• Access to Historic Scotland winter ticketed attractions will be free on the first Sunday of each month from October 2023 – March 2024.

Some of the most iconic heritage sites in Edinburgh and across the Lothians, such as Edinburgh, Tantallon and Craigmillar Castles, and Linlithgow Palace, will welcome visitors with free admission this winter. Edinburgh and Lothian residents are invited to explore the area’s rich heritage with Historic Environment Scotland’s (HES) Historic Sundays.

For six months, HES will offer free admission to participating Historic Scotland visitor attractions,  which is part of Historic Environment Scotland, on the first Sunday of the month (1 October 2023 through to 3 March 2024). People living in Scotland can access Historic Scotland winter ticketed sites by simply pre-booking online and showing their proof of address on arrival.

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES, said: “With over 5,000 years of history in our care, our historic buildings and monuments can tell us so much about the past, and how it continues to shape our world today, from being the backdrop to film locations to attracting millions of people from around the world and closer to home.

“We think it’s vital people living in Scotland feel history belongs to us all, and through our Historic Sundays initiative we hope more people will take the opportunity to discover the history on their doorstep, or explore further afield to sites they may not have seen until now. Engaging with heritage has lots of proven benefits, including well-being, and we very much hope people take the opportunity to explore these sites and be part of history.”

Within Edinburgh, discover the world-famous Edinburgh Castle which dominates the city’s skyline and remains an active military base, and see the different architectural styles of Craigmillar Castle as different owners made the castle their own, adding to the structure throughout the centuries.

Further afield in East Lothian, see the herbaceous borders and formal Victorian garden at Dirleton Castle and Gardens, a stronghold for noble families for 400 years, and visit Tantallon Castle, set high atop a cliff overlooking the Forth.

And in West Lothian, visit the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots at Linlithgow Palace, and learn why Blackness Castle is also known as ‘the ship that never sailed’.

Across Scotland, the winter Historic Scotland sites which ordinarily charge an entry fee include Edinburgh Castle; the medieval grounds of Arbroath Abbey; Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots; the historic barracks and fortifications of Fort George; and Skara Brae, the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe.

Advance booking is required. To book, and for a list of participating Historic Scotland sites, visit HistoricSundays.scot.

Changeworks, Scotland’s leading environmental charity, has achieved its biggest impact to date in reducing carbon emissions and helping people in need of energy advice. In the context of the accelerating climate emergency and energy crisis, Changeworks’ goal to decarbonise Scotland’s homes has never been more important.

Changeworks works with partners and organisations to deliver more energy efficient housing and tackle fuel poverty. In the past year, the charity expanded its services to support more than 67,000* people in Scotland to take actions that will reduce the carbon emissions from their home; a 22% increase on those reached in the previous year. By providing energy advice, Changeworks supported householders to save £4.06 million on their energy bills, or through income maximisation. These savings make a crucial difference to householders at a time when more and more people are in fuel poverty in Scotland.

Working with councils and social landlords across the country, Changeworks installed over 7,700* energy efficiency measures on homes. It is estimated that 370,000* tonnes of carbon savings will be made over the lifetime of the measures installed. Scotland has some of the leakiest homes in Europe, and as much as a third of a home’s heat is lost through the walls.

Reducing emissions from our homes is key to meet Scotland’s net zero targets. Focusing on improving energy efficiency through low carbon heating and renewable technologies allows for a reduction in carbon emissions, whilst also making homes warmer, more comfortable and lowering energy bills. Over 1 million homes in Scotland need to convert to zero or low emissions heating systems by 2030 to meet our net zero targets.

Changeworks’ Chief Executive, Josiah Lockhart said:

“The past year has seen us provide invaluable levels of support to householders across Scotland. While these are incredible achievements, we all need to do more, faster to tackle the climate emergency and ensure a just transition to net zero. At Changeworks, we will continue to invest in our growth and expand our services to maximise our ongoing impact.”

