Edinburgh Cancels Hogmanay

In the days leading up to the end of the year, the organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party were congratulating themselves on having a total sell-out of tickets for the event. More than 100,000 visitors were expected in the capital, with thousands thronging Princes Street at midnight on 31 December. But 70mph winds on the last day of the year wrecked the temporary stage in Princes Street Gardens and led to the cancellation of the pop concert and then the fireworks display, the high point of the Street Party. Bemused revellers were ushered away from Princes Street after the cancellation was announced at 11pm. Organisers and the police were concerned that flying debris could cause injury - some workers on the stage at the Ross Bandstand had already been slightly injured. People who bought tickets for the pop concert in Princes Street Gardens have been offered their money back but many had spent large sums travelling from far and wide and will not be recompensed. This is the 11th year of the event which has expanded greatly over the years and now takes in a number of other celebrations such as a candle-lit procession on 30 December and, for the first time, an Indian-themed street carnival. The festivities in Aberdeen were also cancelled because of the stormy weather and events were also called off in Liverpool and Newcastle. Glasgow's Hogmanay party in George Square went ahead as planned, including the firework display. The strong winds abated there in time. Nevertheless partygoers had to brave heavy rain.

Lewis and Emma Overtake Jack and Chloe

After a number of years as the most popular names given by parents to their babies, Jack (now in second place) and Chloe (now 5th) have given way to Lewis and Emma in Scotland in 2003, according to statistics published by the registrar-general for Scotland. There is also a new entrant in the top five most popular names for boys - Kyle has moved up from 11th to 5th. Other names which have risen on the table are Logan (up 16 places to 30th) and Ethan (up 12 places to 35th). Ellie was the second most popular name for a girl in 2003, followed by Amy and Sophie while Cameron and James were 3rd and 4th most popular names for boys.

£1,000 Fine For School Absenteeism

In order to benefit from the lower prices available from travel companies offering package holidays (up to 40% cheaper in June instead of July), some parents take their children off school during term time. But this has a negative impact on children's education and the Scottish Executive is considering bringing in new rules which would mean fines of up to £1,000 by defining family holidays as truancy. In extreme cases, parents could be sent to prison for up to a month. In England, head teachers have been given new powers to fine parents up to £100 for taking children out of school for holidays in term time. While the Scottish Executive pronouncements on the subject have grabbed the headlines, it is thought unlikely that such heavy-handed tactics will be used in more than a few cases. The average rate of authorised and unauthorised absence in Scottish secondary schools is currently running at an average of for weeks for each pupil - 10% of the academic year. There is anecdotal evidence that family holidays contribute to that figure.

Fall in Cancer Cases

For the first time for many years, Scotland has recorded a drop in the number of people newly diagnosed with cancer. Between 1997 and 2000, the numbers diagnosed fell by 4%,. The figures were in contrast with England, where there was an increase of 6%. The greatest reduction was in cancers related to smoking as the campaigns against smoking have some impact. In 1978, 45% of Scots smoked but that has fallen to 31%. Between 1997 and 2000, the number of lung cancer cases fell by 12% in men and 0.5% in women in Scotland. Numbers of women smoking have not dropped to the same extent as men and lung cancer has now overtaken breast cancer as the major cancer deaths in women.

Beaches Cleaner Than Ever

The annual Bathing Waters Monitoring Report says that 57 out of 60 beaches in Scotland covered by the tests were up to European standards, the best figures since the surveys began. In 2001, nine beaches failed the tests. Of course, the dry summer weather helped - storm sewer overflows and land run-offs were reduced.

US Visa Requirements Hit Tourists

An estimated 320,000 Scots visited the USA last year, attracted in part by the rate of exchange which gave them greater spending power in North America than in Europe. Since August, Sterling's rate of exchange against the US dollar has moved from $1.56 to over $1.80. But the numbers could soon be adversely affected by a demand by the US authorities for a "biometric" style passport or a visa from October. The requirement will not affect old-style passport holders until they renew their documents but since biometric passports are not currently available, Scots needing new travel documents will have to travel in person to either Belfast or London to apply at the consulates there for fingerprinting, photographing and a face-to-face interview. Costs of this for a family of four will be prohibitive. British officials are lobbying Washington to delay the introduction of the change until at least new UK passports with biometric information are introduced, possibly some time next year.

