The Rampant Scotland Newsletter - your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events plus a Scottish magazine section. Printed with 100% recycled electrons.Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in the Archive> and the Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here>.
The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that format there is now a regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site and also "Scottie's Diary" on an intermittent basis, To receive this, kust send an e-mail to Scottie with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Current Affairs
Sure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will go
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
Scots Abroad
Sport
Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Gordon's Last Budget
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, presented his 11th and last annual budget in the UK Parliament this week. The Glasgow-born Member of Parliament for Dunfermline East in Fife, has been in charge of the nation's finances for longer than anyone since Gladstone in the 19th century. Indeed Gladstone only did the job longer because he doubled up as Prime Minister as well - something he says he is not planning for... But he is widely expected to take over from Tony Blair as the next UK Prime Minister later this year. He was able to give a suitably positive gloss on his record - inflation is lower, employment is higher and the economy is more stable. The budget was broadly neutral for the economy as a whole, with winners and losers as usual. There were gasps when he announced that the "basic rate of tax" would go down from 22 pence in the pound to 20 pence from April 2008. But that is largely being paid for by removing the lower "starting rate". The changes were labelled a "confidence trick" by his opponents. But since nobody was fooled, it was hardly sleight of hand (but did grab the headlines). Lower income families will be the biggest winners here, though they will have to do some form filling to obtain tax credits to which they are entitled. Drivers of gas guzzling cars with high emissions will pay a lot more road tax and the changes to the climate change levy on businesses will yield an extra £2.3 billion over the next three years. Revenue from North Sea oil and gas is expected to decline from £13 billion this year to £8 billion the following year and will decline further - an aspect that his Labour colleagues in Scotland will no doubt trumpet as the Scottish National Party points to the benefit of "Scotland's oil" in the forthcoming Scottish elections.
Strong Scottish Retail Sales Growth
The Royal Bank of Scotland and Scottish Retail Consortium report on sales in February continued the trend of Scottish shoppers spending more than their counterparts in the rest of the UK. Total retail sales in Scotland were up 9.2% on a year ago and like-for-like sales (which exclude new outlets) were 4.1% higher, which was the best result since August. The corresponding UK figures were 5.6% growth in total sales and 3.3% increase on a like-for-like basis. Food sales were down slightly in Scotland, but that was only compared to a surge in January which had produced a 22-month high. Non-food items more than made up for that, with the milder weather for the time of year benefitting DIY and gardening sales, though sales of coats and knitwear were adversely affected by the weather. It is being suggested by economists that the sparkling retail performance in Scotland is due to a higher wealth per head in Scotland, compared to most regions of England outside of London and the south-east. Secondly, the housing market in Scotland is more favourable and we don't have to spend quite so much, on average, on housing costs, leaving more disposable income for consumer spending.
Nation's Shopping Basket
The Office for National Statistics measures retail price inflation using a basket of commodities that reflect what is in the nation's shopping basket. This is updated every year to keep track of emerging trends and items entering and leaving the list provide an insight into changing purchasing habits. This time, a number of food items have changed, with pro-biotic drinks, courgettes and broccoli being consumed in sufficient quantities to merit being added to the table, but the humble brussels sprout has been consigned to the wilderness, along with vegetable oil (now replaced by olive oil as we become more health conscious). CRT televisions and portable TVs are now excluded as sales of flat panel screens take over, with the rise of digital channels. VHS tapes have survived until now but are now replaced by recordable DVDs in the 650-item list of prices recorded in the latest consumer price index.
Kelvingrove Museum on UK Television
The rest of the UK will get a chance to see Scotland's most visited tourist attraction this weekend when the episode of the BBC's "Antiques Roadshow" filmed at the newly refurbished Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery last October is screened on Sunday. The show was one of the busiest events in its long history, with over 2,000 people from Glasgow and surrounding parts coming along to have their treasures assessed and valued by the experts. There were so many items that the best items from the day will be presented in two bites, with the second part next Sunday. Six million viewers will also see a short introduction revealing the new-look museum and art gallery.