Looking ahead, Changeworks is developing new services to support householders and will continue to work with even more partners to drive innovation to accelerate the decarbonisation of Scotland’s homes.

 

The Bonnie Badger, Gullane, East Lothian will welcome wild swimming aficionados and authors Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan, to launch their brand-new book, The Ripple Effect, A Celebration of Britain’s Brilliant Wild Swimming Communities (Black & White Publishing, £20 hardback).

Guests are being invited to gather to meet Anna and Vicky at The Bonnie Badger from 9.30am – 11.30am.  The Scottish coastal restaurant with rooms will host a bespoke brunch and a blether as the authors launch the much-anticipated follow-up to their bestselling Taking the Plunge (Black & White Publishing, 2019), this time celebrating the incredible communities that have been brought together by wild swimming.

Guests from across the local community – from the curious, to the beginners, to the wild-swimming stalwarts, will have a unique chance to dip into the new book, as the swimming duo offer a flavour of the book and chronicle many of the truly inspirational stories that The Ripple Effect illustrates.

Guests will be treated to a choice of The Bonnie Badger’s signature brunch dishes served with tea or coffee and orange juice, alongside a special ‘Ripple Effect’ alcohol-free cocktail, with bookings at £35 per person.

The gourmet coastal bolthole’s location on the enviable East Lothian coastline, means the team regularly welcomes wild swimmers pre-swim and post-swim, from the local area and from across the globe.

Commenting on the forthcoming brunch, The Bonnie Badger Chef Owner, Tom Kitchin said; “From North Berwick to Longniddry, and Yellowcraigs to Gullane, the area boasts an absolute bounty of beaches and bays and is one of the reasons we were so passionate about establishing The Bonnie Badger along this incredible East Lothian coastline.

“I’ve witnessed the many benefits of the growing wild swimming community, so we are truly looking forward to welcoming Anna, Vicky, and indeed some local wild swimmers, to The Bonnie Badger next month, and hope that we might even inspire some newcomers to wild swimming to dip their toe in the water.”

Vicky Allan and Anna Deacon added; “Through writing our previous books, we came to realise that wild swimming is more than an activity.  It’s a movement – a wave that has surged in popularity across the UK, rippling out in the form of local communities, groups and supporters, all of whom gather together at the water’s edge.

“We’re looking forward to sharing with guests at The Bonnie Badger some incredible stories of the swimmers and groups we’ve encountered during our wild swimming journey.”

The Ripple Effect is a valuable guide with a wealth of resources for anyone looking for advice or to discover their own community.  From Menopausal Mermaids to student dippers; male mental health groups to Wim Hof enthusiasts; addiction recovery communities to skinny dippers, The Ripple Effect dives into what makes wild swimming communities tick and sheds light – not only through words but through Anna Deacon’s stunning photography – on why so many people say it’s not just about the water but the marvellous pods of people with whom they find themselves swimming.

The special ‘In Conversation With’ book brunch will begin at 9.30am with an alcohol-free welcome drink, and a Q&A with Vicky Allan and Anna Deacon, followed by a special brunch menu served with orange juice, tea and coffee.

Guests will also have the chance to purchase a signed copy of Vicky and Anna’s latest book (£20.00) on the day, supplied by independent bookshop, Night Owl Books from East Linton (https://nightowlbooks.co.uk/).

Further details can be found at https://bonniebadger.com/wild-swimming/ and reservations can be made by contacting the Reception Team on info@bonniebadger.com or +44 (0)1620 621 111.

The Wild Swimming Brunch follows number of successful collaborative book events at The Bonnie Badger over the past year, which have included guests such as world-renowned author Ian Rankin, hospitality leader Shirley Spear, football legend Graeme Souness, sports commentator Clive Tyldesley, The Great British Bake-off winner Peter Sawkins and The Hebridean Baker, Coinneach MacLeod.

Sam Clarke has joined Shepherd and Wedderburn as a Partner in the real estate finance group. Sam brings over 16 years’ experience advising financial institutions, developers, investors and listed corporates on real estate finance transactions in the UK and Europe.

