Parliament Boosts Local Economy
If only the new Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh could achieve the same for Scotland as it has done for nearby businesses! Shops, bars and tourist attractions at the foot of the Royal Mile have all seen a surge in business activity. The "People's Story" museum has seen a 17% increase in visitors in the last month and the Museum of Edinburgh experienced a 30% rise. The Scottish Poetry Library, which is just off the Royal Mile, has seen trade boosted by 25%. Three new shops have opened their doors in the area and many of the customers have been parliament staff and journalists. Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (illustrated here) on the Royal Mile is building up to its busiest time of the year. Established shops have also reported a surge in business - Jenny Ha’s, the pub nearest the parliament on the Canongate, reported: "Business is up around 25% since the parliament opened compared to the equivalent period last year." Of course, the bars at the other end of the Royal Mile have seen a dip in business as Members of the Scottish Parliament and the staff have moved a mile down the road to the new building.

Remembrance Services Across Scotland
There was an added poignancy to the Remembrance Day services in Scotland last weekend with the memory of recent casualties amongst the soldiers of the Black Watch regiment in Iraq still very fresh. In Edinburgh, Prince Edward and First Minister Jack McConnell led the laying of wreaths at the City Chambers and attended a service in St Giles Cathedral. Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond was at Portsoy war memorial followed by a church service and wreaths were laid at war memorials in cities, towns and villages in all parts of Scotland. The service at Kirriemuir recalled one of the town's sons, Charles Melville, who won a Victoria Cross while serving with the Black Watch regiment in the First World War. The ceremony at the commando memorial at Spean Bridge may be the last time that the Commando Association will have a Remembrance Day parade as the number of survivors of this élite wartime unit is dwindling.
The illustration is of the war memorial in Oban, Argyll.

Former Energy Minister Powers Ahead
In the latter half of the 20th century many homes sprouted TV aerials, as the latest technology spread across the country. Later it was the dishes for capturing the TV transmissions from satellites. Now, if former energy minister Brian Wilson has his way, we will all be installing windmills on the roofs of our houses to generate electricity. He has installed what is said to be the first "Plug 'n' Save" device at his Glasgow home which will feed wind-generated power straight into his household supply. The device, which is mounted on a pole on the roof, is being manufactured by a Glasgow entrepreneur who describes it as "the most important new consumer product for a generation". Little doubt where the positive wires are in that press release. The electricity generated by the device feeds straight into the household supply via a control box and an ordinary electric socket. Depending on wind quality, it is estimated that people could generate between 15% and 30% of their electricity needs from one turbine. Users can also claim a "green dividend" payment of £60 a year for generating renewable energy.

Scotland - Full of Energy

Government targets are always easy to announce but are often more difficult to achieve. So there was perhaps an element of justified satisfaction this week when Jack McConnell, the Scottish First Minister, announced to an audience of leading industry figures and academics in Aberdeen this week that the Scottish government has already granted approvals for projects which, when built, would be sufficient to meet Scotland's 2010 target of having 18% of electricity generated from renewable sources. Of course, the country had a flying start in meeting such targets by having a good number of hydro-electric power schemes, which have been in operation for many decades. But it is the wind power turbines which have boosted that figure in recent years - despite the resistance by those who see them as a blight on the landscape. The First Minister claims that the schemes already in the pipeline will form an important first step towards an even more ambitious target of generating 40% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The title of Jack McConnell's lecture was "Scotland - Full of Energy".

Scots Shoppers Still Leading the UK
Although like-for-like retail sales growth fell from 5.5 per cent in September to 2.5 per cent in October in Scotland, that was still higher than the UK average, where the increase was only 0.5%, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium. Clothing and other non-food products continued to grow as shops began their pre-Christmas sales pitches. Economists had predicted that the higher base interest rates (up from 3.75% in February to 4.75% in August) would lead to a slow-down for both shopping malls and estate agents. There had been exceptionally buoyant demand since 1999 due to low interest rates and high employment. Recent dismal weather has also affected retail sales although the larger multiples in shopping centres had not been as adversely affected as high street stores where shoppers avoided the rain and damp conditions.