Green Light for £150 Million "Super College"
The proposed merger of the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, Stow College, the Central College of Commerce and Glasgow Metropolitan College became bogged down in the last six months, with the Nautical Studies college threatening to pull out of the plan to create the city's first "super college". But agreement has now been reached, with each of the four retaining their separate identities. But they will work together to form a so-called "fully-integrated learning area" over the next five years. Approval in principle has been given to the business case for a city centre campus costing £150 million. It will be one of the biggest in Britain, catering for 46,000 students and employing 2000 staff.
Tribute to Scots Pioneers in Quebec
The Scottish Parliament is celebrating the Scottish links with Quebec with an exhibition which highlights the achievements of Scottish settlers in Canada's largest province. The first influx of Scots to the area was in the 1760s, when discharged soldiers were given land grants along the shores of the St Lawrence River. More Scots arrived in the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition shows the achievements of Scots in the fields of engineering, commerce, shipping and academia. Pictures in the exhibition include Sir William Edmond Logan, who was born in Montreal to Scottish parents in 1798 and studied at Edinburgh University. He returned to Canada and became one of the founding Directors of the Geological Survey of Canada. Mount Logan, the highest mountain in Canada, was named in his honour. Other photographs include one of curling on the St Lawrence River (in 1878). Also featured is James McGill (seen here), a Glasgow-born merchant who went on to become one of the richest men in Montreal, leaving money to found the prestigious McGill University.
£17 Million Parking Fines
Motorists who park illegally, or don't get back to a parking meter before it runs out, really only have themselves to blame if they find a penalty notice on their windscreen demanding £30 (£60 if not paid within 14 days). Nevertheless, there are always complaints that the system is designed more to raise revenue for the local council's coffers than keep the traffic flowing. In the last year there were 545,900 fixed penalty charges issued and £16.9 million paid over in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and South Lanarkshire. That was up £2.7 million from the previous year. Despite being a smaller city than Glasgow, it was Edinburgh which collected the most cash - £7.2 million on 243,468 parking tickets. Whether that is because motorists in Edinburgh are more careless or ignore double yellow lines more often - or the parking attendants are more aggressive - is not clear. Glaswegians paid over £5.5 million last year, which was £500,000 more than the previous year, partly due to the extension of the area covered by parking meters.
Impact of No Smoking Ban
It is nearly a year since the implementation of a total ban on smoking in any public building in Scotland came into force - a similar ban will be implemented in England later this year. Of course, smoking in cinemas, theatres and many offices had already been stamped out, so the biggest impact of the legal restriction has been on bars and restaurants. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (which had campaigned strenuously and unsuccessfully against the ban) this week claimed that a third of bars in Scotland had been forced to lay off staff because of the smoking ban impacting negatively on sales of both alcohol and food. Many establishments are also complaining that they are having difficulty in getting permission for outside seating areas (where smoking is still permitted). But many other restaurants and gastro-pubs are said to have seen increases in sales as non-smokers are attracted by a smoke-free atmosphere. The tobacco industry reports that there has been only a small decrease in the sale of cigarettes of between 2% and 3%. There was, however, a 40% increase in the number of people contacting stop-smoking services - though clearly many of those would not follow through. Meantime, the Wetherspoons pub chain which focuses also on food as well as alcohol sales in 40 establishments across Scotland reported that overall sales were up 5% for the six months to January this year, with food up 10%. They plan to open another 12 outlets. The Scottish Health Minister, of course, is in no doubt that the smoking ban will help to reduce the appalling death toll from smoking-related illnesses.
Cold Course
The growth in construction of new golf courses in recent years has meant that waiting lists to join many clubs have shrunk or even disappeared. But there are still some clubs where nobody has even been allowed to join the waiting list, far less pay a fat fee to be allowed to become a member. The 124-year-old Inverness Golf Club is one of those - the waiting list there has been closed since 2000. So when it was announced that it was to reopen on a first come first served basis on Tuesday morning this week, dozens of keen golfers camped out overnight in the snow and temperatures of -5C (23F) beside the clubhouse. Eventually, 170 people joined the waiting list. Even those at the top of the queue, however, may have to bide their time for a few years before being invited to join the popular golf course as a member.
