Alness

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Alness
Alanais (Gaelic)
OS grid reference: NH655695
Population: 5314 [1]
Council area: Highland
Constituent country: Scotland
Sovereign state: United Kingdom
Police force: Northern Constabulary
Lieutenancy area: Ross and Cromarty
Former county: Ross-shire
Post town: Alness
Postal: IV17
Telephone: 01349
Scottish Parliament: Ross, Skye and Inverness West
UK Parliament: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
European Parliament: Scotland
Scotland
Dalmore Distillery reception house in Alness
Dalmore Distillery reception house in Alness

Alness is a town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. The name is pronounced (roughly) Al'-niss by some Ross-shire residents and Oll-ness' by others. Divided by the River Averon, it is in two parishes, Alness in the west and Rosskeen in the east. Historically these were in different presbyteries. Population 4960 (2004)

In the late 20th century the town saw major expansion with housing schemes being built for new workers, many in the oil and aluminium industries. The uprooting of large numbers of people from other areas into housing estates has caused some social problems to become noticeable, but the town is known for its friendliness and in recent years for its involvement in the Beautiful Scotland in Bloom and Britain in Bloom competitions which have had a unifying effect and given some civic pride to an area which had become somewhat depressed after the withdrawal of the larger industries.

Alness has a railway station on the Far North Line.

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Coordinates: 57.69514° N 4.25815° W