Staff at Harrold Bros, based in the High Street in Wick, have been particularly busy over the past few weeks, preparing a mouth-watering array of Mey Selections meat and accompaniments in time for the Festive Season.   As Neil Harrold explained, "Every year we aim to offer the finest meat but this year we feel we have surpassed ourselves in that not only, as the Mey Selections licensee in the area, can we offer excellent beef and lamb, but also a vast range of the company's other products - all guaranteed to make the Christmas and New Year celebratory meals ones to remember." Preserves and chutneys, crunchy oatcakes, biscuits and shortbread, as well as traditional clootie, are just some of the temptations for sale at this local Wick shop.   ... [more]

Trading Standards Officers of The Highland Council have provided 12 handy tips to help the public avoid the pitfalls of Christmas shopping.  They are: - 1.   ... [more]

UKAEA Dounreay and its contractors are again generously sponsoring a free bus service on the evening of 'Mad Friday', to help party goers to get home safely.   Everyone is welcome to use the buses, whether you work at Dounreay or not.   ... [more]

FIRST OF DOUNREAY FUEL PLANTS IS DEMOLISHED Demolition has started on the first of Dounreay's redundant nuclear fuel plants.  The fuel fabrication facility manufactured more than 10,000 fuel elements for research material test reactors in the UK and abroad, until it was shut down in 2004.   ... [more]

Highland Councillors will be asked on Thursday to confirm their corporate commitment to Fair Trade by progressing work already underway to gain council-wide Fair Trade status.   Inverness, Ullapool, and Dornoch already have Fair Trade status and can call themselves Fair Trade towns and it is being recommended that the Council agrees to show support by forming a small Working Group to expand Fair Trade status for the local authority.   ... [more]

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) invites entries for its British Small Business Champions (BSBC) Awards 2008, from thriving, well run small businesses, that are highly regarded by customers and staff.   Graham Barnard owner of the Happy Hutch Company based in Hull, BSBC 2007 northern area winner and national overall champion said: "Entering BSBC is a good exercise for you and your business.   ... [more]

New statistics, published to coincide with Carers Scotland's Carers Rights Day, Friday 7 December 2007, show that the average loss in earnings last year by carers who had either to give up their job, reduce their hours or take a more junior position in order to care for sick, frail or disabled relatives or partners, was £11,291*.   There are 376,203 carers of working age in Scotland.   ... [more]

New Park part of the successful consortium awarded The Scottish Enterprise Energy Technology Centre (ETC) programme.   Following from a successful two-year pilot phase, Scottish Enterprise has awarded a 3 year business development, commercialisation and technical services contract for its Energy Technology Centre (ETC) to a consortium being led by TUV NEL which includes New Park Management who own and operate Forss Business & Technology Park.   ... [more]

Road transport, including haulage and private use, is a major emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.K., and is set to remain so in the foreseeable future.  However, typically, tyres are 10% under-inflated which uses an extra 2% in fuel.   ... [more]

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (December, 6th) sold 1,676 sheep of all classes.   Lambs (1,220) sold to £32.30 for Mules from Lairgandour, Daviot, and Texel crosses from No.   ... [more]

Mey Selections, the brand inspired by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and created by a group of farmers in the North Highlands of Scotland, has launched a range of luxury hampers on its new website www.mey-selections.com in time for Christmas.  They are available for all to purchase from selected retail outlets or by telephone.   ... [more]

Senior managers across Scotland are missing easy opportunities to hone their skills, as they fail to make use of the online resources available to them.   Figures, published today, show that technological and cultural barriers have hindered widespread uptake of online learning in Scotland, despite recognition of the business benefits it brings.   ... [more]

Highland tourism business operators and community tourism groups will gather tomorrow (Wednesday 5th December) in Inverness to discuss how they can work together to improve their tourism product and attract more visitors.   Delegates at The Highland Council's 6th Annual Tourism Seminar will hear speakers from Alness, Invergordon, Crieff, Castle Douglas and Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.   ... [more]

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (4th December 2007 ) sold 54 prime cattle.   Prime bullocks (22) averaged 123.4p and sold to 133p per kg for a 620kg Limousin from Tore Farm, Culbokie, and £858 gross for a 715kg Simmental cross from Redhill, Allanfearn, both to Woodhead Brothers, Turriff..   ... [more]

4th December 2007 SHAFT ISOLATION PROJECT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Dounreay's shaft isolation is currently one month ahead of schedule.  The project team has completed 75 per cent of the drilling and grouting required to construct the isolation barrier around the shaft.   ... [more]

HITRANS and Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) A9 Perth to Inverness - Economic Appraisal Study Strategic Impact Assessment and EALI - Final Report Scott Wilson Page 1 October 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY E.1 Background E.1.1 The A9 is the main trunk route from the central belt to the Highlands and Islands and as such has been assessed as having the highest level of functionality of any transport link in the region, accounting for almost all passenger journeys and freight movements between Inverness and the central belt along the corridor.  It is a lifeline route for the island communities of Orkney, Lewis and Harris for supplies and business links and is an essential route for tourist trips visiting the north of Scotland.   ... [more]

Twenty-one Highland & Islands organisations have won an award recognising 10 years of their commitment to using the Investors in People Standard.   Wester Ross Fisheries, HM Prison Inverness, G & A Barnie Building Services and Loch Insh Water Sports, were among the winners who picked up the accolade at a celebration dinner and ceilidh at Stirling Castle on 29 November 2007.   ... [more]

Despite the global credit crunch, the festive season is set to lure consumers to splash out again this Christmas.  So the Credit Services Association (CSA) ­ the official body representing the UK debt collection industry ­ has re-launched its seven point plan to help consumers avoid the pitfalls of debt over the festive period.   ... [more]

Hijobs.co.uk is pleased to announce a brand new recruitment advertising tie-up with goodmoves.org.uk, the premier careers hub for the charity and voluntary sector in Scotland and Wales.   Hijobs launched in August 2006 and has established itself as one of the largest jobs sites in the Highlands and Islands and NE Scotland - covering Aberdeen city/shire, Moray, Highland, Argyll & Bute, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.   ... [more]

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November 27th) sold 103 prime cattle at its Christmas Show & Sale sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland, Scot JCB, John M.  Munro Butchers, MacRae & Dick Landrover Centre, Aberdeen Journals, Highland Industrial Supplies, and Harbro Farm Sales and judged by Eric Munro of John M.   ... [more]