Aberdeen in Bloom Flowering Again
Last year Aberdeen won a unique hat-trick of awards in annual floral contests, lifting the International Communities Five-Bloom Award in the world-wide Communities in Bloom competition, the "City" award in the Beautiful Scotland in Bloom contest, and a Gold Medal in Europe’s most prestigious horticultural competition, Britain in Bloom. And it has been successful in such "Bloom" competitions since the early 1960s, winning the UK "Best City" title no less than eleven times and the same title in Scotland an unprecedented 39 times. Of course, such achievements don't just happen, the city has to work hard to achieve these result. So this week Aberdeen's Lord Provost and TV presenter Jim McColl launched the city's campaign to win even more top prizes. The launch coincides conveniently with the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen Spring Flower Show in the David Welch Winter Gardens.
Butterflies to Boost Tourism
Butterfly Conservation Scotland is to run a workshop next month for hoteliers and visitor centres in the Highlands to help them direct tourists to the best places to see butterflies in the area. The conservation society points out that there are more than 20 butterfly species to be seen in the Highlands, including the green hairstreak, red admiral, small pearl-bordered fritillary, speckled wood and painted lady (illustrtaed here). These attractive insects are often seen in the countryside or in the many gardens open to visitors across the region. Others are rarer and need specialist advice to allow enthusiasts and casual observers alike to spot them.
Road to the Isles
Despite being the 21st century, there are still a few stretches of main trunk road in Scotland which are single track, with passing places. Admittedly they are in the less populated areas, but the days of such poor communications appear to be coming to an end at last. After many delays, the last four miles of single track road on the A830 Fort William to Mallaig tourist route in Lochaber is to be upgraded to two lanes. The route was made famous in the song the "Road to the Isles" -
By heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles.
If it's thinkin' in your inner heart, the braggart's in my step,
You've never smelled the tangle o' the Isles.
Work on the tortuous road between Arisaig and Loch nan Uamh will start in June (at the start of the main tourist season when the road is at its busiest, of course) and will take eighteen months to complete. The improvement is not only good news for tourists as the road carries the fish lorries taking their produce from Mallaig to markets in the south.
Pine Martens Over the Sea to Skye
Pine martens are a member of the weasel family are about the size of a domestic cat. They usually inhabit well-wooded areas and hunt at night or at dusk and so we don't often see them scampering up and down trees. Which is just as well as their biggest predator is homo sapiens and they are often persecuted by gamekeepers because of their liking for such things as bird's eggs. But it seems that pine martens are spreading on the island of Skye. They were unknown there until the Skye bridge was constructed in 1995. They soon hopped across (paying no toll on the bridge, either, unlike the vehicles making that crossing in those days). Now they have been seen nine miles south and west from the crossing. As they are predatory animals, local birds and small animals may be vulnerable as they will never have seen pine martens before.
Picture via Wikipedia.
Regrowing Garden of Shetland
200 years ago, the island of Fetlar was known as the "Garden of Shetland" due to one of Scotland's northernmost islands providing a fertile soil which supported nearly 800 men, women and children. The Clearances devastated the population as landowners brought in more profitable sheep which required far fewer people to look after them Since 2000, the population has continued to decline from 86 to only 60. There are only three children at the local primary school and this is likely to close. There are no younger ones to take their places when they leave for secondary school over the next three years. Now Shetland Islands Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have established a special task group, dedicated to reversing the exodus. One problem is the lack of a sheltered harbour to provide a base for a regular ferry to the neighbouring island of Yell and Unst. Once there, however, there is another ferry journey to the main island of Shetland. Fetlar is the fourth largest island of the Shetlands and has an area of sixteen square miles and is home to several important birds that breed there, including Arctic Skuas and Whimbrels. Despite it's remoteness, the island does have electricity - and everyone is hooked up to Sky television.
Pipers Can-Can
When the Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band were in Paris last weekend, to perform at the France v Scotland 6 Nations rugby match, they were invited to appear on the stage of the world famous Moulin Rouge cabaret in the red-light district of Pigalle in the French capital. They looked a bit overdressed beside the scantily clad dancers, but definitely made more noise than the resident performers...
Picture via Wikipedia.
Clocks Change to British Summer Time
We will get an extra hour of useful daylight from tomorrow as the clocks "spring forward" at the start of British Summer time. In Edinburgh, for example, the clocks were at 6.07am when the sun rose on Saturday, but they will show 7.05am on Sunday. But for all those who don't get up that early, the benefit is at the end of the day, when the sun set at 6.32pm on Saturday but 7.34pm on Sunday.
