of services continues to be available
• Manage community land and associated assets
To see the Memorandum and Articles of Association click here.
This website is managed by DACIC and provides information for local residents. A second website VisitDornoch.com is managed by DACIC to provide information for visitors to Dornoch.
Anyone living in the IV25 postcode, aged 18 & over and on the electoral register may become a member of DACIC. Click here for an application form
If you have an interest in DACIC (e.g. work in Dornoch) but don't live here, then please register your contact details as a Stakeholder and we will keep you informed. Click here for a Stakeholder Contact form.
Our minutes are available at the bottom of this page.
Our GDPR Privacy Statement is here
Coul Golf Links
The DACIC board unanimously, fully and enthusiastically support the Coul Links project. We believe the environmental issues can be constructively addressed and the project will materially strengthen the Dornoch and East Sutherland communities.
Here are some of the reasons why we, as a board, support the development of a golf course at Coul Links:
• As the largest private investment in East Sutherland ever (£6m - £10m), it will create a substantial number of new jobs in Embo, Dornoch and throughout East Sutherland; both directly on the golf course and indirectly through increased heads on beds and associated visitor spend
• It has the potential to develop the North of Scotland as a major golf destination
• It will encourage golfers to stay in East Sutherland and not be day visitors travelling from Inverness
• It will actively encourage play on other Dornoch Firth golf courses
• It involves the most respected developer and architects in global golfing industry (Mike Keiser and Coore & Crenshaw respectively)
• There is a commitment to ensuring the SSSI, after many years of neglect, is properly managed in line with SNH guidelines (e.g. controlling invasive species which currently threaten its integrity)
• It will encourage public access through the creation and maintenance of footpaths & information points
• The Embo Trust is fully behind the project to the extent of financially investing in it
Great British High Street Awards 2016
Dornoch was a finalist in the Rising Star Category and the only Scottish finalist across all categories. Although we did not win, Dornoch had great exposure on Social Media and the judges were very impressed by what they saw during their visit. We have since received a letter of Special Recognition from Andrew Percy MP. Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse.
New Signage 2016
A new sign was erected on the A949 just before Dornoch Academy. The bottom panel is removable and we have panels for the main events of the year - Fibre Fest, Classic Car Tour, Community Market, Pipe Band, Car Boot Sale, Sutherland Show, Highland Games, Festival Week, Whisky Festival and Hogmanay-NewYear. These have vinyl overlays so can be cost effectively updated each year.
The north and south junctions on the A9 have been updaed. Only attractions accredited with VisitScotland can be listed. Dornoch Cathedral has decided not to become accredited and therefore the cathedral could not be included. The sign at the Evelix junction is shown below.
The "Why Dornoch?" Survey Results - March 2014
Click here to see the report which was prepared from the survey data by North Highland Initiative for DACIC and we are grateful to them for their support.
Word Clouds were used to illustrate relative weightings of words chosen to describe Dornoch. An example is shown below.
The Dornoch Report - December 2013
The Dornoch Economic Masterplan for Dornoch 2013 – 2023 states
“By building on Dornoch’s unique setting in the Northern Highlands and its positive place qualities, the Dornoch Brand can be nurtured; establishing Dornoch and Sutherland as an attractive place to visit, live and invest. This Economic Masterplan aims to ensure that in 2023, Dornoch will be:
- A First Class Quality Destination
- A Distinct and Rich Tourism Product
- A Place for Business & Investment “
As a first step in the branding exercise, DACIC sought to gain understanding of three primary aspects of its offering to visitors:
- what visitors actually think about the area
- how Dornoch appears to first time visitors who might be arriving for an extended stay or just visiting for a day,
- what accommodation is available
The summary of the good, the bad and the ugly, together with the visitor survey is detailed in the Dornoch Report.
The second report, How Our Customers See Us was conducted by Highland Retail Academy and DACIC is grateful to Highlands and Islands Enterprise, East Sutherland Ward Discretionary Fund and Dornoch Common Good Fund for assistance in meeting the cost of this exercise.
The Accommodation Providers Survey was conducted by North Highland Initiative for DACIC and we are grateful to them for their support.
The DACIC Board February 2018
Chair - Joan Bishop
Vice Chair - Jim McGillivray
Company Secretary - Gordon Sutherland
Treasurer - James Dillon
Director - Alison MacWilliam
Director - Neil Hampton
Director - Lynne Mahoney
Director - Gordon Sutherland
Director - Yvonne Ross
Director - Patrick Murray
Website admin - Joan Bishop email
MINUTES OF MEETINGS
2018
MAY 22nd Directors Meeting
APRIL 24th Directors Meeting
MARCH 27th Directors Meeting
FEBRUARY 13th Directors Meeting
2017
DECEMBER 12th Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 1ST Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 12th Directors Meeting
JULY 11th Directors Meeting
JUNE 13th Directors Meeting
MAY 9th Directors Meeting
APRIL 11th Directors Meeting
MARCH 15th Directors Meeting
JANUARY 17th Directors Meeting
2016
NOVEMBER 22nd Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 27th Directors Meeting
AUGUST 30th Directors Meeting
JULY 28th Directors Meeting
JUNE 21st Directors Meeting
MAY 17th Directors Meeting
APRIL 6th Directors Meeting
MARCH 8th Directors Meeting
FEBRUARY 9th Directors Meeting
JANUARY 19th Directors Meeting
2015
NOVEMBER 24th Directors Meeting
OCTOBER 27th Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 29th Directors Meeting
AUGUST 25th Directors Meeting
AUGUST 4th Directors Meeting
JUNE 4th Directors Meeting
MAY 6th Directors Meeting
APRIL 4th Directors Meeting
MARCH 11th Directors Meeting
FEBRUARY 5th Directors Meeting
JANUARY 15th Directors Meeting
2014
DECEMBER 16th Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 12th Directors Meeting
OCTOBER 8th Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 3rd AGM
SEPTEMBER 8th Directors Meeting
JULY 30th Directors Meeting
JUNE 30th Directors Meeting
MAY 19th Directors Meeting
APRIL 15th Directors Meeting
MARCH 3rd Directors Meeting
FEBRUARY 5th Public Meeting
JANUARY 29th Directors Meeting
JANUARY 8th & 15th Directors Meetings
2013
DECEMBER 4th Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 1st Directors Meeting
OCTOBER 3rd Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 12th Directors Meeting
SEPTEMBER 5th Directors Meeting-Court House only
AUGUST Directors Meeting
JULY Directors Meeting
JUNE Directors Meeting
JUNE AGM