New Emblem for Edinburgh

Edinburgh civic leaders are planning to adopt the Himalayan blue poppy (mecanopsis x sheldonii) as the floral emblem of the capital. The poppy was chosen on the advice of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh which supported the choice in preference to a local flower - the sticky catchfly (lychnis viscaria) found on Arthur's Seat had been suggested earlier. But the blue poppy is associated with Edinburgh-born botanist Sir George Taylor who undertook a major study of Himalayan poppies in the 1930s. The conservation charity Plantlife tries to increase awareness of flowers by encouraging towns, cities and counties to adopt a floral symbol. Ayr has chosen the orchid to encapsulate the beauty of the town while the Orkney Isles have adopted the primrose. The citizens of Glasgow are choosing between broom and broadleaved helleborine while Stirlingshire surprised everyone by nominating the docken and dog's flourish (also known as sweet cicely).

Rise in Number of Women Drink Drivers

Overall, the number of motorists in Scotland caught in the two weeks before Christmas driving with over the maximum permitted level of alcohol in their blood fell, compared with last year. But the number of women who failed or refused to take the breathaliser tests rose from 46 last year to 73 in the same period this year. Although down from last year, the number of men caught above the limit was far higher (over 300) than the number of women in the two weeks before Christmas. However, by the end of the festive season, overall numbers showed a slight rise of 3% to 770, partly attributed to larger numbers of people encouraged to report drink-drivers to the police by telephone.

Airline Causes Timetable Chaos

Passengers flying to and from Prestwick airport via budget carrier Ryanair were left totally confused by a sudden change to flight times for many of the scheduled flights to London and European destinations on Christmas Eve and until 1 January. No warning was given at one of the busiest times of the year, apart from a press release to the media warning passengers to call a hotline to reconfirm their travel details. Many passengers only found out when they turned up for their flights and some had lengthy delays as a result.

Heritage Concerns Dismissed

The £400 million redevelopment of the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary has been given the go-ahead by the Scottish Executive, despite the concerns expressed by heritage preservation groups. It has been decided that there will be no expensive and time-consuming public inquiry into the plans. There had been concerns about the impact of the office and apartment blocks, some of which will be 12 storeys high, affecting views from the nearby Meadows, Bruntsfield Links and Edinburgh Castle. Historic Scotland in particular had objected on the grounds that the new buildings would have an impact on the setting of the existing A-listed buildings which are to be retained. The building works on the site will take seven years to complete. There will be shops and a supermarket in the base of new buildings on the site, plus 650 new homes as well as office accommodation.

Tilting Trains Arrive - Two Years Late

High speed "Pendelinos" (which tilt going round curves so that they don't have to slow down) operated by Virgin Trains have at last been introduced on the Glasgow to London line. They should have arrived two years ago, but rail track upgrading which was required to allow the higher speeds, has fallen badly behind schedule. 53 Pendolinos have been ordered at a cost of £600 million. They will eventually result in faster and smoother rail travel, but it will be some months before they are allowed to get up to speeds of 125mph.

Retailers Oppose Road Tolls

A survey carried out on behalf of shoppers in Edinburgh's top retailers (John Lewis, Jenners, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams and Marks & Spencers) has found that 72% do not support the plan by Edinburgh City Council to charge motorists £2 a day to enter the capital under congestion charges which could be in place by 2006. More than a third of the shoppers said that they would change their shopping habits and switch to out of town stores if the charging goes ahead. However, only 35% of those interviewed for the survey said that they travelled by car to shop.

Edinburgh Aiming to Win Beautiful Scotland Contest

Bars, restaurants, hotels, community groups, churches and schools are being targeted by Edinburgh City Council in a bid to win the coveted Beautiful Scotland in Bloom contest. In the last four years, Aberdeen has won the city category in the annual competition but now Edinburgh is to circulate 10,000 leaflets to encourage its citizens to aim for a horticultural makeover to brighten up the city. Prizes in thirteen classifications will be awarded but it will probably be such gems as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Princes Street Gardens with its Floral Clock and the Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle which will impress the judges when they visit the city in July. But some premises in the centre of Edinburgh already put on a great show - as in Breck's Bar in Rose Street, seen here.

Fair Winds for £90 Million Windfarm Project

A massive windfarm project at Hadyard Hill near Girvan in Ayrshire, which will have 70 turbines generating electricity from renewable resources, has been approved by the Scottish Executive. It is the largest on-shore windfarm project in the UK which has successfully overcome the planning process. The Ministry of Defence had objected to this project, but after long negotiations on the precise siting of the turbine masts, agreement was reached.

