End for Scotland the Brand?

Board members of Scotland the Brand, the company which has promoted Scotland around the world for the last nine years, has recommended that the organisation should go into voluntary liquidation later this month. Winding up the marketing body comes on the eve of the Tartan Day celebrations in New York and many other places across the US. The Board believe that its role was being undermined by the Scottish Executive which formed a "Promoting Scotland Unit" last year. The Executive want to move away from the "tartanised" image created by the Scotland the Brand logo and formulate a strategy with a wider appeal. But winding up Scotland the Brand has to be approved by its remaining 160 members (down from over 300 a year ago, after a massive increase in affiliation fees), which include some of Scotland's largest companies.

Architect Claims Public Will Love Parliament Building

The widow of Enric Miralles, the architect of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood, strongly defended her late husband's reputation as she gave evidence to the Fraser enquiry into the escalating costs and delays in the project. Benedetta Tagliabue, whose company continued to be responsible for the development of the building following the death of Miralles, said that once the building has been finished the public will grow to love the structure and have a feeling of pride in it. She claimed her late husband was a "genius" and that the Members of the Scottish Parliament were to blame for the rising costs because they refused to reduce the quality of the finishes.

Standard Life to Axe 1,000 Jobs

Europe's largest mutual insurance company, Edinburgh-based giant Standard Life, is to axe 1,000 jobs this year as it attempts to become "leaner and fitter" before shedding its mutual status and floating on the stock market. The company has battled to remain mutual on many occasions, arguing that without having to pay a dividend to shareholders, it has been able to pay out more to policyholders. Members will probably not be asked to vote on the issue until 2006. Encouraged by the previous management team, policyholders voted against flotation on the last occasion, but the prospect of immediate windfalls perhaps averaging £1,500 may sway their decision.

Air Fares Fall 30%

Flights between Glasgow and the Hebridean islands of Tiree and Barra will soon be up to 30% cheaper as the government annual subsidy for the routes is increased. The precise amount involved is not published for reasons of commercial confidentiality, but is said to be over £10 million. Other routes to the Western Isles will also benefit from lower fares. It has been argued that the cost of air fares has been holding back economic development with fares costing significantly more than for longer journeys to London or Europe. Under European regulations, the government is allowed to subsidise the Loganair routes because they would not be commercially viable otherwise.

Most Expensive Petrol Prices in Europe

A survey of petrol (gas) prices recently concluded that prices in the far north of Scotland were the highest in Europe and increases in oil prices since then have only served to make matters worse. Of course, 75% of UK petrol prices arise from tax so further rises will make the Chancellor of the Exchequer smile. Prices in central Scotland are currently around 75p per litre - that's over $5 per US gallon and prices are even higher in the Highlands. Consumers in the US who are complaining about prices there don't know how lucky they are!

Scotswoman Named Next British High Commissioner in Australia

The Australians don't know what they are in for... Helen Liddell, the hard-working, plain-speaking, aggressive politician from Glasgow, who gained the nickname "Stalin's Granny" while working in local politics, has been named as the next British High Commissioner in Australia. Formerly the Scottish Secretary in Tony Blair's Cabinet, Mrs Liddell had complained that there was not enough in the job now that the Scottish Executive runs Scotland. The Scottish Secretary job is now part of the portfolio of the Transport Minister. Mrs Liddell left the government last June and was known to be looking for a job with an international dimension to offer her a new challenge. She will not take up the post until after the next UK General Election. Of course, if Labour were to lose power, the job may no longer be on offer.

£30 a Week to Stay at School

A successful pilot scheme in Glasgow, East Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire and Tayside, which paid pupils from deprived backgrounds to stay on at school beyond the compulsory leaving age, is to be rolled out across Scotland. An Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) of up to £30 a week will be given to certain pupils between the ages of 16 and 19. It is hoped the project will benefit youngsters who might have been forced to leave school or college at an early age in order to earn money. Financial support will be in the form of weekly payments and bonuses, with educational establishments able to withhold the cash if attendance is not maintained. Up to 40,000 youngsters are expected to benefit from the scheme, costing the Scottish Executive £49 million over the next four years.