Sam joins the firm from Acuity Law, where he was Head of Real Estate Finance.

Sam’s experience in real estate finance, working with both lenders and borrowers, enhances the firm’s market position and strengthens its offering. In the 12 months to 30 April 2023, the banking and finance team advised clients including banks, funds, financial institutions, alternative lenders, public bodies, corporate borrowers and sponsors, on over 140 deals with a total value of more than £125 billion.

Andrew Blain, Shepherd and Wedderburn’s Managing Partner commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Sam to the firm as a Partner, as part of the banking and finance team’s continued growth. Sam has a wealth of experience and his focus on various subsectors within the broader real estate sector will complement our existing practice as well as broaden our offering. Sam’s appointment is the latest in a series of strategic hires and promotions within the real estate finance group, which includes Lucy Hall being promoted to Partner, Sarah Walker being promoted to Director, and the addition of three newly qualified solicitors who trained at the firm.”

Sam said: “I am delighted to be joining Shepherd and Wedderburn as a Partner. The quality of the firm’s offering in real estate finance coupled with the profile and breadth of its existing clients attracted me to the firm. With a complementary client base, I look forward to contributing to the firm’s growth plans over the coming years.”

With construction firms facing increased insolvency risk from inflation, slowing demand and the climate crisis, a new report from Turner & Townsend warns against short-term thinking which could derail vital, long-term strategic priorities.

The global professional services firm’s Autumn 2023 UK Market Intelligence Report underlines the perfect storm of challenges the sector faces – from declining demand and interest rate hikes to persistently high material and labour costs – and acknowledges the need for clients to tackle these in the short term.

However, Turner & Townsend is calling for clients to take a strategic approach that will also ensure long-term business benefits.  This includes prioritising sustainability commitments to protect project viability and future profitability.

Despite falling demand, tender price inflation forecasts remain stubbornly high, and unchanged from the summer report.  Real estate forecasts are 3.7 and 2.7 percent for 2023 and 2024, respectively, and 5.5 and 4.5 percent for infrastructure.  More concerningly, total construction new orders have been declining, settling below pre-pandemic levels by 10.9 percent.  The deflationary pressure that might be expected from this slowing demand is being offset by higher borrowing costs, labour shortages, and high material costs, which stand 42.3 percent above February 2020 levels.

Whilst demand in the real estate sector as a whole slows, by sub-sector the landscape is more mixed.  Non-housing repairs and maintenance continues as a growth sector, which was up by 2.7 percent in the last quarter.  In contrast, private housing and private repair and maintenance performed poorly, down by 3.3 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively, reflecting high borrowing costs and tight household budgets.

In infrastructure, the impacts are being felt from the projects rescheduled due to the prolonged inflationary pressure, and a wider cooling of work pipelines, especially in rail and road sectors.  However, pockets of increased investment in other sub-sectors are providing balance.  The water sector is buoyant, with the upcoming start of the new asset management plan period (AMP8), and energy remains strong as the government invests in shoring up the UK’s power supply.

The report acknowledges that clients are becoming more risk-averse as they battle external headwinds and navigate supply-chain insolvencies.  However, Turner & Townsend advises clients to act now to strengthen their long-term strategic approaches.  One key area to protect is sustainability, as energy efficiency and carbon reporting become increasingly important for long-term compliance, attracting investment, and avoiding ‘stranded assets’ in client portfolios.  By putting the right procurement strategies in place, enhancing project controls and focusing on robust programme management, clients will be able to achieve greater value over the long term.

Martin Sudweeks, UK managing director of cost management at Turner & Townsend, said:

“Our industry is currently managing an incredibly complex landscape as we experience both softening demand and the continued input cost inflation.  This is driven in large part by an endemic skills shortage that is pushing up labour costs –sector must work with government and education bodies to tackle the jobs market crunch.