Record Sales of Cars in 2003

The Scottish Motor Trade Association has announced that car sales in Scotland hit a new high again last year, the third consecutive year that sales have broken records. Dealers sold 214,762 cars, an increase of 4,189 over 2003. In Scotland, Renault captured the top sales spot from Ford, followed by Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Peugeot. The Renault Megane (pictured here) was the top-selling car in Scotland, with sales of 11,215 - an increase of 1,644 over 2002. The Renault Clio was in second place in terms of numbers sold, with the Ford Focus third.

No Promotion of Coca-Cola in Schools

Giant drinks company Coca-Cola has agreed to remove its logos from the drinks dispensers which are installed in around 100 Scottish schools. The machines will display pictures of young people running and cycling instead. They will also sell fruit juices and water alongside its soft drinks. Some local education authorities are considering banning fizzy drink vending machines altogether, but it is argued that this would make it harder to encourage pupils to stay on school premises during lunch breaks.

Busy Year for Ferries

The 31 Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes, which provide a lifeline to the western isles of Scotland and the Firth of Clyde, carried more than a million cars in 2003, the first time they have reached that total since the opening of the road link to Skye in 1995. That brought to an end the huge volume of traffic on the Kyle to Kyleakin service. The figures also reflect a busier tourism season for the West Highlands and Islands in 2003, including a significant increase in the numbers travelling to Tobermory - the location of a popular children's TV programme located in "Balmory".

Hotel and Retail Complex for Hamilton

Approval has been given for the creation of a £20 million hotel and retail development on an empty site in Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. The new complex and proposals to turn a former cinema into a bar and restaurant will help to regenerate part of the town. Hamilton used to be the centre of local government for the whole of Lanarkshire.

Budget Hotel Prices Plunge

A chain of budget hotels has dropped the price of its family rooms to £5 a night until the end of March, in a bid to attract more customers in a slack time of the year for the tourist industry. The Travelodge chain is aiming to sell 100,000 rooms at this low price before the arrival of a new UK-wide chain which is planning a no-frills price of £5 - but with basic, tiny rooms. Travelodge are instead offering their family rooms (theoretically capable of sleeping four) for the £5 price with en-suite bathrooms, colour TV and free coffee. Accommodation has to be booked before January 18 for dates before the end of March.

Scotland Exporting Rhododendrons to China

It sounds like the botanical equivalent of sending coal to Newcastle, but Scottish plant scientists are exporting rare rhododendrons back to China. In the 19th and early 20th century, Scottish botanists were responsible for finding and bringing back from China many of the species grown in gardens and parkland today. George Forrest, from the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, is credited with introducing the rhododendron to Britain - he discovered 1,200 species. But these days, the pink rhododendron uvarifolium are threatened with extinction in China because for generations the local girls picked the flowers as soon as they appeared so that they could wear them in their hair. Now the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, which houses one of the world's great rhododendron collections, has as many of the rhododendron uvarifolium as exist in Yunnan in China. Young plants and seeds are being returned to the area in an effort to form new colonies. The skills needed to raise and conserve the plants are also being taught to the Chinese botanists.

Peals of Joy as Church Bells Silenced

When homebuyers in an expensive new housing development in Bothwell moved into their dream homes they found that they were faced by a nightmare. The houses had been built in land sold off by the Church of Scotland, beside the Parish Church - and the loud peals of the bells rang out every 15 minutes from 6am until midnight, seven days a week. As residents got more and more bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, they approached the local minister - but got no response. Environmental health officers were called in and they confirmed that the elaborate series of chimes exceeded acceptable noise levels. The church was founded by Archibald the Grim, third Earl of Douglas in 1398, though the present church nave and choir date from 1833. Now the church authorities have agreed to stop the bells chiming at 10pm and they will not start ringing until 8am. Anyone working night-shifts and trying to sleep through the day had better just sell up.

