Tourism: Interesting to note that Whitbread have this week confirmed an intention to submit planning application to build a Premier Inn in Thurso. The proposal is for ground near Thurso railway station, and the news has been given a cautious welcome, with some questions about effects on existing hotel businesses.
More than 200 people packed into the Weigh Inn hotel in Thurso this week as Dounreay Site Restoration Limited and supply chain partners shared plans and ideas about the decommissioning of the site. Leading nuclear firms mixed with numerous small and medium sized enterprises for the event which was attended by those who either support the site through existing framework contracts or have registered for the innovative ‘LINC with Dounreay' scheme.
Weeks Commencing 7th - 21st May 2018 Energy & business services: As the first towers for the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm arrive in Nigg this week, Crown Estate Scotland has begun looking ahead to the next generation of offshore wind projects in Scotland. The Moray Firth has been a real focal point for offshore wind in Scotland, with the Beatrice project set to enter its operation and maintenance phase in 2019 and the Moray Offshore project currently moving towards financial close during 2018.
A new report has called for more promotion of Scotland's aquaculture sector and supply chain as a rewarding long-term career choice, particularly for young people and for women. The ‘Skills review for the Aquaculture Sector in Scotland' was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) on behalf of the Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group (AILG), and in collaboration with Skills Development Scotland.
Business Gateway workshops to be held in Thurso and Wick. The Paths into Public Procurement workshop is new and is being held in the evening for clients' convenience..
More than half (53%) of Highlands and Islands businesses plan to take on new staff in the coming year, and most plan to recruit them from within the region, new research has revealed. Over 1,000 firms took part in the latest quarterly business panel survey carried out by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in February.
Scotland's leading creative industries festival, XpoNorth, has unveiled the next wave of speakers for the one-of-a-kind event this summer in Inverness. Taking place 27-28 of June 2018, XpoNorth 2018 will see a range of leading voices from across the national and international creative industries gather in the Highland capital to deliver one of the most exciting, inspiring, informative and unique events of its kind.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) welcomed Lord Duncan of Springbank, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, to its Dounreay site to see decommissioning progress. Lord Duncan travelled to Caithness to learn more about work on Scotland's largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project.
Week commencing 16th April 2018 Tourism: In the week that we celebrated World Heritage Day it is good to see Highland Council advertising for a fixed term post to progress the long-held aspiration that the Peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland become a UNESCO World Heritage area. You can view the job description and background to the appointment at https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/world-heritage-project-co-ordinator-114206 Enabling activities: Recruitment continues this week for the successor to CNSRP Independent Chair Sir Anthony Cleaver, whose last meeting as Chair of the Partnership's Executive Board will be in June this year after ten years successfully leading CNSRP's programme of work.
Individuals, businesses and community groups in and around 14 communities in the Highlands and Islands have an extra two weeks to take part in an online survey on rural banking services. Among other things, the survey asks about the importance of being able to withdraw and deposit cash locally, experiences of using Post Office and mobile banking services, and the perceived impacts of local branch closures.
Decommissioning a nuclear reactor is about more than removing the core itself and, around a decade after work started to pull apart a host of support facilities associated with Dounreay's oldest reactor, they have all gone. Radioactive facilities, including a cooling pond, storage compound and examination cells assisted Dounreay Materials Test Reactor (DMTR) during its operational life.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands looking to grow and become more competitive are set to benefit from a new initiative for entrepreneurs. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has teamed up with Entrepreneurial Scotland (ES) to enable more enterprising individuals in the region to access its full range of activities and services.
The University of the Highlands and Islands is inviting applications for a new North Coast 500 studentship. The PhD opportunity has been developed by the university's Centre for History in partnership with the North Coast 500 initiative.
If your business is already selling online, or you're thinking about starting an online sales operation, why not be business brave and consider the international marketplace? With the right information, set-up and skills, your business could capitalise on the wealth of opportunities available beyond the UK!. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) invites you to attend a FREE one-day workshop, 'Selling Online Internationally', where you can learn how to increase international sales through your website.
Gavin Mackay, HIE's head of energy industries, reflects on the opportunities and challenges facing the region's energy sector. At the launch of Oil and Gas UK's 2018 business outlook in March I was invited to use their event portal to pose questions and give my ‘multiple choice’ view of the future of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
HIE a' cur fàilte air Plana Cànain Nàiseanta Gàidhlig ùr Tha Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean (HIE) a’ cur fàilte air am Plana Cànain Nàiseanta Gàidhlig ùr 2018-23 a chaidh fhoillseachadh aig Pàrlamaid na h-Alba an-dè (Diciadain 28 Màrt). Share Tha am Plana a’ sealltainn mar a thèid fàs a thoirt air a’ Ghàidhlig aig ìre nas luaithe ann an Alba.
Week Commencing 26th March 2018 Energy & Business services: As progress continues with the onshore and offshore construction of the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm, news comes this week that the other offshore wind development in the Moray Firth has seen a change to its consortium of ownership. A 33.4% stake in the Moray East project has been taken by Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan, bringing them on board with existing shareholders EDPR and Engie.
The Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards 2018 are calling for entries from businesses across the region. The award's fifteen categories will be open for nominations and entries until the 15th June.
Week Commencing 19th March 2018 Energy & Business services: Interesting this week to read news of continuing interest in Floating Offshore Wind on the north cost of Caithness and Sutherland. As I've previously mentioned here, the Dounreay Tri project intended to build a Floating Offshore demonstrator project at a site around 6km north of Dounreay, but following that company's entering into administration the future for the development was uncertain.
HIE is now recruiting for the 2018 intake to its Pathfinder Accelerator, a tried and tested business programme nurturing growth in life sciences and technology. Share The Pathfinder Accelerator is specifically designed to help companies and start-ups develop novel business ideas relating to life sciences or technology and reduce time to market by testing it in the most time-efficient, cost-effective way to determine its commercial viability.