April 1

Over the years, newspapers have fooled their readers with outlandish stories on April 1 - all fools day. The Scotsman ran a story one year about a wild boar park planned for Edinburgh's Holyrood Park to attract German tourists. Permission had been obtained from the Queen who was said to own the park (beside the Palace of Holyroodhouse) but the paper spoiled the story by going too far and describing the creation of rapids down from Arthur's Seat. Then there was the story in the Aberdeen Press and Journal about the island of Skye drifting slowly away from the mainland and that the Skye road bridge would be too short by 2015. Since the real news can be bizarre at times, readers had to be careful this Thursday.

Tourist Attractions Open Their Doors

Many of Scotland's tourist attractions close down over the winter months and April 1 is often the day when they once again throw open their doors. For example, the National Trust for Scotland, with over 100 properties ranging from grand castles to the scenes of epic battles and glorious gardens, is one of many organisations pulling off the dust covers and getting the home baking ready for the new season's visitors. The "Taste of Scotland" recommended catering at the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House in Helensburgh (pictured here) was already doing a good trade in their scones and carrot cake on Thursday when I called in there. Those of us who have been "making do" with, for example, Historic Scotland's winter opening hours, now have a full range of places to go to.

Car Owners Steer Away from Public Transport

The Scottish Executive has spent millions of pounds of taxpayers' money on its "Learn to Let Go" campaign encouraging car owners to use public transport. But since 1999, car ownership has risen,. 66% of workers drive to their place of employment while just 11% take the bus. None of the travel figures have changed much since 1999, despite the marketing and subsidies to public transport. Advocates of public transport claim that there has been under-investment there, despite the millions poured into new trains and buses.

Scotland's Biggest Traffic Jam - Ever?

For sixteen weekends, from mid-April to 21 June, the southbound carriageway on the Forth Bridge will be closed from 6pm on Friday to 6am on Monday mornings. The closures will resume again on Friday 3rd September at weekends until completion (a minimum of six weekends). That will leave just one lane in each direction over the bridge and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority are predicting traffic queues of up to five miles long on both the north and south direction. At 6pm on a Friday, commuters are still streaming from Edinburgh to Fife and tail-backs, particularly on the approach roads, are commonplace under normal traffic conditions. Sensibly, the work is not being continued through the peak tourist season of July and August.The closure has become necessary to allow for resurfacing caused in part by the increasing volume of traffic using the 40-year-old structure. Traffic has risen steadily from 4 million vehicles in 1964 to over 23 million in 2002 - and that number is forecast to rise by over 40% in the next 15 years. The closure will have an impact on other roads in central Scotland as drivers attempt to avoid the inevitable delays. There have been calls in recent years for the construction of a second bridge but there is a reluctance to make the investment - especially as environmental groups are bound to demand time-consuming and expensive public enquiries.

Aberdeen Airport Plans 24 Hour Flying

An application has been lodged by the British Airports Authority for permission to operate Aberdeen Airport around the clock. Currently, there is a curfew on flights after 11.30pm. Business leaders are enthusiastic about the move as it is believed that it would be a boost for the economy of the north-east of Scotland. Those living along the flight path will not agree, of course. Aberdeen has 2.5 million passengers a year, many of them oil workers being transported by helicopter to the rigs in the North Sea. The airport at Dyce on the outskirts of Aberdeen is the world's busiest commercial heliport.

Station Closure to Create Rail Disruption

Networkrail, the company managing the tracks and stations across the UK, has announced that Queen Street Station in Glasgow is to close for eight days to allow for track replacement. The closure will take place over the next New Year period. The planned closure of the Forth Rail Bridge has been postponed until August 2005 because of the resurfacing work on the road bridge this summer. During the closure of Queen Street station, trains will be diverted to Springburn with suburban trains running from there into Queen Street low-level platforms.

