I see Glasgow and Edinburgh are continuing to lead on all things digital, leaving the rest of rural Scotland behind.
Trade association techUK recently published an updated version of its Local Digital Capital Index and it revealed that outside of the major cities, much of Scotland is still in the dark when it comes to tech and digital investment.
Using a score index covering a number of digital components, the West of Scotland performed well on ‘digital infrastructure’ while the East of the country scored highly on ‘skills’ and ‘trade support’ – but the rest of the country didn’t fare quite so well.
For the Highlands and Islands in particular the results were damning. The region finished lowest in the UK across the six components: digital infrastructure, finance and investment, skills, digital adoption, trade, and research and development.
It’s no wonder techUK is now calling for closer collaboration between local and central government and industry to fill these gaps, and it has even given a package of 10 recommendations to the government. Among them is a call for government broadband strategies to address rural communities as a priority and for the creation of some ring-fenced regional funding that guarantees funds are put into the right areas.
I’m not particularly shocked to hear the Highlands and Islands didn’t fare well in the research given its remoteness, but am also heartened to hear the region has taken some really positive strides forward thanks to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
HIE has developed a programme, funded by the government, that aims to spark a new wave of innovation in the region. The programme will offer up to 16 companies support in the development of ‘Internet of Things’ technologies, a broad category referring to the interconnection of computing devices via the internet.
It’s not just the government looking to help kickstart the industry in the region either – the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) has opened applications for its annual Business Competition. It’s open to everyone over 16-years-old in the Highlands and Islands, Moray, Argyll and Perthshire, as well as all students studying across the UHI partnership.
With £8000 up for grabs, I’m sure there will be applicants from far and wide across the north of the country. It’s a great way to inspire and nurture new talent – those who make it as far as the grand final will receive feedback and support from some of the region’s top entrepreneurs and business advisors; something just as valuable as the cash prize on offer over the course of a career.
There are also some brilliant examples of innovation coming out of this region.
A great example is the company ODx Innovations based in Inverness which was recently named one of Scotland’s top tech startups. Its mission is to reduce antimicrobial resistance and it is also in the process of developing a new ‘on the day’ test for people with potential urinary tract infections that could be a game-changer in helping to inform GP’s decisions.
The company is a poster child for other aspiring businesses that have found their niche. It’s a spin-out from the University of St. Andrews which has successfully secured innovation grants from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, while also securing £9.89m of equity investment from Bio-Rad Laboratories.
It’s so important that our brightest minds and most creative businesses are given the opportunities and financial backing they need to thrive.
The Local Digital Capital Index and the recommendations that have been made to government are really valuable in reminding us what needs to be done to help rural areas fulfil their true potential.
But at the same time we can’t lose sight of the brilliant success stories going on in the background, nor the opportunities that are opening up for young people. These are key to avoiding the much documented ‘brain drain’.
Between 2015 and 2018 the number of young people who committed to staying within rural areas went up from 36 per cent to 46 per cent. With these figures, the retention strategies seem to be making a real difference and I hope this pattern continues.
Hope for Hospitality: Can the Sector Bounce Back Big This Festive Season?
I’ve touched on the difficulties faced by Scotland’s hospitality sector in this column more time than I can count because it has faced one hurdle after another.
Brexit, the cost-of-living crisis and a hangover from the pandemic have ensured the industry has continued to struggle.
So it was tremendously refreshing to see a major food and drink wholesaler predicting that Scottish pubs and bars are in for their “busiest festive season ever”, amid the first restriction-free Christmas since 2019 and a winter World Cup.
Dunns Food and Drinks, a leading Scottish supplier, reckons the Christmas season will be a much-needed boost for the hospitality sector. When the footie kicks off on November 20, fans are sure to set to flock to bars to see the extravaganza.
I have to admit it’s bold of Dunns to make such a positive ‘best ever’ prediction while others in the industry are remaining much more cautious – but I do hope it’s right.
There are some really positive moves being made to get the sector back on its feet, including a national campaign that just went live across the UK from Hospitality Rising which aims to tackle the jobs crisis.
The ‘Rise Fast, Work Young’ campaign aims to attract new recruits by showcasing the exciting opportunities available in the industry.
What’s impressive about this particular campaign is the fact it’s backed by more than 300 businesses including a number of global brands. Clearly they all recognise that drastic action is needed to tackle the jobs issue and they recognise that working as a collective to get this important message out there is an exceptionally powerful way to do it.
With 30,000 vacant jobs across the industry in Scotland alone, it’s vital that we remedy this recruitment issue and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the campaign has a big impact.
It Made Me Laugh
The glitz and glamour of football and the big bucks that go flying around are well documented. Some football players make more money in a week than many people take home in a year and single match tickets can cost as much as a holiday for some people.
It’s another world – so it’s nice to see that the Scottish lower leagues can still be relied on for being more of a game for the people.
Arbroath FC recently went viral for a particularly charming half time fan prize.
The Scottish Championship side cooked up a storm online after its star striker, Bobby Linn, handed over a tinned steak pie to a bemused fan after she correctly predicted the full-time score in the recent 1-1 draw with Dundee FC.
The prize certainly reflected the match, with seven cards in the particularly tasty game.
It Made Me Weep
The cost of living crisis continues to dominate the news agenda, and with good reason.
The Office for National Statistics recently released figures that laid bare the problems faced by many across the UK, highlighting that the cost of even the cheapest supermarket items are up by as much as two thirds.
The price of pasta, tea, chips and cooking oil has soared according to the new data, with vegetable oil alone going up by 65 per cent in a year.
With inflation at a 40 year high in Scotland driving up prices, it’s no wonder many are struggling to pay for essentials, alongside their energy bills and mortgages.
With the announcement of Rishi Sunak becoming PM steadying the pound, here’s hoping the country can rally further to halt these spiralling costs.
