Where politics is left out in the cold

For the locals, the rundown centre that seemed to specialise in a host of unfulfilled promises is long gone.

Today, it is a Highland gem, a haven for skiing, snowboarding, hillwalking and mountain- biking.

Political concerns are a distant second, it seems.

According to Iain Glen, a former SNP councillor in Aviemore, the town may be a stronghold for Scottish independence, but politics is not part of polite conversation.

"They just don't want to talk about it. You won't find anyone wanting to give their political views here," he said.

He was soon proved correct as local after local expressed a distinct lack of interest in all things political. Kerry Reid, 23, from Pitlochry, said that when it came to politics, she did not want to get involved.

"I don't vote so I don't think I have the right to say politicians should be doing this or that.

"I don't vote because I don't agree with a lot of their behaviour. I just tend to avoid politics," she said.

Trevor Jack, 39, a single father who has lived in Aviemore most of his life, also agreed that politics was not something he was keen to chat about. "I'm just not interested in it. I wouldn't want to talk about it," he said.

But while politics did not appear high up the agenda, there were many things people wanted to improve about their town one way or another.

Most said while it was good to cater for the tourists who brought jobs and money to the area, not enough was done for local people.

Ms Reid said: "There is everything for the tourists but there needs to be a balance."

Mr Jack said Aviemore was not a great place for young people.

"There just isn't anything for them to do most of the time. It is not a easy place to find work, unless you want to work in the catering business," he said.

John Brownlie, 27, who works in a caf, said the lack of facilities for young people in Aviemore was a major concern.

"There should be more stuff for the kids. They are being left on their own to get on with things and that is not good enough. There is a lot for tourists but nothing for the people who live here most of the time."

Donna Henderson, 31, from Aviemore, said ten years ago there was a swimming pool and ice rink. But these were closed down to make room for a car park. "It is not fair that they were not replaced," she said.

"On top of that, the houses are not affordable. And everything else is priced for people coming from the city for the weekend."

Other concerns revolved around the state of the roads and the lack of parking facilities.

Christina Orr, 55, who runs a local bed and breakfast, claimed that the council's ambitions for the town outstripped its capacity to accommodate them.

"I think the place is expanding too quickly for its infrastructure. We are building houses all over the place but we have got to improve and modernise the likes of our schools and other facilities.

"They want to bring in lots of people to the town, but it's too small to cope with them."

Moria Thain, 40, from Kingussie, who runs the Speyside Woollens shop on Aviemore's main street, said she had travelled around the world to Australia and the United States, but she always came back to Scotland.

"I think we have got a much better health service, education and benefits service than anywhere else I have been to."

But while Aviemore may suffer from a lack of facilities for young people, anti-social behaviour has remained at bay.

Rory McKenzie, 28, who works as a dry-stone wall builder, said: "There's no violent behaviour, though you do get small groups of young people getting drunk, but they are not a problem as such."

Aviemore's army of tourists did not have a bad word to say, even praising the freezing weather.

Richard and Kerry Gould, from Leeds, who had brought five-month-old daughter Millie for her first trip to Scotland, said they loved visiting Aviemore.

But they thought most people in England did not understand the debate going on about Scottish independence.

"I think for most in England it just goes over their heads," Mrs Gould said.

Christine and Ian Blakeley, from Wigan, said they had visited Scotland every year for the last 20 years, and enjoyed the slower pace of life.

"We have talked about retiring here. It is something that we would seriously consider," Mr Blakeley said.

But Mrs Blakeley claimed all the debate about independence "got in the way of people getting on with their lives".

The voice of the people

"I can understand why Scotland might want to be independent because they look at England and see all the problems we are having."

Monica Allcroft, 76, Sale, Manchester

"We have got excellent universities, a thriving science and technology sector. We have got resources which are clearly sufficient for the size of our population, but we could manage these much better under independence."

Iain Glen, Aviemore

"We are just one island. You shouldn't try to split that up. We can get along just fine."

Tony Emerson, 60, Harlow, Essex

"I have travelled around the world and yet I have always come back to Scotland. I can see why other people would want to come and live here."

Moira Thain, 40, Kingussie

"I'm from England originally, though my parents are both Scottish, so I tend to play both cards when I need to. I love Scotland and wanted to come here to study medicine because it has great universities and I like the weather."

Raymond Landells, 22, Aviemore

"I think we should try to make our own way in the world. I think if we did, then we could stop looking for others to blame. Every time we seem to be heading for independence, people can't bring themselves to do it. We need to have the courage of our convictions."

Rory McKenzie, 28, Aviemore

"Even though I love living here and I would like to say I thought Scotland was in a good way, I think we have got a lot of problems. As for the Scotland-England thing, I think I would like to see independence, to let us make our own decisions. In the past I've felt we were going in that direction, but we always take a step back."

Shona Murray, 24, Western Isles