Young Scots Are Growing

Research by Aberdeen University has shown that Scottish youngsters are an inch taller on average than six years ago. Experts say that the above expected growth is due to better diet and lifestyle. But if they have grown taller, they have also grown fatter. The National Study of Health and Growth figures show that children at specific ages in Scotland became, on average, an inch taller between 1972 and 1994. But another inch has been achieved in just another six years.

A Match Made in Paradise

Parkhead, the stadium of Celtic Football Club in the east end Glasgow is known as "Paradise" to its fans. It has been the scene of many hard-fought contests over the years but now the club, currently at the top of the Scottish Premier League and in the UEFA Cup Quarter Finals, has applied for permission to hold civil marriages at the ground. The stadium is already a popular venue for wedding receptions and the club say it makes sense to be able to hold the marriage ceremony too. The pitch will not be used, however, and couples planning to get married on a Saturday will have to ensure that the team is playing away that day!

Scots Face Ban on Smoking in Public Places

NHS Health Scotland, an organisation promoting policy of banning smoking in work places, bars, clubs and restaurants, claims that Scotland will soon be following Ireland in implementing such a prohibition. From Monday, the only enclosed public areas where smoking is permitted in the Republic are designated hotel rooms, hospices, prison cells and psychiatric hospitals. At least one bar in Dublin was offering "used ashtrays - going cheap." Ireland's ban is the first nationwide initiative although similar controls have been implemented in some cities in the US. Norway is following suit in June. Although only 30% of Scots still smoke, health experts say it is still the biggest cause of ill-health and premature death.

Milking Its Products

Robert Wiseman started selling milk with deliveries to Scottish homes and has expanded the company to become the third-largest milk supplier in the UK with profits last year of £22.8 million. It has expanded throughout England as well as over much of Scotland and supplies major supermarkets. Now after testing out the product on consumers in Scotland, it is to launch across the UK a 1% fat milk known as "The One" which has become a best-seller in North America. It is claimed that although it has less fat than semi-skimmed milk, it tastes the same. If it is successful in the UK, no doubt other milk distributors will launch their own versions, but Wiseman will have a useful lead by that time.

New Smokie Factory

It is widely believed that smoking haddock was an idea imported into Scotland by Viking raiders who eventually settled here. But it was in the 19th century that the Angus fishing village of Auchmithie, two miles north of Arbroath, that the tradition of smoking haddock suspended in pairs over burning oak and beech chips in whisky barrels became established. Thus the Arbroath Smokie was born and before the days of supermarkets, anyone passing through Arbroath would stop and buy some of the delicacy to take home. Last month, the European Commission granted special protection to the term "Arbroath smokie" ensuring that only genuine fish smoked in the traditional way and within a few miles of the east coast town can be given that name. With the benefit of that protection, a new ultra-modern smokehouse, which nevertheless preserves the traditional way of doing things, has opened in Arbroath, selling to major supermarket chains.

Whale of a Mystery

When a 56ft-long fin whale was washed up onto the beach of the Hebridean Island of Coll three weeks ago, the National Museum of Scotland decided that the whale bones would make an excellent exhibit. So they transported it to Edinburgh. But when they began to assemble it, they found that the Hebridean locals had taken "Save the Whale" message too literally - two of the mammal's 12ft long jaw bones were missing. The islanders initially pleaded ignorance of the whereabouts of the missing bones, in a situation which had echoes of the whisky which was spirited away from the ss Politician when it ran aground on Eriskay. It appears that islanders on Coll were annoyed at the way "their" whale had been purloined by the museum in Edinburgh and intended to erect them as an arch to form a tourist attraction in one of the island villages. The museum appealed for their return, saying that they were stuck with the biggest chinless wonder in the country. Eventually, a farmer informed the museum where they were hidden and the missing bones, weighing around 250kg, were taken to Edinburgh.

Saddam Hussein Bust Creates Controversy

A large head from one of Saddam Hussein's many statues in Iraq has been put on display in the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen. It claims that it is the first museum in the UK to have such an object on display. But there have been objections to the artefact, with accusations that the museum is guilty of war looting. The head comes from a statue thought to have been on display in Basra which was pulled down by troops when they entered the town. It is part of an exhibition called "A Soldier's Perspective" containing propaganda material from various conflicts.

