Sunday 6th July 2008




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Latest Employment News - Sunday 6th July 2008

CAPITAL'S BARS ARE THE TOAST OF THE TOWN AT AWARDS NIGHT

Posted 03/07/2008

By MARK McLAUGHLIN
FIVE Edinburgh bars have become the toast of the town after scooping a raft of prizes at a prestigious awards show.
The bars took home six awards in total at the Scottish Licensed Trade Awards – more than any other city in Scotland.

The winners, whose haul is said to represent a major boost to the city's entertainment scene, were crowned at a ceremony in Glasgow, attended by over 500 people, on Monday night.

The Balmoral Bar's award for Best New Bar of the Year is a major success for manager Fred Laseen, who was brought over from California to oversee its transformation from trendy cocktail bar NBs eight months ago.

He said: "Some people think of five-star service as stuffy and intimidating and when I came over I wanted to change all that.

"To me, five-star service is all about caring about the customer and making sure they have a good time, and I think this award is a vindication of the good work we've done over the past eight months. The bar reflects some of my own personality in the sense that there's great attention to detail and we like to treat everyone like a VIP."

The judges praised the bar's "impeccable" service, adding: "Classical surroundings, and a genuine customer focus make this a hangout for the good and the great."

Royal Mile establishment Monteith's was also nominated for the best new bar award, along with Element on Rose Street, but ended up winning the Cocktail Bar of the Year category. Stevie Kish, manager of the eight-month-old cocktail bar, said: "Myself and my colleagues went through there and it was a brilliant night. There was a very cool prohibition theme, harking back to the days of Al Capone, with loads of velvet suits, fedoras and beautiful women in pearls and feather boas. The judges would never reveal their criteria for choosing the winners, but personally I put our success down to our eclectic design and our open approach to cocktail making."

The judges said: "The cocktails offered were to die for. Unusual and very tasty, they were perfectly served and garnished."

It was a double success for Edinburgh nightspot Cabaret Voltaire which scooped Nightclub of the Year, while employee Rachel Gregson was chosen as Bar Personality of the Year.

Judges described Rachel as "bubbly, enthusiastic, customer focused, and a real support to her boss."

The judges also provided a ringing endorsement of Cabaret Voltaire, adding: "When other club owners are telling you that it is the best club around, you know that it's a winner."

The Voodoo Room's Terry Brotherston was crowned as Bar Apprentice of the Year.

Completing the city's successful night, Nic Wood, who was behind the refurbishment of the Rutland Hotel, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.

Source; Edinburgh Evening News

27 CITY FIRMS ON AWARDS LIST

Posted 20/06/2008

A TOTAL of Edinburgh 27 firms have been named among the 60 shortlisted for this year's National Business Awards for Scotland.

Among them is The Real Mary King's Close, which has been nominated for the VisitScotland Tourism Business of the Year Award. The National Galleries of Scotland has been shortlisted for the Marketing Strategy of the Year Award, while Mel Young, the Edinburgh-based founder of the Homeless World Cup, has been nominated for the Logica Leadership Award.

Mike Faulkner, programme director of the awards, said: "With the economy showing signs of a slow down it is encouraging to see the Scottish appetite for success in business growing stronger across many sectors."

The awards will be held at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel on Thursday, September 11.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

HAYMARKET CLEARED TO HIT HEIGHTS

Posted 19/06/2008

By ALAN RODEN
A MASSIVE regeneration plan for Haymarket today won the backing of council officials after they revealed it will generate £8.75 million per year for the city.

The controversial £200m scheme, which includes a towering 17-storey hotel, would also create nearly 1700 local jobs, according to head of planning Alan Henderson.

But the project, which will now go to city councillors for a decision next week, will only get the go-ahead if backers pay £4.14m towards the tram network.

The flagship five-star hotel has been at the centre of controversy since images were unveiled in the Evening News last year, most recently attracting criticism from the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, which claimed it would ruin the Capital's skyline.

Mr Henderson today admitted the hotel "will be seen from many areas of the city", but added: "The quality of the architecture and design allows this building to complement the city's skyline."

He also revealed that 27 windows in properties on Morrison Street would be affected by shadows from the hotel, but said the amount of daylight would remain within acceptable standards.

Only 39 objections were received by the council – compared to a total of 1800 for the £300 million Caltongate plans.

Luxury chain InterContinental is to run the main 192-bedroom hotel, which includes a swimming pool and bar at the top of the hotel and conference facilities.

The overall project for the former Morrison Street goods yard, called "The Haymarket", also includes a neighbouring three-star, 245-bedroom Travelodge, offices, shops and restaurants.

Previous proposals, drawn up by council development firm EDI, already have planning permission, but have been abandoned.

Mr Henderson said today: "The mix of uses represents a positive contribution to the area-wide aspirations for Haymarket.

"The quality of the urban design solution will enhance the area and the setting of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, adjacent listed buildings and conservation area.

"The five-star hotel will create a landmark building which adds positively to the city skyline and marks this important interchange location."

Mr Henderson said the £8.75m boost to the city's economy would also include another £4.7m for Scotland as a whole.

Contributions to the tram scheme are now normal for any new development, but the £4.14m condition is thought to be one of the highest ever.

John Nesbitt, managing director of Tiger Developments, said: "The Haymarket will be of immense benefit to Edinburgh by transforming a site which has remained derelict for 40 years."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

LIVING VENTURES WINS AWARD

Posted 17/06/2008

Living Ventures wins award

RESTAURANT and bar operator Living Ventures has been given an award for catering training.

Living Ventures, which owns Gusto, formerly the Living Room, on George Street, won an excellence award for training from Catering in Scotland (CIS).

It overcame several hundred applicants to get to the final, where it beat off competition from Adam Smith College and Compass Group at RBS.

Living Ventures director and co-founder Jeremy Roberts, director and co-founder of Living Ventures, which also owns Glasgow’s Grill on the Corner, said: “Living Ventures is honoured to receive this award. Training is one of the most critical parts of our business.

“Retaining and developing skilled staff is essential to the ongoing success of Living Ventures.”

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

NANDO'S SPICES UP LEISURE PARK

Posted 14/05/2008

RESTAURANT chain Nando's is to open its first outlet in the Capital after sealing a deal for space within a city leisure park.

The Portuguese piri piri chicken specialist has acquired a 3475 square foot unit at Fountain Park, which also features restaurants, bars, a health club, a cinema, bowling and a casino.

It has taken on a new 25-year lease at a rent of £82,500 per annum.

Isla Monteith, senior surveyor for retail services at letting agent Cushman & Wakefield, which sealed the deal, said: "We are delighted to have assisted Nando's in securing their first outlet in Edinburgh and we have a number of other deals for them in Scotland in the pipeline.