“In the face of immediate cost challenges, it may appear an attractive option for clients to dedicate their efforts to firefighting the issues of ‘today’, while losing sight of commitments to policies like net zero.  However, clients should instead be prioritising their long-term strategies, and understanding how profitability, project performance and sustainability can be complementary goals.  By doing this, clients will be able to achieve both short-term stability and future, strategic success.”

ScottishPower is encouraging Britain’s 5.5 million small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to consider adopting low carbon solutions as it launches new advice on how using green technology can help improve their finances.

SMEs account for 99.9% of UK enterprises and are responsible for around half of business carbon emissions. That equates to one third of total UK emissions according to analysis from the British Business Bank.

ScottishPower, the first major UK energy company to generate 100% renewable electricity, is on a mission to help business leaders support the UK’s drive to net zero emissions by 2050. This includes encouraging the adoption of green technologies such as solar panels, heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points.

Mark Bowen, Sales & Marketing Director at ScottishPower, said: “The combined carbon footprint of Britain’s small and medium-sized businesses is significant. That’s why we’re launching new advice to help business leaders make the right choices to reduce their carbon emissions and explore how they can also use green energy solutions s to generate new revenue.

“Our aim is to help businesses to decarbonise and support their transition away from fossil fuels. This new guide features short term wins to help them take control of energy usage as well as longer term solutions to support their journey to net zero.”

One small business already enjoying the benefits of green technology is Glasgow-based food wholesaler Lomond Foods. Earlier this month ScottishPower completed a project to install 270 solar panels at its HQ in the north of the city. Lomond Foods has emerged as a sustainability leader within its industry and is accelerating towards achieving net zero emissions by 2025.

By installing solar panels on previously unused roof space, the collaboration with ScottishPower is expected to reduce Lomond Foods’ CO2 emissions by around 50,000kg per year. Lomond Foods deliver ambient, chilled and frozen goods across Scotland and this upgrade gives them the ability to self-generate electricity, meaning the business is less reliant on imported energy from the national grid.

Sam Henderson, Managing Director at Lomond Foods, said: “Solar technology is a game changer for us! Most of our energy is consumed by our refrigeration plant – around 90% of our electricity – so it’s brilliant to be able to self-generate our own energy by working alongside ScottishPower.

“We want to look after the environment around us, which can only be done by adopting greener energy solutions. We believe that sustainable business growth can be achieved by considering the environmental impact we have on the world.”

Business leaders looking to read the full guide and find out more about seizing the opportunities of green energy solutions can click here: www.scottishpower.co.uk/greener-business

Edinburgh Leisure has announced that the swimming pool at Drumbrae Leisure Centre will reopen on Monday, 18^th September.

Nicola Duffy, Manager at Drumbrae Leisure Centre said: “We’re delighted to be reopening the Drumbrae Pool after a closure for essential maintenance work over the summer and we’d like to thank our customers for their patience while the work has been undertaken. The investment will ensure that it’s able to be used by the community for many years to come.”

Drumbrae pool, sauna and the pool changing rooms have been closed since 26 June. Edinburgh Leisure carried out the work during the summer months as these are the times when their venues tend to quieter.

New research by the BCC has uncovered that the vast majority of businesses are unaware and unprepared for a swathe of fast approaching changes in EU/UK regulations.

When asked about their knowledge of a number of changes coming down the track, the survey of more than 700 firms found:

• 84% of manufacturers do not know about new reporting requirements on exports of goods containing high-carbon steel, and selected other products, to the EU starting in October
• 87% of exporters are either unaware or unprepared for new EU VAT requirements due in January 2025
• 43% of manufacturers are still unaware of the UK’s, now voluntary, alternative product safety marking system to the EU’s CE one

The lack of knowledge and preparation for the changes, mean that some traders with the EU could face a whole range of new delays and unexpected costs. In some cases exporters could also find their goods unable to be transited to EU customers.

While not all of the incoming changes to regulations will impact every firm, the wide range of new rules, and the complexity of their requirements, means many businesses will face new obstacles.

