From fishing village to atomic town and present: A grounded theory study

Background: Thurso/Caithness in the United Kingdom has gone through a lot of changes and transitions in the last decades. The decision to build a nuclear reactor test facility in the 1950’s in Dounreay/Caithness UK, as well as the current phase of decommissioning impacted not only the technology development but also the social fabric of the community and individuals within it. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of people impacted by the nuclear project at Dounreay. The results will form the basis for the discussion about locating future experimental or development facilities, possibly at historic sites. This study employed an exploratory qualitative research approach based on the constructivist grounded theory methodology. Constructivist grounded theory applies a systematic, inductive, iterative, and comparative approach to investigate the meanings behind people’s experiences. It was chosen as the method to explore an under-researched area: the host community for nuclear research in Thurso/Caithness. Purposeful snowball sampling from March 2023 till November 2023 through gatekeepers, media and social media was used. 19 participants including 10 women and 9 men in the age range 36–71 took part. The semi-structured interviews were conducted via phone or online platforms. Participants fondly recalled the hey-day when the Dounreay site was built and the population increased rapidly. They shared memories of how the town of Thurso/Caithness was thriving then which had a huge impact on individuals’ opportunities to receive a very good education, earn a good salary, indirect benefits beyond the nuclear project, and a cosmopolitan sense of community. However, the changes over time and the process of decommissioning had more complex implications for individuals as well as for the community. The work opportunities are still favourable. However, this study also highlights new challenges such as decaying infrastructure, a lack of hope of prosperity, and a feeling of being forgotten. This unique study highlights how a politically driven project impacts a community fundamentally. We identified two themes: mostly positive nostalgic views and Changes and Challenges for the community.