"Fountain Park is one of Edinburgh's premier leisure destinations and I am sure Nando's will add a bit of flavour to the mix."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

CAPITAL'S ARMY OF MIGRANT WORKERS SET TO GO AWOL

Posted 02/05/2008

THE huge influx of migrant workers arriving in the Capital is set to slow significantly over the coming five years, according to an official report.

Around 27,000 people have moved to Edinburgh from overseas over the past five years, with Polish workers accounting for more than a third over the past year.

The rising standard of living in Poland is the main reason those numbers are expected to fall.

The report to the city council, however, also warns that the slowdown in emigration may create problems due to a shortage of skilled workers in the city. Hospitality and tourism industries may face a shortfall of 24,000.

Economic development officials are now devising a strategy to ensure that there continues to be an inflow of skilled workers.

David Cochrane, chief executive of the Hospitality Industry Trust, said that – with 40 per cent of hospitality workers in the Central Belt being migrant workers – the industry was used to dealing with such "peaks and troughs".

"We have always had a migrant workforce – it wasn't that long ago that there were a lot of bar staff from Australia and New Zealand," said Mr Cochrane.

"We also have a lot of inactive people. But if they are offered the right job they could be in a position to work and help smooth these peaks and troughs."

While only 70 Polish people moved to Edinburgh in 2002-3 and 2003-4, the figure jumped dramatically to 1040 in 2004-5 and 4080 in 2005-6.

That is more than a third of the total 11,680 migrant workers who arrived in the city.

Karol Chojnowski, manager of Haymarket-based community website szkocja.net, said:

"The European Union effect is starting to kick in. The ratio or value of the pound against the Polish zloty has stabilised."

Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city council's economic development convener, said: "In economic terms, the net contribution of migrant workers to the city is overwhelmingly positive."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

PUNCH TAVERNS STILL HITTING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT DESPITE SMOKING BAN CONCERNS

Posted 24/04/2008

PUNCH Taverns, Scotland's biggest pubs operator, said it is continuing to perform well despite the smoking ban.

The firm today said pre-tax profits before exceptional items nudged ahead by one per cent to £133 million. And the pub chain, which owns a range of bars in Edinburgh including the Station Tavern, Ryries and the Waverley Bar, said the results reflected improvements to its pubs portfolio.

Chris Welham, Scottish regional operations director, said: "We have sold off around 10 per cent of our pubs and at the same time have acquired top-end pubs to balance that out. The idea is for us to continue improving the quality of our pubs."

Since September last year, the pub chain has invested around £1m in new pubs in Edinburgh, and is looking to continue investing in the city, Mr Welham said.

Giles Thorley, Punch's chief executive, said: "Whilst we remain cautious over short-term trading conditions for the sector, we are confident that we are well-positioned as we move into a more positive environment over the summer months and pass the anniversary of the smoking ban in England and Wales."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

CHAMPAGNE BAR TO BRING SOME EXTRA SPARKLE TO MUSSELBURGH

Posted 21/04/2008

HORSE-RACING enthusiasts will be able toast their success at a new exclusive Champagne bar to be opened at Musselburgh Racecourse.

More than £1 million worth of contracts have been put out to tender for existing franchises and new catering firms to bid for.

The contracts cover corporate functions, fine dining, seven bars, a bistro and a fast food outlet at the East Lothian circuit.

It was the first time in six years that the venue has put its bar and catering contracts out to tender, in an effort to provide better facilities for its customers.

The award-winning Leith-based firm Heritage Portfolio has kept its contract to provide corporate hospitality and fine dining for race-goers.

As part of the deal it also invested in a new Pommery Champagne Bar, which it will be responsible for running.

Musselburgh's association with Pommery stretches back to 2005 when it won its exclusive supplier and sponsorship contract, after Heritage Portfolio brought the two together. Mark Miller, chief executive at Heritage Portfolio, said there is demand by race-goers, trainers and owners alike for the venture.

He said: "We have been working with Musselburgh Racecourse for over six years now and we are delighted to be able to extend that relationship. The whole Champagne bar concept at Musselburgh has been tested over the last two years, with its marquee facilities. That proved there was a strong demand for a permanent Champagne bar to open.

"As a venue the racecourse is very innovative and constantly looking for ways to change and improve their services. We thrive in this type of environment and indeed encourage it.

"The new Champagne bar will be a great addition to the racecourse facilities and there are more new initiatives in the pipeline which will ensure Musselburgh stays at the front of the field."

Heritage is also taking over the grandstand bar and has plans to introduce food for the first time for customers.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager Bill Farns-worth said: "As part of the new contract Heritage Portfolio are financing improvements to certain facilities around the course, including the opening of a new Pommery Champagne Bar, which will be very popular on race days."

Market research for the track highlighted that it had to make changes to ensure Musselburgh maintained its excellent record for customer service, Mr Farnsworth said.

He added: "The racing and leisure industry is extremely competitive and only by constantly refining and improving our services will we stay ahead of the field and protect our position as one of the UK's leading racecourses."

In addition to staging 25 flat and jump race days a year the venue hosts an additional 100 events each year, attracting some 90,000 visitors.

Other initiatives to drive up customer numbers have included a Ladies Day, which helped get the racecourse nominated for the Marketing Excellence Awards Scotland.

Last year's Ladies Day, the sixth year it has been running, broke records when it became the first Musselburgh race day to sell out in advance.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

BUDGET CHAIN TRAVELODGE BUYS LUXURY EDINBURGH HOTEL

Posted 18/04/2008

A FOUR-STAR hotel on the fringes of Edinburgh city centre is to be transformed into budget accommodation as part of a major expansion drive north of the Border by hotel operator Travelodge.

The Menzies Belford Hotel, on Belford Road, has been snapped up by Travelodge for an undisclosed sum.

Yesterday's sale marks the end of an era for the building, which has operated as a luxury hotel for almost 30 years.

A magnet for showbiz celebrities in its 1980s heyday, the venue was originally known as the Dragonara and was also owned by the Hilton chain before it became part of the Menzies Belford stable in 2001.

The 146-bedroom property is to undergo a £2.3 million refurbishment by the budget hotel operator and will reopen under the Travelodge name in June.

A spokesman for Menzies Hotels said: "We have exchanged contracts with Travelodge for the Menzies Belford Hotel. Travelodge run a very different type of operation to us so there is likely to be some major changes."

The hotel's staff were briefed in a meeting yesterday, but Travelodge told The Scotsman it could not rule out making redundancies in the future.

Greg Dawson, spokesman for the budget hotel firm, said: "This is our eighth Travelodge in Edinburgh. We are very keen to increase our presence in Scotland, especially ahead of events such as the Commonwealth Games. Edinburgh is our second-biggest tourism market after London."

Travelodge already has four other hotels operating in the Scottish capital, with three more planned at Haymarket, St Margaret's and Edinburgh airport.

Sinead Guerin, VisitScotland regional director, said: "Edinburgh prides itself on being able to offer something for every budget and this new Travelodge development will provide visitors with another option when looking for accommodation.

