It has been an interesting few weeks for the Scottish drinks industry. While it’s undoubtedly negative for the Scottish on-trade sector with the Scottish Government’s ban on selling booze indoors, there has been a lot of positive news from the off-trade industry, with a number of major commercial investments taking place – and two in particular catching my eye.
Just last week, I was incredibly heartened to see the Scottish Borders Council approving plans for not one, but two whisky distilleries to be built as part of a £40 million complex in the region.
The development, which won unanimous approval for a second time after permissions had previously lapsed, will be based at the former Jedforest Hotel, just south of Jedburgh. It will not only reinvent the site, but according to developers, hopefully create up to 70 full-time jobs within the area.
Proposed work on the new complex is set to be carried out in two phases, with a small distillery constructed first, which will boast a visitor centre, whilst a larger-scale distillery capable of producing millions of bottles every year would be completed at a later date.
The transformation of the site into a new state-of-the-art distillery and tourist centre would certainly bring new investment and employment opportunities to the area for many years to come, and this type of economic boost, especially during these difficult times, should be celebrated.
Unemployment figures are undoubtedly set to rise in the coming months and with rural areas in Scotland already feeling the pinch due to a decline in population, as people continue to leave more remote areas and move to cities for work – a project like this will certainly help an already fragile local economy.
I’ve touched on rural diversification in the past, with farm shops and dining destinations popping up in rural parts of the country and attracting more visitors to smaller towns and villages who don’t normally don’t see much tourist traffic. Although on a much larger scale, this is another fine example of how these smaller communities can adapt to an ever-changing world and ensure its prosperity for years to come.
It comes as no surprise then that the plans were unanimously voted through, as I am sure that will have been in the back of the council’s minds when weighing up the submitted proposal.
It’s great to see this forward thinking development being proposed, especially during times like these where the Scottish economy, not just in rural locations, but our big cities, could take years to recover due to the impact of Coronavirus.
It is not just economic performance that Scottish businesses and communities are looking to maximise either, with the news that BrewDog has bought more than 2000 acres of farmland north of Loch Lomond.
As part of its new Make Earth Great Again plan to improve the company’s environmental performance, BrewDog will plant one million trees on the site currently used for animal grazing and produce one of the largest native woodlands created in the UK for many years.
When the Ellon-based brewer revealed its acquisition of the land a few weeks ago, it promised to dedicate 1,500 acres to native broadleaf trees, and the other 550 acres to peatland restoration, which would act as a natural carbon sink.
It’s not the first foray into improving its environmental credentials for the brewing giant, which already employs a number of green measures, including capturing CO2 from fermentation and using it to carbonate its beers, recycling brewing waste into dog food and powering production and pubs with wind power.
However, with work set to start on the BrewDog Forrest early in 2021 and planting to continue for a number of years, it is hoped that their ambitious new site in Scotland will help lower its carbon footprint considerably, reducing carbon emissions from the air.
I applaud the actions of BrewDog regarding this initiative. It is great to see a Scottish company not just paying lip service to its corporate social responsibility and role within society, but actually investing heavily in an innovative idea and new ways of working, which will make a real difference to the communities in which it operates.
A Windfall of Opportunity
Renewable energy has been in the spotlight once again as the Prime Minister announced offshore wind farms will generate enough electricity to power every home in the UK within the next 10 years.
He has pledged to upgrade infrastructure in Scotland in order to fully take advantage of offshore wind power, and claimed the COVID pandemic should be the catalyst to make the UK a world leading nation in the generation of clean power.
This marks a real step change for Johnson who has previously ridiculed the use of wind power, and heralds a new focus on the green economy.
Although some opponents have criticised the move and said it doesn’t go far enough, I still think it’s a positive step and I’m glad a light is being shone on the renewables industry.
The additional investment in Scotland is fantastic news, and the idea is that it will lead to the creation of ‘millions’ of jobs, which is particularly welcome at such a crucial time when there is so much uncertainty facing lots of other sectors.
We do have one of the best renewables resource in the world in the UK, and Scotland is a particularly attractive place to invest in wind power, so it’s only right that we look at how we can benefit from this, not only from an economic point of view, but also in becoming a more green and sustainable country.
It’s great to hear some positive news for the economy in the midst of so much doom and gloom, and I look forward to hearing more about plans for this industry, along with the jobs and investment it’s set to bring to Scotland.
It Made Me Laugh
Gucci Gets It Wrong
Designer brand Gucci has unveiled a new tartan dress for men, which they claim has been created to challenge the ‘widely held ideas associated with masculine gender identity’.
However, the design has come under fire from many Scots, who took to social media to describe the garment as a “vile orange 1970s primary school dress for men”. Not quite the reaction the designers were hoping for I’d imagine.
The dress features pearl buttons and smock embroidery, and retails for a hefty £1,700.
I think it’s great to challenge stereotypes and to push boundaries, and your clothes are a great way to express yourself, but this creation is just downright hideous in my opinion.
Safe to say I won’t be rushing out to get my hands on one any time soon.
It Made Me Weep
Cineworld Goes Dark
I was sad to hear the news that Cineworld is set to close all of its theatres across Scotland and the UK.
With 127 cinemas due to close, over 5,000 members of staff are set to lose their jobs.
Bosses have blamed the chain’s demise on the various challenges they’ve faced as a result of the pandemic, including a lack of new films being released to entice viewers through the doors, although they say closures are only temporary.
I was shocked to read reports that members of staff found out about the closures through the press and social media, rather than from their own bosses. It’s never nice to be told you’re losing your job, but I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to hear the news in this way.