Fizzing Row in Parliament

In a move which the Scottish National Party will find hard to swallow, the UK Parliament in London has dropped Scotland's "other national drink" from the menu in its restaurants and cafés. Barr's Irn-Bru, an orange fizzy soft drink which users claim has restorative and medicinal properties (it has been used as a cure for hangovers for decades), has been displaced by Diet Coke. Catering management claim that there was a lack of demand, but sweet-toothed Members of Parliament (MPs) are taken aback and have tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling for it to be reinstated. They claim that with a busy parliamentary timetable, MPs need the stamina and strength provided by Irn-Bru. Investigative journalists have established that Irn-Bru was only introduced in the UK legislature in 1997 - when there was a new intake of Scottish Labour MPs.

Scotland Sets Temperature Record

2003 was the warmest recorded in Scotland since accurate official records began over 40 years ago. Monthly temperature records showed that five months in 2003 were "exceptionally warm" - over 2C warmer than average. 2003 was also one of the sunniest yet measured in Scotland, with the north and east enjoying the sunniest year since 1961.

Weather in Scotland Over the Festive Season

There was a heavy fall of snow in Scotland in the weekend before Christmas which was sufficient to allow the ski slopes at Glenshee and the Cairngorms to open. But blocked roads meant that initially few skiers could actually get through to the slopes. But temperatures soon rose and few places had a white Christmas in Scotland. The temperatures took another dip in the run-up to the year-end with overnight temperatures in Glasgow reaching -6C (21F). As noted in an item above, strong winds, gusting at over 70mph, passed over Scotland on the last day of 2003, causing the cancellation of Hogmanay street parties in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Ski resorts got a further boost as temperatures fell again early in the new year and the Highlands had another light fall of snow. Since then, the weather has been mild (Edinburgh reached 12C (54F) on Wednesday this week. But sunshine has been in very short supply and frequent weather fronts from the Atlantic has brought frequent showers and longer periods of rain too.

The poor weather this week made it hard to find a suitable subject for this week's illustration of current flowers in Scotland. But these polyanthus in the gardens at Pollok House in Glasgow put on a brave show. It is likely that these are survivors from last autumn rather than new spring blooms!

Celebrating "Father of Town Planning"

Although he is more often associated with Edinburgh, the village of Ballater in Aberdeenshire is planning to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Patrick Geddes. The man who influenced the development of town planning and the redevelopment of the Old Town in Scotland's capital in particular, was born in Ballater on October 2, 1854. The village is to run an exhibition, educational schemes and an Internet project. A webcam is being installed in the local school which is to be linked to a school in India. Geddes was responsible for the design of Ramsay Gardens beside Edinburgh Castle (illustrated here) and used the Camera Obscura as a teaching medium to spread his ideas. See Ballater and Geddes and Famous Scots - Patrick Geddes.

Did Romans Wipe Out Pictish Tribes?

Archaeologists who have been researching the Roman military camp at Kintore in Aberdeenshire, say that the camp was occupied between the first and third centuries AD. But when the Roman soldiers left, there was little activity at the site for over 300 years. This may have been because the impact of the occupation and the slaughter of the Celtic tribes at the battle of Mons Graupius in AD84 made the local people reluctant to stay in the area. Or it may have been because the population was so decimated by the Romans that it took a long time to recover. There is continuous archaeological evidence of habitation in the area from 1500BC to 100AD but no trace of habitation after the third century and the departure of the Roman garrison. The camp at Kintore would have housed several thousand soldiers

Historic Castle Sold for £1 Million

Bardowie Castle near Milngavie, on the edge of the Glasgow conurbation, has been sold for £1 million. Parts of the castle date from the 16th century and the present owner decided to sell up when he failed to get planning permission to run a software company, owned by his wife, from within the castle walls. The castle was originally put on the market early in 2002 at offers over £1.2 million. Despite the current boom in house prices, there were no purchasers and he had to re-advertise at "offers over £950,000". The building, overlooking Bardowie Loch, was once owned by relatives of Rob Roy MacGregor and was originally built in 1566, with additions made in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Did French Invent Golf?

Scotland has a proud reputation as the home of golf although over the years the Dutch have also claimed that they originated the game. Scotland's historical claim is based on an act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1457 which demanded that "fute-ball and golfe be utterly cryed down and not to be used." The King was concerned that his citizens were so involved in leisurely pursuits that they were neglecting the Royal and vital sport of archery. But now a new book has gathered together images from around the world which illustrate the development of golf. It claims that the earliest illustration is of a 15th century "Heures de la Duchesse de Bourgogne" which shows two foursomes playing a prototype game of golf with a ball and different sized sticks in the Loire valley. The scene was painted between 1450 and 1460. The book goes on to dismiss the 1457 Scottish enactment as being against a primitive form of hockey which often resulted in violent disorder.