Commenting on the research, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:

“It is a serious worry that more than four out of five manufacturers who export have no knowledge of the EU’s new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which begins roll out in just over three weeks’ time.

“It is just the start of a series of changes, that will gradually ratchet up over the next three years, to deter the use of cheaper but higher-carbon steel, and other goods with highly embedded climate damaging emissions, being imported into the EU.

“This first phase covers only a limited number of iron and steel products, fertilisers, hydrogen, cement, aluminium and electricity, but any UK company which then includes any of these items in their goods, for example in nuts and screws, will now have to declare them.

“This is a very complex set of rules, the EU’s published guidance runs to more than 200 pages. It is likely manufacturers that export will have to think about allocating dedicated staff resources just to deal with these reporting requirements.

“So, they need to start thinking about this now, and working out what their response will be, but there are very few trusted sources of information.

“The BCC and Chambers will be working hard to pull together as much guidance as we can to help businesses get to grips with this onslaught of changes.

“Our research shows Government must also look again at how it communicates with firms about regulatory changes, especially given the likelihood of further divergence from EU rules in the future.

“EU and UK policy makers also need to look at ways of simplifying a system that is over-burdensome for traders on both sides of the Channel. This could include reducing the complexity of exporting food and exempting smaller firms from the requirement to have a fiscal representative for VAT in the EU.

“If it’s done right the further embedding of digital trade through Single Trade Windows also has the potential to make exporting and importing much simpler. And there are other practical steps that should be considered like rejoining the Pan-Euro Mediterranean convention to ease rules of origin issues.”

Together The Two Firms Will Provide Full-Service Legal and Financial Services Across More Than 20 Locations In England, Scotland, and Wales

Irwin Mitchell is investing in Scotland-based law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie with the two firms working in collaboration to provide a full suite of legal and financial services operating out of more than 20 locations across England, Scotland, and Wales. *

The firms have complementary skills north of the border with Irwin Mitchell Scotland operating out of Glasgow predominantly in banking and finance and complex personal injury work, while Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie specialises in corporate, private client, property, and asset management.

In England and Wales, Irwin Mitchell already provides a full suite of legal and financial services which will be opened up to Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie’s clients. The two firms have access to 200+ jurisdictions across the world via membership of several international law firm networks and through these networks have collaborated for a number of years. This mutual respect and awareness has given rise to the realisation that the direct relationship that is now being created will provide great opportunities for both firms and their clients.

As part of the agreement, on completion Irwin Mitchell Partners Bruce Macmillan, Craig Marshall and Mark Higgins, will join the newly constituted Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie Management Board.

Craig Marshall, Group Chief Operating Officer at Irwin Mitchell said: “The two firms are a great cultural fit and share a similar purpose, values, and future vision. We have ambitious plans for growth, and we are both focused on building on our client-centric approach, an excellent colleague experience and an ambition to become leading responsible businesses.

“This strategic investment significantly expands our access to Scotland and Irwin Mitchell and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie believe it will fundamentally enhance the service for current and future clients across the whole of the UK and internationally.”

Fraser Gillies, Managing Partner at Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie, will continue to head up operations in Scotland.

He said: “This is a landmark moment for our firm. We have expanded considerably over the past decade and this investment will supercharge our growth efforts and provide a clear route into England and Wales, while broadening the services we can offer our clients.

“We share a similar approach, putting our clients and people at the heart of everything we do.  We also share similar ambitions for the future, so we are proud to make history together and begin this exciting new chapter.”

Both Irwin Mitchell and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie have pursued strategic growth plans over the past decade with lateral hires and M&A activity used to grow their businesses in complementary areas and in order to adapt to their clients’ and the market’s needs.

In the past 12 months Irwin Mitchell has also agreed deals to acquire asset management firms TWP Wealth and Andrews Gwynne. The firm has also opened new offices in Cardiff and Liverpool and recruited 18 new Partners.

*Subject to FCA approval and contract