"In order for Edinburgh to maintain its position as a top tourism destination, we must continue to ensure potential visitors have choice, be it at the luxury end of the market or for budget holidays."

Separately, the hotel has been closed since Monday due to a problem with some of its gas appliances, forcing hundreds of guests to be rehoused in hotels across Edinburgh. It is due to reopen at the weekend.

• Global hotel operator Marriott International said yesterday that its first-quarter profit had dropped 34 per cent as the slowing US economy took a toll on its hotels.

The results were in line with Wall Street expectations, but the hotel operator lowered its forecast for the full year.

The hotel chain said it earned $121 million for the 12 weeks between 29 December and 21 March – down from the $182m the company earned in the first quarter of 2007.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

BAR WINS NEW VENUE AWARD

Posted 17/04/2008

A CAPITAL restaurant and bar is the best new venue in Scotland after picking up a top food and drink industry award.

Abstract, on Castle Terrace, was named Best New Scottish Restaurant at the Theme Bar and Restaurant Awards on Tuesday.

The awards are designed to honour excellence among bar professionals and their venues, bringing together the best of design, technology and drinks.

The restaurant will go through to the UK awards final in London in June.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

M&B LAUNCHES BID TO SWALLOW PUNCH PUBS

Posted 14/04/2008

ALL Bar One and O'Neill's owner Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) today confirmed that it was in talks to buy rival Punch Taverns' managed pub business.

It said it was in the process of considering how a deal could be funded for Punch's Spirit Group, owner of a number of well-known Edinburgh pubs including Doctors, Milnes Bar, Beehive Inn and McCowan's Brewhouse. But it also confirmed that it was considering selling a minority stake in itself to a number of private equity firms that have expressed an interest in order to fund a bid for Spirit.

In an update on its ongoing strategic review, M&B told shareholders today that it is considering ways to increase value to shareholders.

"The board believes that significant value through enhanced sales and profitability can be created by integrating Punch's managed pub business into Mitchells & Butlers' operational and brand structure. The board has now initiated an approach to Punch to explore whether terms for such a mutually beneficial transaction can be agreed," it said.

As well as its major brands, M&B owns a large "local" pubs division, which includes Deacon Brodie's, the White Hart Inn, Sheep Heid, Greyfriars Bobby and the Kenilworth in Edinburgh.

Analysts calculate that a combination of M&B and Spirit would be worth around £2 billion pounds. But it is reported that a number of key M&B shareholders, including property billionaire Robert Tchenguiz, oppose any deal for Spirit, as they fear it could significantly undervalue M&B's property portfolio.

M&B chief executive Tim Clarke is currently under pressure from a number of shareholders that have lost money in their investments in the company.

Investors including Marshall Wace, John Magnier and JP McManus are monitoring Mr Clarke's moves closely and could seek to remove him from the board unless he releases the value of M&B's property portfolio.

Earlier this year, Punch, the UK's biggest pub operator, had said it was seeking a merger with M&B in a deal that would have created a 10,500-strong UK pub group with a value of around £3.7bn.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

MACDONALD HOTELS NAMES DAVID GUILE AS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Posted 11/04/2008

Macdonald Hotels and Resorts has appointed David Guile as its new chief executive.

Previously deputy chief executive, Guile has been credited with masterminding the development of two new build hotels at a cost of £60m and overseeing an investment programme of £200m at the company’s four and five-star hotels.

Guile said: “Being offered the opportunity to develop a brand like ours is both an honour and a challenge but one I welcome. I will be supported by a strong team with broad experience of the hotel sector.”

Guile worked at Forte and Heritage hotel groups before joining Macdonald Hotels in 2000.

Initially regional managing director for the South of England he was promoted to deputy chief executive in March 2006 and joined the group’s board three months later.

Macdonald was named as AA group hotel of the year in September 2007.

Source: Catererseach.com

JOBS IN CREDIT REVEAL BRITAIN'S WORSE CV CRIMES

Posted 10/04/2008

When it comes to landing an interview for that dream job the CV is still the most important tool but Britain’s appear all too lazy when it comes to presenting themselves in the best light.

A survey of CVs by an online recruitment site has found that four out of every ten CVs received by an employer will contain a fundamental error.

Spelling mistakes, poor punctuation and bad design or layout lead the list of worst CV crimes.

Jobsincredit.com, which offers its candidates a professional CV enhancement as part of its service, interviewed 100 HR professionals at some of the UK’s leading organisations. The survey asked them to gauge the amount of CVs they received containing basic errors that cut short the application and asked them to name the most common mistakes found on CVs.

As well as poor attention to detail, other errors included the omission of qualifications, key dates and contact details for referees.

“It’s amazing to think that four out of every ten CVs seen by employers contain a basic error which will prevent that application from progressing,” says Brett Marlow, Director of Jobsincredit.com. “With spelling and grammar checkers built into word processors, there’s simply no excuse for a CV to contain typos. As for design, the principle offenders are the use of outlandish fonts and poor layout. A great CV needs to be easy to read.”

Top help improve the country’s CVs, jobsincredit.com offers the following advice.

Presentation
First impressions really do matter so it’s important that your CV looks fantastic. If it’s going to be printed and posted, use the highest quality paper you can: it will feel so much better than the supermarket own brand other people use. Wherever possible, get your CV printed on a laser printer. Never send a photocopied CV.

Length
One page is ideal and two pages are quite acceptable. Some senior or technical roles may run to three pages - but no more!

Layout
The CV should be eye-catching and uncluttered. Use bold text, underlining and bullet points to achieve this – but don’t go over the top.

Spelling
Always check your CV for spelling and grammatical errors. Far too many CVs contain too many spelling mistakes.

Relevance
Only include the information that sells you – prospective employers don’t want to waste time reading details irrelevant to your ability to fulfil the job role.

Structure
Place the most relevant information at the top so that prospective employers see this first. For example, recent graduates will probably have stronger qualifications than work experience so should describe their education before their career summary.

Profile
All the best CVs have a professional profile on the first page. This should summarise the specific skills acquired during studies or employment and should carefully avoid any clichés.

Target the CV
Be focused. Where is your career heading? Tailor your CV accordingly. Use the profile to emphasise your relevant skills and use - but don’t overuse - appropriate terminology and buzzwords.

Career Gaps
Deal with these carefully and tactfully. For example, state just years instead of months and years against your jobs in a career summary.

The Professional Touch
Not everyone is comfortable with selling themselves fully but if you’re going to get the job of your dreams then you really need to. An ideal way of maximizing your chances of landing your new job is to register with jobsincredit.com and sign up to one of the site’s new services

Source: Onrec.com

MURRAYFIELD HOSPITAL TO BECOME TOP-CLASS HOTEL

Posted 04/04/2008

A FORMER hospital in Murrayfield is finally set for a new lease of life as a hotel.

Plans have been submitted to the council to convert Beechmont House, on Corstorphine Road, into a 23-bed hotel, complete with leisure club, restaurant and bar.

