‘Stay the Night’ returns to forest car parks

MOTORHOMES and campervans will be able to “Stay the Night” again this year in 36 car parks run by government agency Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS). This year’s scheme runs from 1 April to 31 October and will charge vehicles £7 for the night. FLS said that “stays are for one night only between the…

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Pop-up opera goes on summer tour

SCOTTISH OPERA is going back out on tour this summer, taking its pop-up opera around Scotland. The tour begins on 27 May at the Dumfries &Galloway Arts Festival, with 30-minute opera samples. Pop-up opera shows will also be staged in Linlithgow, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, the Isle of Lewis, Strathpeffer, Dornoch, Dundee, and Aberdeenshire. The singers…

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Islanders ‘badly let down’ by ‘ferry fiasco riddled with failures’

SCOTLAND’S islanders have been “badly let down” by “a ferry fiasco riddled with failures in governance, transparency, accountability, communication and record-keeping”. That’s the conclusion of the Scottish Parliament’s public audit committee in its report into the construction of Glen Sannox and the as-yet-unnamed “Hull 802”. The committee has called on the Auditor General for Scotland…

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‘Flock to the Show’ hits the road

MORE than 35 sheep sculptures will travel through Scotland in April and May as part of the “Flock to the Show” public art trail. The sculptures were commissioned by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) – the body that organises the Royal Highland Show – in order to promote the Golden Shears…

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Charts project names team to help Argyll islands

THE Culture, Heritage & Arts (Charts) Assembly has appointed a team to support Argyll & Bute’s 23 inhabited islands. Caitlin McNeill, who lives and works on her home island of Colonsay, is Charts’ new islands culture officer, and is working with some of the organisation’s 100-plus members to showcase their work. She is working with…

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A seat at the chef’s table at Commons Club Edinburgh

VIRGIN Hotels Edinburgh’s flagship restaurant, Commons Club, is gearing up for a new era with the launch of its new seasonal menu and a range of immersive dining experiences including The Chef’s Table which gives guests a front row seat to experience the creativity behind the craft. Created by chef de cuisine Emma Hanley and…

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Helping it Happen Awards open for 2023

TWO categories have been added to this year’s Helping it Happen Awards. Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the membership body that organises the competition, said the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Scotland aims to celebrate “those who have spent their lives working in and for Scotland’s countryside”. The Rural Rising Star Award is designed…

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BBC Scotland ‘Introducing’ shortlist unveiled

BBC Scotland Introducing revealed the eight finalists tonight for this year’s competition. The contest shines a spotlight on up-and-coming musical talent from throughout our nation. This year’s shortlist was unveiled this evening on BBC iPlayer: Aiitee; VLURE; Russell Stewart; Terra Kin; The Big Day; LOVE SICK; Chef; and The Queen of Harps. Tonight’s programme on…

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The story behind the Cuttitta Cup

JEWELLER Hamilton & Inches has shared the story behind rugby’s Cuttitta Cup, for which Scotland and Italy will compete tomorrow at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. The company was commissioned in 2021 to make the trophy, which celebrates the contribution made to the sport by Massimo Cuttitta, who captained Italy and coached Scotland’s scrum. The cup was…

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Two tartans launched in Edinburgh

TEXTILE designer Araminta Birse-Stewart has launched two tartans at The Scottish Textiles Showcase, a boutique in Edinburgh. Her “Highlands at Dawn” and “Highlands at Dusk” designs were triggered by Scotland’s skies. Birse-Stewart, founder and creative director at Araminta Campbell, explained that her inspiration for the designs came from her childhood holidays spent exploring the Highlands,…

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