Striking the Right Note for St Andrew's Day
Despite the efforts of a few enthusiasts, the celebration of Scotland's patron saint on 30 November used to pass almost unnoticed. But things are changing and a Web site dedicated to increasing the profile and visibility of Scottish traditional music has pulled together an impressive list of over 100 musical events around St Andrews Day. From Shetland to Stranraer, the country will be alive with the sound of music and dance in a variety of venues from village halls, churches and schools to arts venues, hotels and even a castle. St Andrews itself will again host a St Andrew's Week festival with a host of special events and activities from a gala ball to a free fireworks display. Many of the other events are free too - including "The Proud Clansmen" in concert at Cortachy Castle, Kirriemuir and "McEwan's Sessions" in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh. A major event which ties in with the St Andrew's Day celebrations is the Scottish Traditional Music Awards which will be announced at Queen's Hall, Edinburgh on Saturday 4 December. For all the details of these and other celebrations, see www.handsupfortrad.co.uk/standrewsday.

Facelift for Glasgow's George Square
The main square in Glasgow, overlooked by the City Chambers, the seat of local government, is to undergo a three-month long transformation costing £450,000. In 1998, when Glasgow City Council implemented such a project, they ripped out the trees and grass areas and resurfaced it in red tarmac. Locals wondered whether the new "Red Square" was because of the socialist complexion of the ruling city council. The latest makeover will see the present red surface removed and replaced - with a darker shade of red. The 12 historic statues in the square will be cleaned up (local pigeons will soon get them back to normal) and street lighting will be modernised. Work is expected to be completed by the beginning of April. An open-air cafe or restaurant may be built later on part of the square, which is often used to stage events ranging from the New Year's Eve concert to an antiques fair. It was in use for such attractions on 200 occasions in the last year.

Aberdeen to Host Commonwealth Conference
Leading politicians and officials from more than 30 nations, including Australia, Canada, India, Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa, will be gathering at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) from 15 to 17 March next year for the third Commonwealth Local Government Forum Conference. There will be around 400 delegates, who will have as their theme "deepening local democracy." Speakers will include the president of Nigeria, the president of Ghana, the Commonwealth’s secretary-general and Jack McConnell, the Scottish First Minister.

First Winter Opening for Glamis Castle

It's always one of those "chicken or egg" questions. Many tourist attractions in Scotland close down over the winter, usually from the end of October until the start of April because there are not enough visitors to justify staying open. But many tourists, particularly those in Scotland and England, don't travel around in winter because so many places are closed. Historic Scotland is one of the organisations which keeps its properties open throughout the year, though they do have reduced hours in the dark days of winter and smaller properties close on one or two days due to lack of staff. And now Glamis Castle, which is independently owned, is to open its doors through to Christmas this year for the first time. The castle was the childhood home of the late Queen Mother and they have had a good season so far this year. Parts of the castle are being decorated to fit in with the Christmas theme and the souvenir shop will have extra seasonal items. There will also be a Christmas carol concert on two days in December - and Santa is due to arrive by horse-drawn carriage. For more details, see www.glamis-castle.co.uk.

Christmas Shopping in New York
A number of years ago a Lord Provost of Edinburgh was condemned for flying to New York and doing his Christmas present buying in the Big Apple, instead of supporting local businesses back home. Now, as the dollar falls towards $2 to the pound (currently it's at $1.85), lots of Scots are heading across the Atlantic on cheap flights to take advantage of the best exchange rates for twelve years. If exchange rates reach $2 it makes it easier to do currency conversion calculations and see that a pair of Levi 501 jeans cost the equivalent of £18.50 in New York instead of around £40 in Scotland. The Apple iPod is only £156 in New York instead of £219 here and a Top 20 CD will cost only £5 instead of £10 in the UK. Of course, the current exchange rate also makes it more expensive for people from the US visiting Scotland, which will not be good news the tourist industry.