The scheme has been drawn up to breathe new life into the B-listed building, which was previously used as a convalescent and geriatric hospital before being converted into private rooms for let.

It will mark the completion of a long-term plan for a hotel on the site, which businessmen Iain Dewar and Keith Stephen first envisaged in 2000.

The pair, who bought the elegant B-listed property from Lothian Health in 1996, had originally won the backing of councillors eight years ago, but despite having a five-year window to begin work on the scheme the conversion was never started, and they were compelled to resubmit the proposals. Neither of the owners was available to comment on the latest plans for the house.

However, a spokesman for city architects PPCA, which is acting as agent for the scheme, said it was expected that hotel would become a reality if the new plans were approved.

He added: "The owners of the property previously had planning permission for a hotel but work was never started on converting it. It is a really good site that will be a popular choice for this sort of venture, especially as it sits right next to a main bus route and the proposed tram line. We will be submitting new, detailed plans over the next week or so."

Beechmont House was built in 1902 for Sir George Anderson, a treasurer of the Bank of Scotland, and later bequeathed by his widow to the Royal Infirmary. It was eventually used as a convalescent and geriatric hospital until being leased at a token rate to the Scottish Wildlife Trust in 1993.

Mr Dewar and Mr Stephen bought the house and its ten acres of woodland near Edinburgh Zoo for £855,000 in 1996.

At the time it was rumoured that they planned to transform the building into luxury flats, but they later unveiled the hot
el project.

The plan has been welcomed by tourism leaders, who say it would help create more "high-quality" hotel rooms for the Capital.

VisitScotland area director for Edinburgh, Ben Carter said: "Edinburgh's hotel occupancy levels are among the highest of any city in the world, which is a great indicator that tourism in the Capital is performing well."

Community leaders have also given the plan a cautious welcome, saying they would need to see details plans before giving approval.

Walter Spence, chairman of Murrayfield community council, said: "It would be good to see something positive happening to the building."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

NEW HOTEL IS PLANNED FOR HEART OF CITY

Posted 02/04/2008

AN Irish-American hotel operator is planning a new 63-room hotel in the heart of Edinburgh.

The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, which owns hotels in New York and Dublin, is expected to move into the north side of Waterloo Place, close to the Balmoral Hotel and Waverley station, next year, it was reported today.

Building owner Beaghmor is understood to have struck a deal with the Fitzpatrick group to run the hotel.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "We aren't able to say too much about this particular site at the moment.

"However, although the company currently only has hotels in New York and Dublin, it is very much looking to expand and Edinburgh is one of the prime areas it has targeted."

The Apex group has already secured planning permission for a £13 million hotel in former council offices on the same side of Waterloo Place as the new hotel.

Its 150-bed development is expected to open in time for this year's Festival Fringe.

Property expert Colin Finlayson said: "Waterloo Place's proximity to Waverley and easy access to the major tourist destinations make it an obvious choice for future hotel development."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

AUCHRANNIE REWARDED FOR GOING GREEN

Posted 01/04/2008

Arran’s biggest hotel has received three Visit Scotland Green Tourism awards for its high level of energy efficiency.

The Auchrannie was presented with two silver awards for the hotel and spa and one bronze award for the lodges.

Assistant operations manager David Johnston said: ‘I think it is extremely important to the guests today to see that we are giving back to the environment. Recycling is very important to everyone at home so why not when you’re on holiday too.’

From Fairtrade wines and local produce in the restaurant to glass and paper bins in the lodges, Auchrannie staff have been trained to ensure the business is as environmentally friendly as possible.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme undergoes rigorous assessments for its awards. Operations manager Richard Small said: ‘We have been doing as much as we possibly can to reduce waste and be energy efficient. Simple things like using energy efficient light bulbs throughout the hotel, spa and the lodges can have a big effect. Reducing waste water and chemicals is important to us too.’

Members are encouraged to introduce measures to lessen the impact of their business on the environment, such as using low-energy light bulbs or corridor lights which go on when people approach, or using local produce, or promoting wildlife walks and cycle hire in their area.

‘It is more expensive to be environmentally aware,’ said Richard, ‘but we are willing to do it because it is so important. There are still many more things that we can and need to do.’

Source: The Arran Banner

CAPITAL HOTELS BOOK A PLACE IN LIST OF WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE

Posted 18/03/2008

HOTELS in the Capital are still good value and among the best in the world, according to city tourism bosses as new figures rated venues in the city ninth most expensive in the world.

Research carried out by online firm hotels.com, who provide booking details for hotels across the globe, found that the Capital had the fifth most expensive hotels in the UK and was ranked as the ninth most expensive city in the world.

The average price for a hotel stay in Edinburgh has risen by six per cent over the past year and now stands at a total of £103 per night.

Only Aberdeen, London, Bath and Oxford have higher prices in the UK, while Moscow, Dubai, New York and Venice were higher in the world league.

The new figures mean that Edinburgh has dropped to the second spot in Scotland, after Aberdeen's average hotel prices rose by 34 per cent to £109 over the past 12 months.

However, business leaders in Edinburgh said that the figures "would not cause alarm" for the city's hotel industry.

Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "Tourism and leisure in Edinburgh is a huge market and our hotels are still among the best in the world.

"Although we have fallen behind in this list, I suspect it is because the research has concentrated on hotels that are used for corporate businesses and conferences, as Aberdeen has a long tradition and a good reputation in that market.

"I don't expect the hotel sector in Edinburgh will be too concerned by this as we currently have hotel chains and brands from across the world queuing up to invest in the city."

Tourism chiefs added that the performance of Edinburgh and Aberdeen – which were among only a handful to top the £100 mark – as well as a strong showing from Inverness showed that the hotel industry in Scotland was booming.

Hotels.com Europe vice president David Roche said: "Scotland is fast becoming a destination of choice for luxury leisure travellers, and this, along with Aberdeen's status as an important business centre, is being reflected in the rising prices people are paying for hotel rooms."

A spokeswoman for tourism body VisitScotland added that, although the Capital had dropped to second place in Scotland, the figures showed that Edinburgh was continuing to perform alongside the best cities in the world.

She added: "We all know that value for money is really important for a holiday in Scotland which will never be a cheap destination.

"It's great to hear that so many of our hotels (in Edinburgh] are performing well and positioning themselves against the very best in the world."

The research showed the average costs of UK hotels rose by 12 per cent last year compared with 2006, taking a one-night stay to £106.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

HOTEL OPERATOR SOUGHT FOR FORMER BBC SCOTLAND SITE

Posted 12/03/2008

A hotel operator is being sought for the former headquarters of BBC Scotland in Glasgow, which is being converted into an 85-room boutique hotel.

QMD Hotels, a joint venture between Esk Properties and Blackrock International Land, has received planning permission to convert the listed site, which is housed in 5.3 acres of Glasgow’s West End overlooking the city’s Botanic Gardens and the River Kelvin.

