A protest against parking charges at Oban’s public beach took place at the weekend.
Motorists drove out to Ganavan beach on Saturday to sign a petition and meet the members of the Abolish Ganavan Car Park Charges campaign group.
The beach was gifted to the town in 1927 and locals believe there was a condition attached that no charges should be made for using the area.
Oban woman Doreen MacLeod launched a petition against the parking charges, partly in memory of her husband Duncan who enjoyed the beach every day of his life.
Before Saturday it had already attracted more than 2,000 signatures, and another 190 people added their names at the protest.
Local businesswoman Margaret Cooper, of the campaign group, said: “I would like to thank the people that did support it. It was great that they came that far out of town on such a horrible wet day.
“I think we could have done with a bit more support, but we got 190 signatures. It was a horrible day and there was a lot going on in the town with the lifeboat open day and two major weddings going on.
“We are not disheartened at all. We will continue to fight the fight.”
The parking charge at Ganavan is £2 per day, or £1 for half a day.
Argyll and Bute Council is currently running a consultation on parking throughout Oban.
Councillor Roddy McCuish, chairman of the Oban Lorn and the Isles area committee, said: “Of course we will consider all
aspects of car parking charges in Oban. That is the main reason for having this consultation with the public.
“I really do hope the public feed into this. If that means looking at charges at Ganavan then of course we will take cognisance of that. As far as I can recall, there have always been charges at Ganavan. It is free from October to Easter, on a Sunday and after 4pm. It is the cheapest car park in the whole of Argyll and Bute.”
A public meeting will take place at the Corran Halls in Oban at 7pm on Wednesday, July 1 to discuss parking charges at Ganavan and possible ideas to improve the beach.