Approval for New Bridge
As part of the efforts to improve the attractiveness of the river Clyde through Glasgow, the City Council this week approved the plans for a new pedestrian bridge between the Broomielaw and Tradeston. The city is getting into the habit of creating unusual bridges - the new road bridge on the river will cross at an angle and the design of this latest bridge will be in the form of a continuous arc, rising in the middle to allow ferry services to pass underneath. The architects for the new structure are the Richard Rogers Partnership who have designed many striking buildings in recent years - including the Millennium Dome in London. The new bridge was originally given the working title of "Neptune's Way" but it has yet to be decided what its official name will be. But with the "Squinty Bridge" not far away, Glaswegians may dub it the "Curvy Bridge".

Airport Seeking New Road Link
The recent announcement of a planned new rail link to Edinburgh airport and the inclusion of the air terminal on the projected new tramway system in the capital is not enough for the owners of Scotland's fastest growing airport. You might have thought that the new public transport links would reduce the number of travellers arriving at the terminal by car but British Airports Authority (BAA) say that a new, direct link to the M8 motorway is essential. It is true that there can be congestion in the area, especially when there are events at the adjacent Ingliston showground. BAA say that they will apply for planning permission for a direct link to the Gogar roundabout early next year as the tramway system will not be in place until 2009 and the rail link will be 2010 at the earliest.

Healthy Drive Bearing Fruit
Commuters who travel by bus between Glasgow and Edinburgh may not be able to get any healthy exercise walking to work. Nevertheless, a pilot project has been launched by the Citylink bus company, in conjunction with the Scotmid (a co-operative supermarket chain) ,which will provide everyone on the inter-city route on Monday mornings between 6am and 9am with a healthy choice of a free apple, banana, cereal bar or bottle of mineral water. It is hoped that the three-month project may be extended later onto other routes. The sponsors say that the initiative is designed as a fun way to promote the importance of healthy living as well as thanking bus customers for their loyalty and support.

The First Shall Be Late....
When the franchise to operate the train services in Scotland was awarded by the Scottish Executive to the First Group, there were loud pronouncements about how the trains would get better and punctuality would improve. However, after the first month of Scotrail First, time-keeping has deteriorated badly. Overall, they are poorer than the worst levels over the last two years. Nearly 20% of trains on the flagship Edinburgh to Glasgow line were at least five minutes late. If the figures don't improve Scotrail First will face hefty penalty charges imposed by the Strategic Rail Authority. Not that this will benefit passengers waiting on the platform or stuck in overdue trains. Scotrail is the largest train network in Britain - and used to be the most punctual

Old Testament in Scots
An expert in Scots who is a member of the Scottish Parliament's working group to promote the Scots language, is working on creating a new version of the Bible's Old Testament in Scots for publication in 2006. William Lorimer’s New Testament in Scots, published in 1983, has been used by a number of Church of Scotland ministers, especially in the north-east. Now Gavin Falconer is undertaking the translation into Scots for the Old Testament. The opening line of the Bible, is expected to become, "In the beginnin, God made the lift and the yird" while the 10th commandment is expected to read: "Ye maunna covet yer neibour's hoose; ye maunna covet yer neibour's wife, nor his sairvant chiel, nor his sairvant lass, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor onything that is yer neibour's."

Staff in a Flutter Over Request for Peacock Feathers

A florist in Colchester in England was sent into a flutter recently when asked to make a floral arrangement for a wedding which incorporated white peacock feathers by a customer who was mad about birds. The staff frantically searched around possible suppliers, but the quantity they were looking for - over 100 - proved impossible to obtain until they contacted Glamis Castle in Angus. The castle has a number of peacocks in the grounds and two of the most popular ones are totally white. At this time of year they lose a number of their tail feathers so the castle had collected a good supply. The feathers were soon winging their way south to make the bride happy on her wedding day.

Last of the "Onion Johnnies"
In these days of supermarkets supplying fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world, it is hard to realise that in the post-war years there were thousands of French onion sellers who came over each year on their bicycles with strings of onions which they sold round the doors. "Onion Johnnies" were a familiar sight. But it is being reported that the last few Gallic onion sellers, with their striped tops and berets, will be putting their cycles away in the shed and will not be returning to these shores. Some of the survivors now park their bikes beside the supermarkets rather than hawk their produce round the doors. Some of the older onion sellers have been coming from Brittany since the 1950s but the origins of the trade can be traced back to 1828 when onion sellers first came across the English Channel.