Demolition of redundant buildings on the site will begin within the next two months and the new hotel is expected to be completed by 2011.

The project also includes the construction of 183 apartments and three town-houses neighbouring the site.

The site is being marketed by property agents Christie & Co and Kerr Young, head of investment and development at the company, said: “We are confident in attracting strong interest from a wide range of boutique hotel operators for what we believe is the finest boutique hotel opportunity to appear in Scotland for a number of years.”

Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Source: Caterersearch.com

CAPITAL HOTELS BOOK A PLACE IN LIST OF WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE

Posted 11/03/2008

CARNIVALS' SET TO CLOSE KEY STREET IN DRIVE TO BOOST CITY

Posted 10/03/2008

ONE of Edinburgh's flagship thoroughfares would be closed to traffic for special events under plans for a new scheme aimed at reviving the fortunes of the heart of the capital.
George Street could become home to regular "carnival" events featuring live music, street entertainers and even cookery demonstrations as part of a long-awaited initiative to enhance the city centre.

The idea is being considered by the promoters of a scheme which would see firms between Princes Street and George Street fund a string of improvements dedicated to the area.

George Street, which has seen huge growth in major fashion retailers and upmarket bars over the last ten years, already plays host to a hugely popular street carnival as part of the city's Hogmanay celebrations.

It is thought another trial closure of George Street could be introduced as early as this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The move

may be linked to the first phase of a campaign, also under discussion, to encourage an extension of shop opening hours until as late as 10pm.

Retailers, bars, restaurants and other firms will vote over the next few weeks on the creation of a "business improvement district" (BID), which is expected to generate £1 million annually. In return for paying higher rates under the scheme, businesses would be promised a package of improvements over and above council services.

Such schemes have proved popular across England, but Edinburgh would be the first to introduce a BID in Scotland.

While new city centre wardens, extra cleaning "hit squads" and welcome banners are among likely measures, more ambitious ideas such as live music events are being proposed to ensure the project gets the go-ahead.

The ballot will involve more than 500 firms with a rateable value of more than £25,000. For the ballot to be successful, there must be a minimum turn-out of 25 per cent of eligible businesses and a clear majority in favour.

Ian Broadfoot, head of the Edinburgh City Centre Management Company, said: "The council has assured us any money generated through the BID will be over and above what they provide. It's about delivering things that haven't happened before and ensuring businesses see a real difference."

'EVENTS THAT ADD TO THE AREA'

ELINOR Jayne, project manager for the Essential Edinburgh initiative, said: "The businesses will decide how the money is spent through a board which is independent of the council.

"The idea is to get things off the ground that add to the area and would not normally happen, and help the city centre compete better with the out-of-town shopping centres.

"Another area being looked at is extending the opening hours of shops. Shops don't want to open if they don't think there will be enough customers, so it would have to be linked to a promotional campaign."

Source: Scotsman.com

DAKOTA'S GRILL PICKS UP A DOUBLE

Posted 07/03/2008

The Grill, the restaurant at Dakota Forth Bridge took an impressive double at the Scottish Restaurant Awards. The venue was named Scottish Restaurant of the Year and also took the title in the Best Scottish Hotel Restaurant category.

The awards come on the back of other plaudits including food journalist Joanna Blythman naming it as one of the top restaurants in Scotland.

Chef partner, Roy Brett - formerly executive chef at Rick Stein's seafood restaurant - said the success was due in part to the people they worked with. "We absolutely couldn't have done in without our producers and suppliers who work with us to make sure everything we serve is sustainable, fresh and sourced locally," he said.

Source: Scottish Catering and Hospitality

BAD SPELLAS MISS OUT ON POSISHUNS

Posted 29/02/2008

Jobseekers are spoiling their chances of landing work by having mistakes on their CVs - such as mis-spelling their own name, according to a new report.

A study of 500,000 CVs by online firm fish4jobs found a series of grammatical errors, irrelevant information, wrong job titles and inappropriate e-mail addresses such as "bigboy" or "hotstuff".

Common "typo" mistakes included claims that candidates had worked ina "busty office", wanted a job as a "manger", or in "pubic relations".

Some people said they had been educated at a very good "skool" or attended "collage" while others boasted that they had been trained in "fist aid".

Joe Slavin, chief executive at fish4jobs, said: "Although many of these mistakes seem quite obvious with hindsight, they are very easy to make. Just one error can mean the difference between being invited to an interview and losing several opportunities".

Source: The Scotsman

MCKEVER EYES CAPITAL IN £25M EXPANSION

Posted 22/02/2008

THE owner of the Cairn Hotel in Bathgate is planning a £25 million expansion across Scotland.

The McKever group wants to increase its portfolio from 14 hotels to 20 by the middle of next year.

The hotel group said the current financial turmoil following the credit crunch made it the right time to snap up rivals.

Its existing properties are spread across Scotland and include the Banff Spring Hotel on Royal Deeside and the Columba Hotel in Oban.

The group's owner and founder, Ally McKever, a former welder turned property developer, said: "It's a good time to be on the acquisition trail. We have financial backing in place to fund six hotels, with five deals already in the pipeline."

The company does not have any hotels in Edinburgh and the Capital, as well as Dundee, is seen as a key target market. The first purchase – of a well-established hotel in Gretna Green – is due to be completed this week.

"There are certain places in which we would like to have a hotel to fill gaps in our map," said Mr McKever. "Our strategy is to develop under-performing hotels, but finding them can be hard.

"Our approach is rigorous: if we buy six, it probably means we've looked at around a hundred."

Source: Scotsman

PLANNERS SAY 'I DO' TO TURNING EX-REGISTRY OFFICE INTO HOTEL

Posted 20/02/2008

GAIL PORTER famously tied the knot there, but now a former registry office in the Old Town is being given a new lease of life as a hotel.

Under the proposals, which are expected to be approved by councillors this week, the India Buildings on Victoria Street would be converted into a 34-bedroom hotel, complete with dining areas and a bar.

The A-listed building, which hosted Edinburgh's first gay civil partnership and was where TV presenter Gail married musician Dan Hipgrave, had originally been earmarked as a backpackers hostel.

But developers have shelved the hostel plans in favour of the hotel scheme, which will create 34 new twin guest bedrooms in the city.

The plans have already won the backing of planning officials, who said that it would help strengthen Edinburgh's tourism industry.

An "unattractive" stair tower at the rear of the building would be removed and replaced with new steel fire escape steps.

The proposal would also allow alcohol to be sold to guests having a meal in the hotel, although the developers would have to submit a separate application if they wanted to turn the building into a fully licensed premises.

The scheme has been backed by local community leaders, who said they would be "very happy" to see a hotel built in the property.

Bill Cowan, spokesman for the Old Town Association, said: "We are certainly not worried about this plan, as a new hotel would be a good use for the building.