Weather in Scotland This Week
Those living in central Scotland could be forgiven for asking "What snow?" as the media recounted the stories of heavy snow falls and high winds in the Highlands and the north-east during the early part of the week. Winds there gusted at up to 70mph and the Forth Road Bridge, Skye Bridge, Kessock Bridge and Tay Road Bridge were all closed to high-sided vehicles. The snowfalls closed a number of schools in the north, particularly in Grampian and Moray. Although temperatures rose later in the week, a brisk northerly or easterly air flow kept it feeling on the chilly side. The forecast for the next few days is for sunshine and maximum temperatures reaching 13C (55F).
The picture her is of the University of Glasgow and the river Kelvin, earlier this week.
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna have a host of golden daffodils, growing along the Fife Coastal Path between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour - see thumbnail photo here. This week's Colour Supplement has a lot more!
Culloden Brought to Life
A film is being made of the battle of Culloden, the last major conflict on British soil, in which the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the British Army, led by the Duke of Cumberland. The movie will become the centrepiece of a new £9 million visitor attraction at the site near Inverness. But as the battlefield is considered to be a war grave, the scenes are being filmed in the Scottish Borders instead. The film aims to put visitors into an "immersion experience" and put them into the heart of the battle with 360 degree projections. The viewers stand in the centre, with the Jacobites on one side and the Hanoverians firing from the other - before the two sides charge forward... But the reality of the Scottish weather meant that the first day's filming this week was badly affected by rain and the second day's action has had to be postponed for six weeks. Bonnie Prince Charlie didn't have that option..
Multi-Million Restoration Grant
Rosslyn Chapel, which leapt to fame as a result of its starring role in the "Da Vinci Code" book and film, has been shrouded in an ugly metal canopy and scaffolding for many years, in an attempt to dry out the stonework. Visitors arriving at the 15th century building who are unaware of this, get a shock when they arrive. Fortunately, the unique stonework and carvings which cover much of the inside of the chapel are unaffected. Now the Rosslyn Chapel trustees have been allocated £4.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £2.68 million from the government agency Historic Scotland. That will provide for renovation work to conserve and protect the stonework and allow the removal of that metal "umbrella". A new reception, exhibition space and cafe will also be created to cater for the increased number of visitors.
Next Week in Scottish History
Biggest Shows in History of Edinburgh Fringe
Grammy award-winning Foo Fighters and current album chart-toppers Kaiser Chiefs will be two of the bands performing in front of an audience of 25,000 at Meadowbank Stadium in August. "T on the Fringe" The capacity at the venue has recently been increased, so this will be the biggest show in the history of the Edinburgh Fringe.
T in the Park for the Older Generation
The T in the Park rock and pop concert at Balado, near Kinross, is the largest such event in the Scottish calendar. With many of the audience camping out over the weekend, the audiences tend to be the younger generation. Now up to 20,000 "more mature" music lovers are expected to flock to "Retrofest" in the grounds of Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. Dubbed as "T in the Park for the older generation," the event will feature Bananarama, Human League, Howard Jones and ABC as well as classic bands of the 1980s such as Go West, Jimmy Somerville and Tony Hadley.
Edinburgh's "Other Castle" as Fringe Venue
Many visitors to Edinburgh can be forgiven for thinking that the only castle in the Capital is the one overlooking Princes Street in the city centre. But 15th century Craigmillar Castle is a substantial structure on the south side Edinburgh and this year it is to be used to stage a major Fringe Festival production. The audience will watch scenes unfolding in settings such as the courtyard and great hall. Craigmillar is one of the best preserved fortresses in Scotland and it is 20 years since a major theatrical production has been staged there. In the 1990s, it was used in the filming of a BBC historical drama Ivanhoe and the movie "The Bruce".
Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland but occasionally items from overseas are covered. The new "Scots Abroad" section, invites folk to write in about Scottish-related events in their part of the world. It allows publicity for them and an appreciation by others of just how much Scottish culture is perpetuated in every corner of the globe.