Making a Mug of Rampant Scotland Pictures

With so many pictures of Scotland on the Rampant Scotland site, there is a steady stream of requests from people who want permission to use them. One of the more unusual applications recently was by a small company in Kirkintilloch, who wanted to use pictures of Glasgow and Edinburgh and print them on the side of souvenir coffee mugs and coasters. These items are now available on-line via the company's Web site at candmpartners.co.uk (see the page on special offers). While overseas readers of this Newsletter would probably find the postage costs for mugs prohibitive, the coasters with views of Edinburgh and Glasgow could be a useful present this Christmas!

SOS to Naughtie Unblocks Airwaves
Coastguards in Aberdeen were seething this week when a fisherman jammed the VHF emergency channel for three hours. He had accidentally pushed the "transmit" button on his radio microphone and all that could be heard were snatches of conversation and background noises. From triangulation and the strength of the signal, they knew it was a fishing boat in the Moray Firth but had no idea which one it was. Then the coastguards heard snatches of BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme. This is a popular channel with fishermen as there are frequent weather reports. So the coastguards got in touch with the BBC and the presenter, James Naughtie, told his listeners: "Someone on a vessel near Inverness is listening to this programme. The Coastguard can hear you listening to the programme, but your VHF transmitter is blocking a channel used for emergency calls. So, if you are on a ship somewhere around Inverness and listening to the Today programme, will you check you are not the one that’s blocking the emergency channel?" A few minutes later Naughtie was able to tell the listeners that all was well as the coastguard had reported the airwaves were clear again. Needless to say, the guilty fisherman has not owned up!

Weather in Scotland This Week
On Sunday, Aberdeen reached an above normal 14C (57F) but as the skies cleared later in the week, the temperature dropped to a maximum 3C (37F) during the day and well below freezing at night. There was a light covering of snow on high ground in the Highlands all the way to the southern edge earlier in the week, but the central lowlands escaped the snow. Sunshine on Friday and Saturday did little to raise the thermometer and some six Scottish Cup games and one in the Scottish Premier League were postponed due to freezing temperatures. Heavy falls of snow in Aberdeenshire and the north-east of the country on Friday caused disruption to road and rail traffic and cancellation of flights. In some areas, school pupils were sent home early on Friday because of the adverse weather conditions.

This week's illustrations of current flora and fauna in Scotland shows first of all a heron waiting patiently in the fast-flowing Allan Water in Stirlingshire. Below are pictures of a Fuschia and an Osteospermum in the National Trust for Scotland's Greenbank Garden, just south of Glasgow.

Lost - One Papal Bull
You would think that the document authorising the founding of a university in 1451 is not the sort of thing that they would lose easily. But Glasgow University has launched a world-wide search for the Papal Bull, signed by Pope Nicholas V, which launched the institution in Scotland's largest city. During the Reformation, when anything connected with the Catholic Church was likely to be destroyed, it was taken to Paris in 1560 for safe keeping. Clearly it wasn't kept very safely and the only document which establishes under law that the university has the power to grant degrees is missing. After the French Revolution, the Scots College in Paris was forced out of the French capital and its documents scattered across France and overseas. It is thought that it may be mouldering in some archive somewhere and so the University of Glasgow is writing to academic institutions around the world asking them to explore their archives in the hope of uncovering it.

A Hole Lot of Trouble for Roman Fort

The Roman fort at Ardoch kept back the marauding Picts nearly 2000 years ago but now it is said to be in danger of being totally destroyed - by rabbits. The area is on track to become a world heritage site, but it is claimed that a cavalier attitude of a wealthy landowner is putting the site in irreversible danger. Archaeology experts say that unless the rabbits are culled, the Roman earthworks will collapse. Not that much is visible to the untrained eye even now - only a few grassy banks marking out where the foundations of the Roman legion's timber buildings once stood. Ardoch Fort is at the end of a line of Roman defensive fortifications known as the Gask Ridge. The billionaire landowner, Mohammed al Tajir, who owns the mineral water giant Highland Spring, is said to be having discussions with Historic Scotland. He has owned the farm which includes the site for the last 30 years.