"There were a few concerns when the hostel scheme was first proposed, as we feared that the developers would just turn it into a new nightclub if it was granted an alcohol licence.

"However, under the new licensing laws they will have to submit an operating plan detailing what the building will be used for, so there is no chance of that happening.

"As far as these plans are concerned, the India Buildings could only be used as a hotel, which is great news for local residents."

However, heritage groups have expressed concerns about the move and said they wanted to see the interior of the A-listed build
ing retained.

In a statement to the council, a spokesman for Historic Scotland said that, although it did not object to a hotel being built on the site, it would prefer a "more sympathetic scheme".

The India Buildings were bought last year by Edinburgh property speculator Jim Tullis, who announced plans at the time to create a four-star 300-bed hostel in the building.

Planning consent for a backpackers' hostel and a ground floor coffee shop was eventually granted by the council last June, although Mr Tullis later said he was considering opening a hotel on the site instead.

Today, a spokesman for Gregor Shore Ltd, the developers who drew up the plans, declined to comment on the hotel scheme as they "did not want to jeopardise" the application before it was discussed by the council.

The proposals are expected to be approved by the city's planning committee on Wednesday.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

HISTORY AND CULTURE OF CITY GOES ONLINE

Posted 18/02/2008

RARE archives chronicling the history, life and culture of Edinburgh are to be made available online for the first time this month.

Documents from the Edinburgh Room in the Central Library, the first local studies department in the country, have been digitised as part of an £18,000 project.

Around 1000 watercolours, sketches, drawings, and photographs from the collection will be showcased on the new site – www.capitalcollections.org.uk.

Among the features will be an online exhibition illustrating the key features of both the Old and New Town World Heritage Site.

Other highlights include photographic surveys from the 1850s to the early 1900s, which provide a snapshot of areas such as the Cowgate.

David Hicks, of Edinburgh World Heritage said: "Anyone will now be able to explore this fascinating archive and see for themselves how Edinburgh has developed but retained its historic character."

City libraries leader Deidre Brock said today: "Long gone are the days when libraries were simply about borrowing books – we are modernising, digitising and reaching out to the wider world."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

TESCO HANDS BACK SITE TO QUEENS

Posted 15/02/2008

Supermarket giant Tesco is on the verge of agreeing to 'gift' a vacant site back to Queen of the South FC. Tesco has announced it is ready to end a lease agreement with the Doonhamers which has seen the retailer hold a vacant site in Dumfries - the site will be handed back to the football club. The site next to Palmerston Park used to be operated as a retail store but was closed down when Tesco moved its operations to Cuckoo Bridge in 2004. A Tesco spokesman said: "We have gifted it back to Queen of the South football club. They have aspirations to develop the site and in the next week or so it will no longer be in our ownership."

Source: BBC Scotland Online

£4.5M AIRPORT HOTEL JUDGED JUST THE TICKET

Posted 12/02/2008

A NEW multi-million pound hotel is set to be created near Edinburgh Airport.

Councillors are expected to give the scheme the go-ahead tomorrow, which would see a 97-bed hotel built on a vacant site facing Glasgow Road, at Ratho Station.

The hotel, which has been proposed by Ratho ParkVentures, would target business travellers and visitors to the Capital.

Developers are also hopeful of striking a deal with a major hotel chain to be partners in the £4.5 million venture.

The new development would be the third hotel to serve Edinburgh Airport, following the Hilton inside the grounds of the airport complex and the Quality Hotel at the Royal Highland Showground at Ingliston.

The scheme has already won the backing of planning officials, who said that it would help "contribute to the local economy" and create new jobs for the area.

In a report to councillors, the city's head of planning and strategy, Alan Henderson, said: "A recent visitor accommodation study has concluded that additional hotel accommodation is required near the airport."

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

NATIONAL SPRING CLEAN, SCOTLAND (1ST – 30TH APRIL 2008)

Posted 11/02/2008

National Spring Clean is back again in 2008! Last year 11,500 volunteers joined Keep Scotland Beautiful to welcome back the popular campaign - between us gathering enough bags of rubbish to cover the grass of Hampden Stadium with litter at least half a metre deep. But with your help we can do even better in 2008.

Many groups already take part in voluntary clean ups during the rest of the year but National Spring Clean provides an opportunity for schools, youth clubs, environmental organisations, voluntary groups, community gatherings, and businesses to play an important part in this bigger, coordinated campaign.

To take part in National Spring Clean 2008, please pick a date in April and fill out our Registration Form. You will be sent a Clean Up Kit to help you get started and we will keep you informed of developments as the campaign progresses.

For more information visit http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/index.asp?pg=255

Source: keepscotlandbeautiful.org

THINK TWICE: DON’T CHANGE JOBS JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.

Posted 08/02/2008

Creating a healthy work life balance requires careful planning. You may have to trade off a less-than-perfect score in one area of your life to achieve a better one in another.

This is a dangerous time of the year for anyone interested in ensuring a healthy work life balance. It is, of course, traditionally the time for new beginnings, when we resolve to cast off the old, eat and drink less, exercise more and go to the theatre more often.

Those new year resolutions – combined with the fact that the weather is just so miserable at this time of year and there’s frankly nothing much to look forward to, apart from Valentines Day, until the clocks go back in March – often result in people changing jobs just for the hell of it. According to a recent survey, 42% of us will be looking around for new positions this month.

My advice would be: think twice. Unless you really are miserable in your current job – in which case you owe it to yourself to get out now – changing employers is something you should approach strategically, not on a whim powered by one-too-many cloudy days. It’s not even a particularly good time to be looking around – the jobs market effectively closes down over the Christmas period and doesn’t really get going again until late in January.

A much more sensible approach is to invest in a good book such as John Lees’ How To Get A Job You’ll Love or Take Control Of Your Career. They are packed full of questionnaires designed to help you identify what your priorities are in life and what you should be looking for it a job.

One simple but very powerful tool you can try for yourself is the Wheel of Life, used by many business and life coaches. You draw a wheel with say, eight spokes coming out from the centre – one each for your health, income, work-life balance, family, friends, career development, learning/professional development, personal growth or whatever you think is important to you.

Taking the centre of the wheel as representing absolute zero and the outside edge as perfection, you plot where on each spoke of the wheel you feel the various aspects of your life are now, and where you’d like to be in, say, three years time.

A really interesting refinement is to plot where you think you were three years ago – it can throw up some really interesting perspectives on how your life and career has moved on, where it may be stuck, or where you may be choosing to leave it where it is because it may not be perfect, but overall the balance is right for you.

After all, very few of us are lucky enough to score a perfect ten in every aspect of our lives, and sometimes we may have to settle for a six or seven on the reward front in order to get an eight or nine in our quality of life. That, after all, is what work-life balance boils down to in the end.

