If you saw a bit of an old aircraft for sale online, you’d probably dismiss it as junk unless you were an aviation fanatic or a scrap metal collector.
Andrew Mellon from Banff is neither of the two, but he has shown one person’s trash is definitely another person’s treasure.
The private chef couldn’t resist buying the galley section of a Boeing 737 (as you do) when he spotted it on eBay for just £149.
It seems he was short on storage space in his cottage and decided this was the answer.
Then he spent a few grand upcycling it, integrating it into his house, and turning it into a working kitchen.
Let’s be honest…most people who want to make better use of their cooking space will call in kitchen fitters, but not this guy.
Why, you may wonder, am I shouting about an unconventional kitchen makeover? It’s not because I’m looking for renovation ideas.
I’m putting the spotlight on this Scottish chef because what he has done is SO much more than a house revamp. He has demonstrated the type of vision and ingenuity that entrepreneurs need to survive and thrive.
Andrew Mellon didn’t just see this eBay lot as a piece of an old jet.
He saw a ready-made storage solution, recognising that an 8x4ft aeroplane galley was a space that had already been meticulously engineered with efficiency and space-saving in mind.
He saw a way to be sustainable, repurposing something that was no longer fit for its original purpose and, in that spirit, he has even decided to go off-grid and power it with solar panels.
He saw an opportunity to do something innovative and make his business stand out from the crowd.
And he sees future potential too, having decided that he’ll let the quirky cottage out as holiday accommodation.
There’s absolutely a market for that.
You may be surprised to hear that there are a number of hosts in the UK and beyond letting out aviation-themed holiday homes.
If you thought a private jet would cost you tens of thousands of pounds, think again (so long as you don’t mind staying on the ground).
For around 150 quid you can stay in one in South Pembrokeshire which has been transformed into accommodation for four people.
It’s even got an Xbox on board for those who can’t bear to leave their beloved games console behind.
If helicopters are more your thing, you can stay on the site of RAF Wainfleet near Skegness (the Dambusters’ old training ground) in a 20ft Lynx which is appropriately named the ‘Glamping Helipod’.
Or if you’re travelling further afield there’s the ginormous 33-room Jumbostay hostel outside Stockholm which is quite a sight.
Even the cockpit has been transformed into a room and it’s got an observation suite, café and conference room.
If you shop around, you’ll see there are loads of property owners offering stays that are weird and wonderful, cool and unusual.
Quirky accommodation was popping up well before lockdown, but I’d bet demand for this type of holiday has risen even more, because people have never been so keen to get a break from the norm and a real change of scene.
So, with all of that in mind, I reckon Andrew Mellon’s Aberdeenshire cottage with its unique aviation twist is sure to take off (boom boom).
I love his story and the fact that even although lockdown put the brakes on his business temporarily, he used the time wisely. With his creative juices flowing and a chance find on the internet, he has put himself on the map and opened new doors.
If you’re in business and you have an unconventional idea, don’t dismiss it.
Out-of-the-box thinking might be just what you need – the sky’s the limit after all.
Plastic Ban Takes Flight
The ban on manufacturing single-use plastics is coming into force this Wednesday and it has been a long time coming.
The new regulations were first published by the Scottish Government back in March 2021, and the items in the ban include cutlery, plates, straws, beverage stirrers and balloon sticks.
Covers and lids for food containers made from expanded polystyrene are also part of the list.
There will be exceptions in some cases though, as some people require access to single-use plastic straws for medical purposes, so they’ll be available at pharmacies.
Care homes, schools and prisons will also have a supply as they’re considered essential items in these environments.
The rule change is bound to have a positive impact because an estimated 276 million pieces of single-use plastic cutlery and 66 million polystyrene food containers are used in Scotland every year.
Discarded plastic can take centuries to break down, so it’s hoped the rules will discourage the throwaway culture and encourage re-use.
There has been plenty of time for businesses to prepare, though there’s no doubt it will mean a big change for the hospitality industry in particular, and it has already had its fair share of challenges.
But in the long run, the ban should be beneficial to businesses as there will be no need to budget money to replace single-use items.
There is even speculation that more plastic items could be included in the future as we strive for a more sustainable Scotland.
It Made Me Laugh
Stamp of Approval
We are living in a digital world, and there are very few processes left that don’t involve technology.
So I find it laughable that it has taken this long for stamps to be replaced with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) alternative, but this looks set to change.
Scottish-based business, Stamp Free, is getting ready to disrupt postal and logistics markets with its digital answer to the stamp and has managed to double its seed funding pre-investment valuation which now sits at £4 million and secured an additional £600,000.
The company is winging its way towards its commercial launch and is planning on using the money to increase sales and marketing activity and further product development.
This certainly gets my stamp of approval!
It Made Me Weep
Census Crisis
Scotland’s Census completion rate is at an all-time low, with around 25 per cent of households still to return the form.
Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire are sitting at the lowest end of submissions with a return rate of 77.8 per cent and 78.5 per cent respectively.
The Census is a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the Government to get a look at society and use this information to fund local services and plan for the future, so it is incredibly important to get this returned.
It is also a criminal offence to not complete it, and you can be fined up to £1,000.
Tomorrow is the final day to complete it, so if you haven’t already, get it done and help shape the future of Scotland!