Tartan Day in Argentina
Much of the focus of Tartan Day celebrations is on North America, and in New York in particular, where Scottish Executive funding creates a number of high profile events. (See www.tartanweekny.com ). But South America has its own celebrations, such as those in Argentina. The Highland Heritage Society in Buenos Aires is focusing on "Scottish Immigration in Argentina" at a conference on 27 March and follows that up with a Tartan Day Parade at the Yacht Club of Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, on April 15th. The Buenos Aires Scottish Guard helps in the organisation of that event. There is then a Tartan Day "Bring and Share" party at Club del Progreso Sarmiento on April 21. For further details, see Scotland in Argentina. Bienvenidos a la cultura y tradiciones de Escocia!
Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Falkirk 1 Celtic 0
East Fife 1 Dumbarton 0
Stirling Albion 2 Stenhousemuir 1
East Stirling 0 Berwick Rangers 1Bank of Scotland Premierleague Results - 24 March 2007
No SPL games today or on Sunday.
Scottish Football League First Division Results - 24 March 2007
There are no First Division games today but Partick Thistle v Airdrie United, Queen of the South v Clyde and St Johnstone v Dundee will be played on Sunday.
Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 24 March 2007
No Second Division matches today but Forfar v Morton and Stranraer v Cowdenbeath will be played on Sunday.
Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 24 March 2007
Elgin 0 Arbroath 1
Dumbarton v East Fife and Montrose v Berwick will be played on Sunday.League Tables
Celtic's victory celebrations as SPL winners were delayed yet again last Sunday when they went down 1-0 to lowly Falkirk. The Bairns brought an eight-game losing streak to an end with the first goal of the season from Steven Thomson. Celtic's next game is on 31 March against Dundee United, followed by a match against Motherwell. They would be expected to win those games (like the one against Falkirk..) and so could clinch the title on 22 April at Kilmarnock. But there's many a slip..There could be interest right up to the end of the season - Rangers play Aberdeen on the last day, with both sides currently striving for second place and entry to the European Champions League. Due to the international football matches and the lack of domestic games, league positions are little changed from last Saturday.
Scotland 2 Georgia 1
New manager Alex McLeish jumped with joy when his late substitute Craig Beattie fired in the winning goal in this Euro 2008 qualifying match at Hampden stadium. When McLeish took over from Walter Smith, Scotland stood (much to everyone's surprise) at the top of their group, having won the first three matches. So there was a lot of pressure on McLeish, especially with a match against Italy next week. Scotland opened the scoring with a fine header from Kris Boyd in the 11th minute, but Georgia equalised five minutes before half-time with a goal from former Rangers player Shota Arveladze. Scottish supporters were resigned to losing two valuable points as the match neared its end - then Beattie pounced on a ball in the penalty area and drilled in a low shot. in the 88th minute. That will keep Scotland's hopes of qualifying in their group looking good at this stage.
CIS Cup Final
The Hibernian football team returned to Edinburgh last Sunday to a heroes' welcome with an open-topped bus carrying them down the Royal Mile to their Easter road stadium where they were welcomed by 13,000 ecstatic fans. Hibs won the CIS Cup final at Hampden in style, with a convincing 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock. Manager John Collins must have found the celebrations particularly sweet - he was a 16-year-old Hibs substitute when the team lost 3-0 to Aberdeen in 1986. And there may be even more silver-ware this season - Hibs play Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup semi-final next month.
Kick Off for Football Training Complex
Planning permission has been granted by South Lanarkshire Council for the construction of a new £17 million training complex for Scottish football. Work will begin shortly at the site in Bothwell to create a facility for the national side - the first time that the Scottish Football Association has had a permanent base for the international squad.
Scotland Win Another Wooden Spoon
It was no disgrace for the Scots to be defeated by Australia and South Africa in the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies over the last ten days, though supporters might have hoped for a better performance from the Scotland team and a narrower margin of defeat. Including the warm up matches, Scotland's cricketers have had a string of seven defeats in a row. But there were hopes that the team would avoid the wooden spoon and record a win against Netherlands, the other "minnow" in Group A. Scotland was ranked as the top "associate" side after a good performance in the World Cricket League in Kenya. And they had defeated the Dutch team on the two previous encounters. However, the Scottish batsmen could only manage a paltry 136 in their innings and they only reached over the century due to a recovery of sorts from the tail-enders. The Netherlands reached the target of 137 with ease, losing only two batsmen along the way.