Next Week in History

• January 11 1815 - John A MacDonald, First Prime Minister of Canada in 1856, born at 20 Brunswick Street in Glasgow.
• January 11 1999 - Novelist and politician Naomi Mitchison died.
• January 12 1940 - John Buchan, author (39 Steps etc) and diplomat (Governor General of Canada, 1935/1940) died.
• January 13 603 - Death of St Mungo, patron saint of Glasgow (and also known as St Kentigern).
• January 13 1796 - John Anderson, founder of "Andersonian Institute" (now Strathclyde University) died.
• January 13 1893 - Keir Hardie of Legbrannock, Lanarkshire, founded Independent Labour Party.
• January 13 1915 - Mary Slessor, missionary in West Africa and known to many as "Ma", died in Calabar.
• January 14 1872 - Greyfriars Bobby died after staying by his master's grave for 14 years.
• January 14 1990 - Death of actor Gordon Jackson (Tunes of Glory, Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Upstairs, Downstairs etc).
• January 15 1973 - Neil M Gunn, author of "The Silver Darlings" and many other books and short stories, died.
• January 15 1990 - Strathclyde Region Council applied for 250,000 summary warrants against rate payers refusing to pay "Poll Tax" (introduced in Scotland in April 1989).
• January 16 1746 - Retreating Jacobite army defeated Hanoverian forces at Battle of Falkirk.
• January 16 1707 - Treaty of Union of Scottish and Westminster Parliaments ratified.
• January 16 1945 - 52nd Highland Light Infantry and 1st Commando Brigade cross from Holland into Germany and assault Heinsberg.
• January 17 1795 - Duddingston Curling Society became the first curling club in the world to be formally organised.
• January 17 1883 - Author Compton Mackenzie (Whisky Galore etc) born.
• January 17 1926 - Moira Shearer, ballet dancer and film star, born Dunfermline.

Michelle Reaches Number One

Michelle McManus from Coatbridge in North Lanark, who won the "Pop Idol" contest just before Christmas, is heading for the Number One spot on the charts with her first single "All This Time". Michelle has lots of personality and her powerful voice really belts out the songs. Record stores across Scotland ordered extra copies of Michelle ballad after she won the Pop Idol show. She was voted by the TV viewing audience ahead of 20,000 other hopefuls, over the course of many weeks of elimination contests.

BBC Wins Festive TV Ratings War

Audience viewing figures published after Christmas showed that the BBC had won the largest share of the TV audience over the festive period. A new special edition of "Only Fools and Horses" with the latest adventures of Del Boy and Rodney Trotter, attracted 15.5 million viewers across the UK, making it the highest rated show. But the usual TV soaps of EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale still had high viewing figures too. The annual Queen's Speech on Christmas Day had 6.5 million viewers - the same number as a spoof "Posh and Becks Big Impression" - a take-off on David Beckham and his wife.

Pipe Major Out of Step with Army

When the Australian Ministry of Defence decided that the Adelaide University Regiment Pipes and Drums should not accept the invitation to attend the Edinburgh Military Tattoo last August (the MOD maybe thought that Scotland was too dangerous for the band to visit) the players decided to form a new band - "The South Australian Pipes and Drums". In a whirlwind few weeks they raised the cash not only to travel to the Tattoo but also for new instruments (the MOD confiscated the original band's uniforms and equipment) but they also had new uniforms in a newly designed South Australian tartan created. The band received a lot of positive publicity while performing at Edinburgh Castle. But officialdom never likes being thwarted by initiatives in the ranks and the band's Pipe Major, Warrant Officer Class One Phil Wyld (pictured here) was suspended from active army reserve duty. He was then charged with offences such as failing to salute, disobeying a command and insubordinate language. Last month he faced a hearing by military personnel and was demoted to Warrant Officer Class 2. In the view of many of the Scottish community in South Australia he should instead have been commended by the army for leading the band in such a high profile event - as he was in 1992.