Next Week in History

• November 21 1673 - King James VII married Mary of Modena.
• November 21 1835 - Poet James Hogg, the Ettrick shepherd, died in Ettrick.
• November 21 1918 - German battle fleet surrendered to the allies at Scapa Flow in Orkney.
• November 21 1958 - Construction began on the Forth Road Bridge.
• November 22 2001 - Jack McConnell elected First Minister of Scotland, succeeding Henry McLeish who had resigned.
• November 23 1332 - Edward Balliol formally acknowledged King Edward III of England as his feudal superior.
• November 24 1331 - David II (aged 7) crowned at Scone.
• November 24 1542 - Rout of Solway Moss in which King James V sent a force of 10,000 into England which was defeated by an English force led by Sir Thomas Wharton.
• November 24 1572 - John Knox, leading reformer of Church of Scotland, died.
• November 24 1942 - Comedian and actor Billy Connolly born.
• November 24 1996 - Death of the poet Sorley MacLean.
• November 25 1681 - General Tam Dalyell raises a regiment to suppress Covenanters which later became the Royal Scots Greys.
• November 25 1835 - Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie born in Dunfermline.
• November 26 1836 - John McAdam, inventor of "tar macadam" road surface, died.
• November 27 1703 - The greatest storm on record hit Britain with the loss of 8,000 people in 24 hours.

A "Oui" Celebration at Hogmanay
There will be a French flavour at Edinburgh's New Year celebrations this year, with spectacular street theatre, music, dance, film screenings, food and drink, all with Gallic undertones. The festival is also being billed as a final fling of this year's Entente Cordiale celebrations, which marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the treaty between France and the UK. Officials unveiled a "joi de vivre"-packed programme of events which will include entertainment from Paris, Lyon, Brittany and Nantes which will take centre stage at the Night Afore International - the free carnival which takes place on George Street on December 30. The Edinburgh Filmhouse is to show a number of French classic movies and local French restaurants are adding to the heady mix with Hogmanay festival menus - and free wine for diners. The traditional fireworks display, with Edinburgh Castle as the backdrop and which is such a feature of the festivities, is being produced this year by the French pyrotechnics company. They staged the spectacular displays on the Eiffel Tower on Millennium night and this year's opening ceremony at the Olympic Games in Athens.

Extras Wanted for Greyfriar's Bobby Movie
The local Jobcentre in Edinburgh was the focus of budding actors this week as the producers of "The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby" set about recruiting hundreds of extras to work on location in Edinburgh, Stirling and the Scottish Borders. The movie will tell the well-known story of Bobby, the Skye terrier who refused to leave his master's grave in historic Greyfriar's churchyard in the 19th century. Bobby came to prominence in the 1890s when Eleanor Atkinson, an American, wrote a book about the dog which became a first reading book for a generation of many Americans. Production has started and filming by actors such as Christopher Lee will continue until early next year.

New Art Gallery for the Highlands
Tore Art Gallery, only a few miles from Inverness, is a major new venue for the visual arts and it will open its doors on Monday November 22nd 2004. The Gallery is only a few miles from Inverness, and will house the largest selection of original paintings and sculptures for sale anywhere in the Highlands. The former Free Church at Killearnan, near Tore, has been renovated to provide a spacious, light and airy gallery which will show a large variety of original works from all over Scotland and beyond. Exhibitions will feature individual contemporary artists alongside a changing mixed exhibition which will include more traditional styles. In addition, Tore Art Gallery will provide a new base for leading Scottish silversmith Alan Baillie. You can watch him work on the beautiful contemporary designs that have become his hall-mark. For more information, see www.tore-art-gallery.co.uk.