Source: Steve Crabb – The Grocer

COUNCILLORS BACK CALTONGATE PLANS

Posted 07/02/2008

VITAL elements of the controversial £300 million Caltongate scheme today received the go-ahead from city councillors.
At a stormy meeting of the council's planning committee, various plans for a new five-star hotel, conference centre, plus dozens of homes, shops and offices in the Old Town, were supported by a majority of the 14 politicians.

However, contentious proposals to demolish all but the facade of historic Canongate tenements were put on hold, and the developers Mountrgange have been asked to look at ways of retaining the buildings for affordable housing.

The lengthy meeting, which carried on until 7.15pm, was attended by a large number of protesters, who regularly heckled the councillors.
Green councillor Steve Burgess and the SNP's Colin Keir opposed many of the separate plans for the Old Town site, but Lib Dem convener Jim Lowrie spoke out in support of the scheme.

The project will now progress to Scottish Ministers for a final decision.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

EDINBURGH TARGETED BY HOTEL OPERATORS

Posted 06/02/2008

The number of hotel bedrooms in Edinburgh has risen by 25 per cent since the millennium as the capital reels in four million tourists per year. The expansion shows no signs of slowing, with Glasgow-based Chardon and Canadian operator Future Inns among the latest to announce projects.

Chardon is investing £9m in the design-and-build of a limited service Express by Holiday Inn due to open next month near the Royal Mile, with 78 air-conditioned, en-suite rooms priced at around £70 including breakfast. Free internet access caters for both corporate and leisure markets.

In another move, agent DTZ is working with Future Inns UK to find a minimum half-acre site for a 150-bedroom hotel targeted for completion within two years. The Future Inns concept was established in Nova Scotia in the 1980s and the firm moved into the UK in 2003. Property director Graham Stockman said the capital project would represent an investment of £15m-£20m.

Chris Dougray of DTZ said the firm already had footholds in Cardiff, Plymouth and Bristol, providing comfortable value-for-money rooms, and was interested in newbuild and the redevelopment of existing properties. A total of around 100 new jobs will be created by the two projects.

VisitScotland's area director Ben Carter said: "With Edinburgh's hotel occupancy levels already among the highest in the UK, and growing demand for visitor accommodation, it is encouraging to see continued investment in the city's hotel sector, a key factor in reaching the industry ambition to grow tourism revenue by 50 per cent by 2015." This would require an additional 4000 rooms.

In other moves, Scottish businessman Lord Laidlaw has teamed up with north-east of England-based Rokeby Developments in a £70m joint venture to build two new hotels at Heathrow.

The pair believe they have spotted an under-provision of hotels adjacent to the new £4-bn Terminal 5 opening in March, and have merged adjoining land holdings to create a three-acre site close to an Abbey business centre owned by Lord Laidlaw.

A total of 600 new hotel rooms are being provided, but so far no operators have been named.

Source: The Herald

CALTONGATE HOTEL PLAN 'A MUST'

Posted 05/02/2008

TOURISM and business leaders have united in support of a luxury hotel planned for the controversial Caltongate scheme.

They say the hotel is "a must" for Edinburgh, after a report showed the Capital has fallen behind its European rivals in terms of the number rooms on offer to visitors.

Bosses at VisitScotland, the city's Chamber of Commerce and the Edinburgh Convention Bureau have all backed the multi-million hotel after developers released images of what it will look like.

A report published by property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle shows the Capital is trailing other major European destinations in hotel provision – offering just a third of the number of rooms available in Prague and ten times fewer hotels than Paris.

Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of Edinburgh's Chamber of Commerce, said the plans for the Caltongate scheme were "visionary and ambitious".

He said: "The designs are contemporary, bold and complementary to a city which has always been constructed in the styles of its times.

"Edinburgh is crying out for more high-quality hotel space to boost our conference and tourism sector. It's therefore imperative this development is approved."

Ben Carter, area director of VisitScotland, said the organisation would "support the development of a flagship hotel" in the Old Town.

He said: "We are keen to ensure Edinburgh can contribute to the national ambition of increasing annual revenue from tourism by 50 per cent in ten years.

"Current hotel occupancy is very strong in Edinburgh and if we are to capitalise on efforts to grow revenue from tourism we will require additional hotel beds and conference facilities."

The report, gathered from research by property specialists, estimated that Edinburgh needs another 1500 hotel beds to have a similar supply per visitor to cities such as London, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Berlin.

Niall Macdonald, director of Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "This hotel development will act as the catalyst for bringing greater life and vitality to this area of the city.

"From what we are seeing in our day-to-day activity in the Edinburgh market, there is still significant demand from hotel operators for accommodation within the city centre.

"If Edinburgh is to remain competitive in the European tourism market, we need sufficient additional hotel capacity to cope with demand."

The Caltongate proposals involve a cultural quarter, a five-star hotel and conference centre, office blocks, 200 homes, bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as a new street linking Princes Street to Holyrood.

Ralph Radtke, of Sofitel, the company that would run the new hotel, said: "We believe that the Caltongate development will help Edinburgh remain in the premier league of tourist destinations and we urge the City of Edinburgh Council to give their backing to the project."

However, objectors to the controversial scheme said that, although they agreed the city needed more hotels, they still felt that the Caltongate plans were "inappropriate" because of its location in the Old Town.

Bill Cowan, spokesman for the Old Town Association, said: "We appreciate that Edinburgh is short of hotel rooms and we are not against the idea of a new hotel being developed on this site.

"However, what we have concerns about is the style and the detail of what is being proposed here."

Source:Edinburgh Evening News By ADRIAN MATHER and ALAN RODEN

A NORTH QUEENSFERRY RESTAURANT HAS WON A PRESTIGIOUS CULINARY AWARD IN THE NEW 2008 MICHELIN FOOD GUIDE FOR GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

Posted 04/02/2008

The guide, which came out last week, lists The Wee Restaurant as one of just three new additions to Scotland’s Bib Gourmand list.

Created in 1997, the distinction recognises establishments which offer “good food at moderate prices” – generally three courses for less than £28. There are only eight such establishments north of the border, out of 133 across Britain and Ireland.

The restaurant, which opened on Main Street in March 2006, specialises in Scottish-French cuisine. It is owned and run by Craig and Vikki Wood, who both used to work at Restaurant Martin Wishart in Leith.

Chef Craig (34) said he was “delighted and really pleased” with the award and paid tribute to Vikki and restaurant manager Christophe Delarue.

He said, “To get a mention in the book is fantastic but to be honest, we’ve never really been interested in the whole thing with guides and awards.

“Our aim here was to produce really good food with good ingredients and have a nice friendly service, all at a reasonable, moderate price.”

The restaurant is the only establishment in Fife to have a Bib Gourmand and the award is the latest feather in its cap. It was dubbed “the best eating place in Scotland” by the Independent’s restaurant critics, and was also listed in the latest edition of the guidebook Scotland the Best.

Craig said that the award “isn’t going to change anything we’re doing”.

