Thanks to the votes of their customers and following a rigorous day of judging by some 50 of the industry's top professionals, Reids Bakery of Thurso, Caithness has been shortlisted for a prize in the Scottish Baker of the Year 2019/20 competition. "With over 8000 customer votes and in excess of 30,000 individual products votes, for goods baked by the best bakers in the country, Reids Bakery can be very proud of having made it this far" said Head Judge Robert Ross.
Following the sale of its Drummondhill site, Scotland's Rural College is looking to reinvest in Inverness. With the sale of Drummondhill to Tulloch Homes, three of SRUC's services in Inverness are set to move next month.
Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) has opened the door to dozens of companies to play an active role in supporting the delivery of Scotland's largest decommissioning project. Construction of a size reduction facility, shaft and silo decommissioning and demolition of historic active laboratories are just some of the major projects expected to be delivered as part of a decommissioning services framework, potentially worth up to £400 million, which was announced on Tuesday 23rd April 2019.
The Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards, now in their fifteenth year, will be held on Friday 15 November 2019 at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness. With some of the best natural produce in the world, the Awards showcase and celebrate excellence and achievement in the food and drink industry in the region.
If you are looking for council contracts in Highland a paper on the council web site shows values and dates of the contracts. Here is the link for you to check what contracts for every kind of service are given out by Highland Council then you can down load a Pdf at https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/16902/highland_council_current_contracts_register Find out more about council contracts and procurement at https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1/business_and_trade/417/procurement.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 24th) sold 22 pedigree bulls at their annual show and sale sponsored by Messrs Mackenzie, Whitebog, Fortrose. The judge, Mr G Rhind, Newton of Struthers, Kinloss, awarded the supreme overall champion to Knock Nearco, a 23 month old Limousin, from Messrs A & G Howie, West Knock, Peterhead to H I MacKinnon Esq, 6 Heastie Broadford for 3,500gns.
The risks are huge and the SNP will debate the issues of this most important potential change that will affect all of us if it were to go ahead under independence. The SNP conference takes place on 27th and 28th April 2019.
Stronger connections between schools and youth work organisations A pilot scheme to help schools and youth work organisations work together to close the attainment gap in education has been launched today. The new Youth Work and Schools Partnership programme will offer young people the opportunity to develop relationships with trusted adults and provide learning opportunities outwith the home and school environment.
A plan to boost visitor numbers to the three bridges which span the Firth of Forth has been launched this week by Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop. The ten-year strategy highlights a number of opportunities to promote the Forth Rail Bridge, the Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing - each one a world record holder in its own right - and to attract people to the area for a world-class visitor experience.
Scotland's Chief Statistician has today released the latest annual statistics on the extent of vacant and derelict land in Scotland. Data from the 2018 Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey gives the following results: The total amount of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland has decreased by 716 hectares (6%) in the latest year, from 11,753 hectares in 2017 to 11,037 hectares in 2018.
Accountant in Bankruptcy's (AiB) provisional figures published today for the financial year 2018-19 show there were 4,862 awards of bankruptcy compared to 4,644 during 2017-18. Protected trust deed (PTD) numbers continue to fuel the increase in total personal insolvencies which include both bankruptcies and protected trust deeds in Scotland by 20.5%.
New CBI analysis of data published by the Office for National Statistics today (Wednesday 24th April 2019) has found that businesses paid £196 billion in taxes in 2018/19, up from £188 billion last year. The total business tax contribution amounts to 27% of all tax revenue.
Office For National Statistics has today, 24 April 2019 released Q4 2018 Trade in Services data, which show that exports and imports of services were higher in Q4 2018 than Q4 2017 by £2.6bn and £4.4bn respectively. Exports of services grew by £4.6bn between 2017 and 2018, while imports of services grew by £10.6 billon, leading to a narrowing of the trade in services surplus.
Brexit, a global slowdown, and confusion over fuel type have caused 2.4 million drivers to think twice about buying a brand-new car. The findings from a new report published by Close Brothers Motor Finance found, in the past year, the proportion of drivers planning on buying a used car has dramatically increased, while those planning to buy new have fallen.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 23rd) sold 22 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (8) averaged 226.1p (+10.1p) and sold to 240.0p per kg and £1,408.35 gross.
LOCHMADDY, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 22nd) sold 45 store cattle and 11 OTM cattle. Bullocks (28) averaged 204.7p and sold to 246.9p per kg for a 405kg Limousin cross from 9 Clachan Sands, Lochmaddy and £1,320 gross for an 815kg Charolais cross from 50 Balgarvca, Eochar.
March's ONS retail figures reveal a 6.7% annual rise in High Street sales as the sun lured out shoppers - but 12.4% online growth put that in the shade cautions ParcelCompare High Street stores enjoyed a 6.7% rise in the volume of products sold this March compared to March last year, the latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) Retail figures have revealed. But before High Street stores rest on their laurels, the home delivery expert ParcelCompare points out that was against terrible shopping weather as the Beast From the East snow storm dug in last March.
Scots who currently live in another EU country, but who hope to come back to live in Scotland one day, will find it much harder to bring family members with them when they return, if and when the UK leaves the EU. That is the prospect facing thousands of Scots as a consequence of the UK Government's proposals for UK citizens in the EU post Brexit, Scottish Government Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development Ben Macpherson said today.
The latest SCC Quarterly Economic Indicator survey for Q1 of 2019 shows the health of the Scottish economy weakened considerably in the first quarter of this year. With the backdrop of an uncertain global economy and the cloud of Brexit hanging over the UK economy, key Scottish industrial sectors have experienced an investment slowdown as business costs and Brexit preparations take top priority.
New schools, roads and healthcare facilities opened. Nineteen new school projects are amongst the £1.4 billion of new building projects completed in the last year, according to the latest update of the Scottish Government's infrastructure programme.