Alexander Wines serves up Christmas with a twist

Peter Ranscombe pops the corks on some exciting alternative festive choices. I’M AS guilty as anyone else when it comes to reaching for the same old favourites at Christmas. A bottle of Chablis, a bottle of pinot noir, and a bottle of something with bubbles in it, and I’m usually set for the festivities to…

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South of Scotland launches virtual advent calendar

SCOTLAND Starts Here, a campaign to promote businesses in the South of Scotland, has launched a virtual advent calendar. Behind each of the 24 windows, Christmas shoppers can find an exclusive experience, gift or treasure, only available from the website. The range of gifts available includes food and drink experiences, sport and outdoor activities, and…

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Compass Scotland launches with Tom Kitchin partnership

It’s not every day you share a kitchen with Tom Kitchin. (Virtually, of course. It’s 2020 after all). And while the 1pm fridge raid serves its purpose when the daily hunger pangs strike, the promise of Chef’s venison burgers with celeriac velouté and fried quails eggs was unsurprisingly far more enticing than the usual work-from-home…

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Scots among Stonehenge ‘heritage heroes’

TELEVISION presenter Sir Tony Robinson will today unveil a display at Stonehenge to celebrate eight “unsung champions of heritage”. Two Scots are among the heritage workers and volunteers from throughout the UK whose contributions are being celebrated. Luke Strachan is chief executive of Wild Things, an environmental charity based at Findhorn in Moray, while Jade…

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Gamekeepers donate to help Lucas

AS THE result of a chance encounter, gamekeepers from the Southern Uplands Moorland Group (SUMG) have been very pleased to be able to assist in a young lad’s future, writes the group’s Mark Ewart. Lucas Davies, 7, who lives with his family in Penicuick, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (MD) in late 2014, a…

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Scots folk band releases US book shop tour album

A FOLK band that takes its inspiration from book shops has released its latest album. The Bookshop Band’s Live in American Bookshops long-player has been released as a limited edition vinyl record. Folk duo Beth Porter and Ben Please are from Wigtown, Scotland’s national book town. They have forged their reputation by creating songs inspired…

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‘Smart village’ needs young people

THE world’s first “smart village” for young people is on the hunt for digital champions aged 18 to 28 from across Angus, the Borders, Lanarkshire, the Outer Hebrides, and rural Perth and Kinross. A total of 12 digital champions will work with Scotland’s Rural Youth Project to help develop a pioneering “smart village” centred on…

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A Week in Whisky: Thinking outside the box

EVENTS operator The Whisky Lounge has unveiled its first online festival. Its “Whisky Festival in a Box” will be broadcast live from the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery on 16-18 October. The festival consists of seven themed tasting sessions – “Scotch #1, Scotch #2, World, Asian, English, Indie and Peated” – with each session accompanied by…

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Review: The last days of summer in the Lakes

Elis Elliot and family explore the Lake District from The County Hotel in Kendal. I HAVE a long and somewhat damp history of spending time in the Lake District. And yet, still I return to this scenic area of England. And there is good reason for this, because on a sunny day there really is…

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Tattie growing art project marks finalé – with chips

POTATOES grown in Glasgow’s gardens are being turned into chips to mark the end of an innovative art project. Aproxima Arts and the SWG3 venue gave 150 brightly-coloured handmade hessian bags to households in Kelvinhaugh and Kelvindale during the lockdown, each filled with soil and a batch of Maris Pipers. Their “An Empty Gunny Bag…

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