Weather in Scotland This Week

Temperatures rose to around 14C (57F) on Wednesday in central Scotland but later fell back to around 10C (50F), with Aberdeen even cooler at 8C (46F). A strong easterly wind made it feel even chillier and mist and lingering clouds made for a dismal start to April. The long range forecast for next week does not offer much prospect of an improvement either.

This week's illustrations of current flora and fauna in Scotland show first of all two spring lambs playing around the trunk of a tree in a field next to the National Trust for Scotland property at Geilston House near Cardross in Argyll on 1 April. The illustrations below of a thododendron amd a magnolia were taken at Glenarn House in Rhu, Argyll.

California Honours John Muir

Arnold Schwarzennegger, the governor of California, has selected the Scots-born conservationist and writer John Muir to be represented on the design of a 25-cent coin marking the state joining the United States in 1850. The design, created by Los Angeles graphic artist Garrett Burke, was one of 8,000 initially put forward to the California quarter selection committee. Muir, born in Dunbar, is widely credited as being the "father" of the US conservationist movement. He established the National Park system in the US after his family emigrated to Wisconsin in 1849. His prolific writing opened the eyes of many to the wonders of nature. He was dismayed at the devastation caused by sheep and cattle and established national parks at Yosemite, Sequoia, Mount Rainier, Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest and established the Sierra Club to protect the Yosemite National Park from ranchers who were seeking to reduce its boundaries.

Homage to Unknown Sculptor

Thomas Clapperton is not a name that springs to mind when thinking of Scottish sculpture and yet millions of people admire his work without knowing who created it. For example, the fine statue of Robert the Bruce which adorns the wall beside the entrance to Edinburgh Castle is by this artist who began life in the Border town of Galashiels in 1879. Clapperton began by creating the bronze panels for the memorial in Selkirk to the explorer Mungo Park and he later produced the Flodden Memorial, also in Selkirk. But it was after the First World War that his commissions mounted as he provided outstanding artwork for war memorials throughout the UK and abroad (including Oamaru in New Zealand). His memorial in his home town of Galashiels has been described as a masterpiece. He is now being honoured in an exhibition of his life and work at Old Gala House, marking the 125th anniversary of his birth in the town.

Home to Think Again

The Stirling Smith Museum has proudly displayed three sharp stakes which were discovered in 1923 on the site of the Battle of Bannockburn. They had been identified as being the only known artefacts of Robert the Bruce's victory over King Edward II of England in 1314. Planted in shallow, covered pits, they would have impaled the horses of the English cavalry and their riders. But an English archaeologist has sent the Museum home to think again after carrying out carbon-dating tests on the wood for a BBC TV programme. This has shown that the wood is over 8,000 years old. He says the three pieces of wood are anchorage roots from Scots pine which had been preserved in a peat bog. The TV archaeological programme "Two Men in a Trench" has also debunked some other misconceptions about the battle site. Two areas which have been suggested as remnants of pits into which the English cavalry fell were originally dug by coal prospectors in the 19th century. The investigation of the battle site did come up with genuine artefacts from the conflict - a pair of 14th century riding stirrups worn by a medieval knight. But Elspeth King, the director of the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, refuses to accept the findings about the stakes, claiming that even though there are no markings to show that they had ben sharpened, they might still have been used by the Scots at Bannockburn. They will remain on display at the museum as authentic relics of the battle.

Art Archive at Risk

An archive of Scottish paintings and photographs, assembled by Richard Demarco, a major figure in the Scottish cultural scene, is in danger of being broken. Edinburgh City Council have served him with a writ for payment of rent of an office he has occupied as he attempts to make progress on creating a permanent home for the art works and half a million photographs of Edinburgh. Demarco's European Art Foundation is planning to set up a permanent exhibition in Edinburgh but has been in "temporary" premises in New Parliament House (the former Royal High School) since 1998. The council say that Demarco has declined to pay the £1,000 a month rent and has built up an outstanding debt of £50,000. Demarco argues that the foundation is a registered charity and should not have to pay rent because of the contribution it has made to the cultural life of the city. While there are some on the City Council who see the importance of the collection and believe they should help the foundation, there are others who argue that the council leased the offices in good faith and that the rent arrears are unacceptable. The council also have a duty to council tax payers. Demarco says that the only way he can raise the cash would be by selling some of the archive.