Mid-Week Football Results

Dundee 1 Hearts 2

Bank of Scotland Premier League Results

Due to the 3rd round of the Tennents Scottish Cup, there were no SPL and First Division matches this Saturday

Tennents Scottish Cup Third Round - 10 January 2004

Aberdeen 0 Dundee 0
Arbroath 1 Spartans 4
Ayr United 1 Falkirk 2
Celtic 2 Ross County 0
Clyde 3 Gretna 0
Dunfermline 3 Dundee United 1
East Fife 0 Queen of the South 1
Hamilton 2 Cowdenbeath 0
Hearts 2 Berwick Rangers 0
Inverness 5 Brechin City 1
Livingston 1 Montrose 0
Greenock 0 Partick Thistle 3
Raith Rovers 1 Kilmarnock 3
St Johnstone 0 Motherwell 3
St Mirren 2 Airdrie United 0
Hibernian 0 Rangers 2

BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 Results - 10 January 2004

Aberdeen 36 Watsonians 40
Ayr 23 Glasgow Hutchesons' 22
Boroughmuir 39 Peebles 24
Glasgow Hawks 34 Hawick 5
Heriots 18 Currie 20
Melrose 30 Stirling County 32

League Tables

Celtic comprehensively defeated Rangers 3-0 last Saturday to start the new year with an 11 point lead over their rivals. While there is nearly half the season to go, the gap effectively puts Rangers out of range of the League title. Last year's nail-biting finish is a distant memory. Rangers' only consolation is that they are in turn 14 points ahead of third-placed Hearts; Dunfermline are 3 points behind Hearts. Partick Thistle, still with only two league wins this season, are languishing at the foot of the Scottish Premier League, 9 points adrift from Dundee.

In the Scottish First Division, Clyde are out in front, with 40 points, 4 points ahead of Inverness and 6 ahead of Queen of the South. Brechin City remain fixed at the foot of the First Division, 6 points behind Ayr United.

Glasgow Hawks have a commanding lead of 15 points over second place Aberdeen, although Boroughmuir (two points behind Aberdeen) have two games in hand. Peebles are at the foot of the division, 7 points behind Glasgow Hutchesons'

Celtic Manager Honoured by the Queen

The Queen's New Year Honours List this year included a number of sports personalities for their contributions in raising the profile of their disciplines. Martin O'Neill, manager of Celtic, was awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for leading the club to the finals of the UEFA Cup last season. He insisted that the honour was recognition for everyone at Parkhead. Since O'Neil's arrival at Celtic in the summer of 2000 he has transformed an under-achieving team into League Champions in 2001 and 2002 (missing out in 2003 by the narrowest of margins) and winning the Scottish Cup and the League Cup in 2001.

Dundee Given Hope by Selling Player

Currently being administered by receivers, Dundee Football Club was given what was described as a "realistic chance of survival" by selling midfielder Gavin Rae for £250,000. Rae also plays in that role for the Scotland international squad. Rangers had originally offered a mere £50,000 - described as "derisory" by Dundee manager Jim Duffy.

Pledge on Undersoil Heating

Dundee and Motherwell, both currently in the hands of administrators, have reluctantly agreed that they will instal undersoil heating before the start of next season at a cost of £200,000 each, bringing them in line with the other clubs in the Scottish Premier League. They had been warned that they faced relegation to the First Division if they failed to meet the requirement - though few First Division clubs would be able meet all the SPL requirements to accept promotion. Bearing in mind the number of times that matches have had to be rescheduled in recent years at Motherwell and Dundee, it is surprising that such a facility was not made mandatory many years ago.

Golf Getting Cheaper

The proliferation of golf courses (80 new courses in the last ten years) in a country which already had 550) has resulted in many clubs having to slash their membership fees to survive. Instead of 8-10 year waiting lists, some clubs are struggling to fill vacancies although it can still be a number of years to get into prestigious courses such as the R&A at St Andrews and Muirfield near Edinburgh. Scotland can now boast 630 golf courses for 250,000 registered golfers - one course for every 400 golfers.

Rugby Ground on the Move

West of Scotland, one of Scotland's oldest rugby clubs, has agreed a deal with a major housing developer which will see the pitch and stadium moving to a new site, a short distance away from the present ground. The deal will mean a major cash injection of millions of pounds for the club even though it will have to create a new stadium. The Burnbrae ground is in Milngavie, an affluent suburb of Glasgow, where land for housebuilding is at a premium. Edinburgh based builder Cala will also provide sponsorship amounting to £100,000 a year for the next five years. During that time planning permission for the development will be sought and the new ground will then be constructed, so it will be a number of years before the move takes place.