November 2019 by Iain Sanders
Since its establishment Am Fasgadh has depended on increasing the numbers of mentally ill people flocking to Portree in the last two decades, ousting many local people especially the young, from any prospect of living in this area in Council accommodation with friends & family nearby. Pictured is where many of Am Fasgadh's clients live, the 16 Council flats of Cruachan Place. Flats occupied by these mentally ill incomers can always be identified by their drawn curtains at all times. Their mentally shut-off occupants have no interest in the world outside themselves, & take no part in the 'community'. It can be seen that of the 8 flats at the front of the 2 buildings, 6 have mentally ill incomers as tenants. There are more in the 8 rear flats. All of this housing is denied to locals of no-matter-how-decent character & use to the community. None of the mentally ill ever have jobs. Some are low-level criminals, some banned from shops, etc. In a semi-detached house in Matheson Place the single Am Fasgadh client has the 4-person house to herself. The other half of the building is currently on sale for offers over £137,500. Thus does Am Fasgadh's world impact on this community - it eliminates prospective housing, leaving the youth especially in despair. All this should be borne in mind when evaluating the worth of A. F. to Portree. It is a totally negative factor & always shall be. A 'nice big earner' for staff who want to move to the wide open spaces, though! Disaster for many worthy young people as it's clients increasingly swallow up the housing & give nothing in return, except problems.
