Lord Thurso chairs Institute of Hospitality

THE Institute of Hospitality (IoH) has named Lord Thurso as its incoming chair. Lord Thurso, who has served as chairman of VisitScotland since 2016, will take over from Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Hotel Group. The institute plans to apply for royal chartered status in the spring. Lord Thurso said: “As a…

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Vegware appoints new boss as founder steps down

PLANT-BASED packaging maker Vegware has unveiled its new top team as the Edinburgh-based company’s founder stands down. Joe Frankel launched his business in 2006 and was joined by his sister, Lucy, in 2011. The company was bought last year by American packaging giant Novolex. Now, Joe is stepping back from the firm to make way…

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St Andrew’s Day marked by kirk bells CD launch

PERTH marked St Andrew’s Day with the launch of a CD of carols featuring St John’s Kirk’s “carillon”, an instrument that controls ringing bells. St John’s Kirk in Perth has 63 bells, the largest collection in the UK. Eight were cast before the Reformation, including Perth’s oldest bell – the “Ave Maria” – which was…

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REVIEW: Eteaket Tea

Drinks blogger James Robertson pours himself a cup of Eteaket tea. I AM a self-confessed tea junkie and have been lucky enough to have visited the tea plantations in Dayuling, Taiwan, and both China’s Wuyi Mountains in Fujian and Heng Mountain in Hunan. So when Eteaket, the leaf tea company based in Edinburgh, sent me…

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Roxy’s Coffee & Tea House in Oban launches baking book

ONE of Oban’s most famous cafés has launched its first baking book, Roxy’s Cake & Bake. Donna MacCulloch, owner of Roxy’s Coffee & Tea House, said: “Over the years of running Roxy’s with my husband, Archie, I’ve had customers asking me for my recipes and telling me that if I had a book they would…

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Greywacke Wild Sauvignon

Drinks blogger James Robertson enjoys a vertical tasting of Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc. THE other day I had the privilege of attending a vertical tasting of wines from Greywacke, a winery found in Marlborough, New Zealand. Marlborough is the home for some of the best New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs around. The climate and soil structure has…

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Gin Extremes: From Shetland to Scilly

Drinks blogger James Robertson reviews gin from either end of the UK. WHO would have thought that you would find a gin distillery on the southern tip of the UK on the island of St Mary’s, part of the Isles of Scilly, and then 776 miles as the crow flies there is another one on…

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‘Forest Floor’ by Fergus McCreadie named as top album

PIANIST Fergus McCreadie won the Scottish album of the year (SAY) title last night for “Forest Floor”. McCreadie, who was also shortlisted for a Mercury Prize this year, was unable to attend the ceremony at The Albert Halls in Stirling. The award was collected on his behalf by Seonaid Aitken. It was third time lucky…

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Art Futuro creates album award trophies

STIRLING design studio Art Futuro has been chosen to make the trophies for this week’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. Phil and Franziska – who are from Switzerland and now live in Stirling – were selected to make the prizes by The Design Commission. The SAY Award will be presented at the Albert…

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REVIEW: Lagg Distillery’s maiden single malt

James Robertson reviews the maiden whisky from Lagg Distillery on Arran. LAGG Distillery, the sister distillery owned by Isle of Arran Distillers, has launched its inaugural limited release single malt. A heavily-peated whisky matured in ex bourbon barrels, batch one has been highly anticipated and it does not disappoint. Lagg is located on the southern…

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