Source: Dunfermline Press

NEWCOMER IS NAMED BEST RESTAURANT IN THE COUNTRY

Posted 01/02/2008

A HOTEL restaurant in South Queensferry has seen off rivals with Michelin stars to be officially named Scotland's best.

The Grill at Dakota beat competitors such as Number One at the Balmoral Hotel, Glasgow's plush Chardon d'Or and the famous Three Chimneys on Skye to take the top prize.

The distinctive black panelled hotel, just off the A90 near the Forth Road Bridge, also won Scotland's Best Hotel Restaurant category, just ten months after it opened.

Top chefs, restaurateurs and food lovers gathered for the first Scottish Restaurant Awards ceremony at the EICC on Monday evening.

The Grill is a specialist seafood restaurant, and chef partner Roy Brett put its success down to locally-sourced produce and an "honest approach" to food.

He said: "You don't go to these events expecting to win, you go to enjoy yourself.

"So, to win one award was amazing but to go on to win the overall Restaurant of the Year award is unbelievable.

"We only use seasonal produce and work closely to marine conservation limits, so our success is probably down to the fact that we're a seafood specialist with local produce on our shore."

He said the restaurant built its menu around what was available that day and always attempted to keep its prices reasonable.

"The key is doing it in a responsible way so we pay a premium for things like line-caught mackerel, rather than netted, or hand-dived scallops rather than those that have been dredged up along with everything else on the seabed.

"What's important to us is that we don't pass that cost on to the customer."

The Dakota chain – which also has hotels off the A8/M8 in Lanarkshire and in Nottingham – is owned by entrepreneur Ken McCulloch and motor racing superstar David Coulthard.

After the hotel opened in March last year, the pair poached Mr Brett from celebrity chef Rick Stein's Seafood restaurant in London to be chef partner for all three hotel restaurants.

Mr Brett added: "Working with Rick for five years was great, and he did his best to knock all of the 'chefiness' out of me, and made me focus on the food and the restaurant experience.

"When I came up here I kept that in mind but I've tried to do it in my own way, so to be recognised in this way is fantastic."

Malcolm Duck, chairman of the Edinburgh Restaurateurs Association, said: "I think it's a great thing that we can pull in nationally recognised chefs like Roy Brett to this area.

"He's a really nice guy and a great cook and I'd like to congratulate him on the award."

AWARD WINNERS

Chinese Wok & Wine, Edinburgh

Indian Roti, Edinburgh

Italian La Parmigiana, Glasgow

Speciality The Seafood Restaurant, St. Monans

Fine dining Number One, Edinburgh

City restaurant The Sisters, Glasgow

Rural The Peat Inn, Fife

Pub grub Kings Wark, Edinburgh

Health conscious Alfies, Uddingston

Hotel The Grill at Dakota, Forth Road Bridge

Family friendly Di Maggios, Glasgow

Customer service Silver Darling, Aberdeen

Design Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Chef Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles

Restaurant of the year The Grill at Dakota, Forth Road Bridge

Source: Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.

HOTEL GIVES GUESTS A BIT MORE ROOM

Posted 28/01/2008

By Adrian Mather
EDINBURGH'S prestigious Caledonian Hotel is set to undergo a major expansion, creating 50 extra rooms.

The move was announced as work began on a separate £22 million renovation project, which will include the refurbishment of bedroom suites, external repairs and the creation of a new, glass-covered reception lounge in a disused central courtyard.

The plans will see an extension built on part of the hotel's car park area, creating 50 "superior" rooms. These are described as being "bigger and more luxurious" than a standard room but not as expensive as a full suite.

A further project will turn the hotel's existing leisure club into an "international-standard" spa.

It is not known how much of the car park will be taken up by the new development, but bosses have said the hotel will retain parking spaces at the building's rear.

General manager Willy Blattner said that the plans would ensure the landmark venue would become "one of the finest hotels in the world", and boost the total number of rooms to 280.

He added: "The Caledonian Hilton is an iconic landmark on Princes Street and, as with any structure of this age and stature, a certain amount of work is necessary to maintain the fibre of the building. The ongoing investment will see substantial work undertaken to the interior and exterior of the building and a programme of technical maintenance carried out.

"This is a major programme of activity and on completion the Caledonian Hilton will be one of the finest hotels in the world."

Earlier this month, the Evening News revealed plans to transform the five-star venue's triangular courtyard into a guest lounge and covered over with a new roof and skylight.

Proposals to overhaul of the ground-floor bar and restaurant were also revealed, with a new dining area and toilet block created on the ground floor overlooking the rear car park.

Today, business leaders welcomed the announcement of extra rooms at the hotel and said that the move would help attract more corporate guests to the Capital.

Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is great news for Edinburgh.

"We need to create more four and five-star hotel rooms in the city.

"There are a number of applications on the go to create new hotels, but we also need more projects of this nature.

The investment in the Caledonian Hilton comes on the back of the sale of the building to the Caledonian Operating Company last August.

Despite the sale, Hilton Hotels still retains a long-term management contract for the 251- bedroom hotel.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.

STF LAUNCHES SCOTTISH TOURISM WEEK 2008

Posted 23/01/2008

The Scottish Tourism Forum (STF) has announced details of this year's Scottish Tourism Week which will take place throughout Scotland from the 4th-11th March 2008. The week is aimed at raising the awareness of tourism as Scotland's most sustainable industry.
Scottish Tourism Week, which was initiated by the Scottish Tourism Forum in 2006, connects on a business-to-business level and encourages politicians to engage with tourism businesses in order to better understand the issues of concern to those working in tourism.
'Scottish Tourism Week will bring the private, public and elected sector together under one positive agenda, that is, how we can work together to drive forward tourism across Scotland,' says Iain Herbert, STF Chief Executive.
'We are determined to build on the success of previous Scottish Tourism Weeks in order to create a positive political climate for growth in tourism, which will in turn support and attract greater levels of private investment.'

A focal event is Scotland United, the Scottish tourism industry conference. Jim Mather, Minister of Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, will open the conference on Wednesday 5th March at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.
Other highlights of STW include a Parliamentary Reception at Holyrood, and an industry dinner at Glasgow Science Centre on 6th March, where guests will be addressed by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth.

The week also includes a range of useful business-focussed events, including familiarisation visits at Forestry Commission Scotland forest parks, a Futures Lecture by VisitScotland's scenario planner Professor Ian Yeoman on hotel revenue management, an e-tourism workshop by Highlands Business Research in Aviemore, a sustainable tourism event supported by HIE in Fort Augustus and Scottish Enterprise's Tourism Customer Service Conference in Glasgow.

STF will also launch an exciting new online project during Scottish Tourism Week, which will encourage MSPs to engage with tourism businesses in their local area. Details of this initiative will be announced shortly.

Visit www.stforum.co.uk/scottishtourismweek/index.aspx for more information

Source: Catering in Scotland

COMMUTERS' JOURNEY TIME TO WORK DOUBLES IN FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH

Posted 17/01/2008