Trades House Opens Its Doors

The Robert Adam designed Trades House of Glasgow has become the city's latest tourist attraction after a £1.2 million refurbishment. The building, which opened in 1794, is the only one in Glasgow designed by Adam. It was the home of the 14 ancient incorporated crafts and trades in the city (such as hammermen (metalworkers), tailors, cordiners (leather goods), maltmen, weavers, bakers) and was used by many of Glasgow's most influential decision makers. Now parts of the building, which had lain derelict for 100 years have been transformed into an exhibition about how the craftsmen helped to form Glasgow. The splendid Grand Hall and Saloon are also being opened to the public.

Next Week in History

• April 4 1373 - Parliament held by King Robert II at Scone, resolved that his son, the Earl of Carrick should succeed his father as King (as Robert III although he was baptised John).
• April 4 1384 - John of Gaunt, son of Edward III attacks Scotland.
• April 4 1406 - King Robert III died and James I ascended the throne (but was not crowned until 1424 as he was a prisoner of the English).
• April 4 1689 - Scottish Parliament declared that James VII had forfeited the Scottish throne.
• April 4 1617 - John Napier, inventor of logarithms, died in Edinburgh.
• April 5 1603 - King James VI leaves Edinburgh to travel to London as the first monarch of the United Kingdom.
• April 5 1830 - Birth at Lesmahagow of composer Alexander Muir, creator of "Maple Leaf Forever".
• April 5 1902 - Disaster at English/Scottish football match at Ibrox Stadium when part of the flooring collapsed, killing 20, injuring 200.
• April 6 1320 - Declaration of Arbroath - "For we fight not for glory nor for riches nor for honour, but only and alone for freedom, which no good man surrenders but with his life".
• April 6 1944 - "Pay As You Earn" Income Tax introduced for the first time.
• April 6 1998 - Celebration of Tartan Day approved by the US Senate, in recognition of the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans.
• April 7 1968 - Jim Clark, Duns farmer, twice World Motor Racing Champion, killed in crash, Hockenheim.
• April 9 1139 - Second Treaty of Durham in which David I is recognised as King of an independent Scotland by King Stephen of England.
• April 9 1747 - Lord Lovat beheaded on Tower Hill for high treason.
• April 10 1512 - King James V born.
• April 10 1988 - Sandy Lyle becomes the first Scottish (and British) golfer to win the US Masters tournament.

11-Hour Long Play for Edinburgh Festival

The programme for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival was announced this week. It includes performances by Ballet West USA and Hanover State Opera and features a retrospective of the work of the choreographer Antony Tudor and concert performances of the operas of the German romantic composer Carl Maria von Weber. One talking point was the inclusion of Henri Claudel's "Le Soulier Satin" starring French film star Jeanne Balibar which lasts for 11 hours. The production was last performed at the Salzburg Festival. This year's Festival will have 111 events including a ballet without music, a play with music instead of words and a piece of music with 150 saxophonists playing in unison.

Miniature Print Exhibition

The 5th British International Miniature Print Exhibition opens in the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum this weekend. Each of the 223 miniatures is no larger than 70 square centimeters. There is a huge range of styles and methods represented in this year's show, from screen printing and etching to digital and photographic techniques. And it is a truly international representation with contributions from Canada, Brazil, Lithuania, Australia, USA, Japan and China. The UK is well represented too, with entries from every corner of the country. Prices for prints start from as little as £15, confirming the notion that the best things come in small packages!

Westlife at Glasgow's SECC

Boy band Westlife's Turnround tour, which is designed to push their fourth studio album, comes to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow on 16, 17, 18 and 20 April.