Film Festival for Glasgow Glasgow citizens have had a long love affair with the cinema, so when it was announced this week that an annual film festival was to be organised in the city, the main reaction has been "Not before time". On a per capita basis, more people go to the movies in Glasgow and more often than any other location in the UK, so there should be plenty of local support. The film festival is being held in February and three organisations in the city centre (Glasgow Film Theatre -pictured here, UGC Cinemas and the Centre for Contemporary Arts) are working together to stage the event.

Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results

Hibernian 0 Rangers 1

Bank of Scotland Premierleague Results - 20 November 2004

Dunfermline 4 Kilmarnock 1
Heart of Midlothian 0 Motherwell 1
Livingston 0 Aberdeen 2
Rangers 2 Celtic 0

Scottish First Division Results - 20 November 2004

Airdrie United 3 Clyde 1
Hamilton 1 Queen of the South 0
Partick Thistle 0 St Mirren 3
Raith Rovers 0 Falkirk 2
St Johnstone 1 Ross County 1

BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 Results - 14 November 2004

Hawick 15 Boroughmuir 23
Gala 25 Biggar 30
Ayr 34 Melrose 29
Currie 15 Glasgow Hutchesons' 0
Glasgow Hawks 22 Heriot's 27

League Tables
The defeat of Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic by Rangers on Saturday brought the Ibrox side to within one point of their rivals. Aberdeen are trying to keep up, but are 8 points behind Rangers. At the other end of the SPL, Livingston are two points adrift from Dundee United.

Falkirk consolidated their position at the top of the First Division and are two points ahead of Clyde, with a game in hand. St Mirren are keeping up their challenge and are only one point behind Clyde. Raith Rovers are 9 points behind Hamilton at the foot of the First Division.

In the BT Scotland Rugby Division 1, following the games played last Sunday, Heriot's defeat of Glasgow Hawks put the Edinburgh side 5 points clear at the top, though Hawks have a game in hand. At the foot of Division 1, Gala are 7 points behind Hawick.

Same Sad Story
There is a lot of sympathy for Tommy Burns, the caretaker manager of the Scotland football team. Left holding the baby after the departure of Berti Vogts and throwing his cap into the ring to be appointed on a permanent basis, Burns might have hoped for a better result than the 4-1 defeat inflicted by Sweden on Wednesday night. Before the match, the Swedish manager had commented that he hardly knew the names of the Scotland team as so few are stars in their own clubs, far less the international stage. Scotland supporters feel the same way. This match was only a friendly, to give Sweden some match practice, but they will have got little out of it by playing a team with so little talent. Whoever is appointed the new Scotland manager has a mountain to climb.

Scotland 17 Australia 31

Scotland, buoyed by last week's record 100-8 win over Japan, started strongly in the international rugby match at Hampden Park, Glasgow, against the Australian touring side. The Scots even went ahead at the start 6-3 as a result of penalties by Dan Parks and Colin Paterson. But they lacked the skills of the Wallabies and although the first Australian try may have followed a knock-on, they were soon in command. Scotland kept in touch, thanks to penalty conversions by Paterson, but by the end Australia had scored four tries and finished well ahead.

John Higgins wins British Open Snooker Crown
Higgins used to be one of the most feared players on the snooker circuit but he has failed to win a ranking title for three years, despite reaching six finals. But he captured the British Open Championships last weekend with an emphatic 9-6 victory over felllow-Scot Stephen Maguire. The two players have been practice partners for many years at the Craigpark Masters Club in Dennistoun, Glasgow. This was Higgins' 25th major title - a tournament he was ready to pull out of if his pregnant wife had given birth during the week-long event. Maguire reached the final by defeating the current world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 and now is ranked 7th in the world snooker rankings.

Scotland in Final of Intercontinental Cup
It is not often that we can report a sporting success for Scotland but the Scottish cricket team has won through to the final of the Intercontinental Cup final with a comfortable points victory over Kenya in Abu Dhabi. The Scots had declared at 401 for seven after 120 overs in their second innings to leave Kenya requiring a massive 607 to win. Although the Kenyans worked hard, they eventually had to concede. Scotland now face Canada in the final at Sharjah on Sunday.