Sunday Football Result

Rangers 1 Celtic 2

Bank of Scotland Premier League Results - 3 April 2004

Aberdeen 3 Dundee United 0
Celtic 2 Hearts 2
Dundee 2 Partick Thistle 1
Dunfermline 2 Kilmarnock 1
Hibernian 3 Livingston 1
Motherwell play Rangers on Sunday.

Scottish First Division Results - 3 April 2004

Brechin City 0 Ayr United 3
Clyde 2 Queen of the South 0
Ross County 1 Raith Rovers 1
St Johnstone 2 Falkirk 1
St Mirren 0 Inverness 0

BT Scotland Rugby Cup, Semi-Finals - 3 April 2004

Dundee 18 Hawick 11
Glasgow Hawks 42 Melrose 19

League Tables

Celtic's defeat of Rangers last Sunday brought the date of the Hoops mathematically winning the Scottish Premier League a bit closer. But they stumbled on Saturday and were 2-0 down against Hearts with two minutes of the match remaining. Then they scored twice, to snatch a point and - probably more importantly - their unbroken run of not losing at Parkhead was extended to 76 matches. Celtic are currently 20 points ahead of Rangers although the Ibrox side have played one game less. Hearts are in third position, 14 points behind Rangers. Partick Thistle remain rooted to the foot of the SPL, 16 points behind Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.

Clyde remain on track to win the First Division - they are 6 points ahead of Inverness.

Scotland 1 Romania 2

Although the Scotland international soccer team lost yet again in this friendly match at Hampden against a side which is not in the top drawer of world football, the team's performance was reckoned by some to be an improvement on the pathetic performance in the previous match in Cardiff when the Scots lost 4-0. True, a number of key players were again unavailable for international duty but substitute James McFadden scored an excellent second-half goal, five minutes after he had left the substitute's bench. Manager Berti Vogts (13 defeats in 23 matches) claimed that the result was "a step in the right direction." The supporters who jeered at the end of the game in a half-full Hampden stadium may have had different views.

£30 Million to Kick-Start Scottish Football

An Action Plan for Scottish youth football was launched this week with the government pledging £12.2 million and the Scottish Football Association contributing £10 million towards the £31.1 million total for the 10-year project. The investment is aimed at increasing participation levels by restructuring under-19 football and introducing a simplified registration system to remove excessive bureaucracy and make it easier for more young players to get involved. The Scottish Executive is also investing £24 million in its Active Schools Programme to create fitter and healthier youngsters

Celtic Shares Doing Well

Celtic Football Club are not only riding high on the Scottish Premier League but their shares on the stock market are also doing well. In the last year they have risen by 125%, making them the best performing football share in the UK. Even Manchester United's share price has only gone up by 91% in the last twelve months. Last season the club didn't win a single trophy (Rangers just edged them out of top spot in the SPL) but the good run in the UEFA Cup last season plus conservative management has produced good financial figures.

Merry-go-grounds

Ground share plans were high on the agenda at the meeting of the Scottish Premier League this week. Approval was given for Hearts to move to the national rugby stadium at Murrayfield and for Dundee and Dundee United to share Tannadice, if required. Falkirk were also given permission to groundshare with Dunfermline if they should win the First Division title - unlikely, as they trail the leaders by 11 points. In a surprise move, Clyde applied to play their home games at Kilmarnock, should they win the First Division by the end of this season - they are currently at the top of the table. That could mean that Partick Thistle, currently at the foot of the SPL, could end up being relegated. But Partick are contemplating legal moves to block such ground share deals as they argue that they were put at a disadvantage by having to spend money making their stadium comply with the SPL rules when they gained promotion. Clyde's move away from their base in Cumbernauld is not likely to be popular with their fan base but it would give the club time to expand their stadium at Broadwood. The chairman of the SPL pointed out that the requirement for stadia with a capacity of 10,000 was a requirement of the Sports Ground Act of 1975, not due to any cartel operating.

Hearts Denied Permission for Australian Fixture

The proposal that Heart of Midlothian should play one of next season's "home" fixtures in Australia was rejected by the SPL at their meeting this week.