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
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
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Scots Abroad
Sport
In Division 1, Hamilton retain top spot, despite an emphatic defeat on Saturday by St Johnstone. That was Hamilton's first league defeat of the season. Dundee are now only one point behind Hamilton, while St Johnstone have moved into third spot - but 7 points adrift from Dundee. Stirling Albion (6 points) and Clyde (7 points) are propping up Division 1.
Ross County and Raith Rovers both have 15 points at the top of Division 2, with Ross County just ahead on goal average. Peterhead have just one point less than the leaders. At the foot of the table, Berwick and Brechin have 5 points each.
East Fife lead Division 3, three points ahead of Stranraer. Forfar are at the foot of the division, 4 points behind Elgin and Albion Rovers.
In the Scottish Rugby Premiership 1 Boroughmuir have a comfortable 6 point lead over Melrose and Currie at the top of the table. At the other end, Glasgow Hutchesons have just 6 points, one more than Edinburgh Academicals.
Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Rail Link to Edinburgh Airport Hits Buffers
The Scottish National Party manifesto, prior to the parliamentary election earlier this year, called for the scrapping of the construction of a railway line under the runway at Edinburgh airport to allow trains running between the Capital and Glasgow to be diverted to a station at the terminal building. This week the Transport Minister proposed that the original £650m Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (EARL) project should be replaced with a more modest plan costing £200 million. Since the government does not have an overall majority in the parliament, it need the support of a minority party to be approved and the Conservatives did just that. The alternative plan will add an airport station at Gogar on the Fife railway line, add an interchange between the tram and the rail network at Gogar. There will also be a rail link between the Fife and Edinburgh Glasgow rail routes - the Dalmeny chord. This would allow Edinburgh and Glasgow trains to stop at the new airport station at Gogar. The previous plan would have needed an open-ended financial commitment from the government - and ultimately the taxpayers. The governments plans also provided for an enhanced rail network involving the electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow line, with express services travelling from city centre to city centre at a journey time of around 35 minutes, instead of the present 50 minutes. But that could take up to ten years before it is completed. And the suggestion of a "bullet train" between the two cities to provide even shorter journey times has been quietly forgotten.
Major Shake-up of Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is the main economic development agency of Scotland, the other being Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) which carries out similar functions of economic development in the Highlands and Islands. It was established in 1990 to support, help and encourage existing business in Scotland and encourage new business startups. It also provides skills training for students and professionals. Measuring its performance has always been difficult, but it often seems to attract more criticism than praise. This week the Government published a radical plan to shake up the organisation, removing a number of its functions such as business support (transferred to local government councils). And skills and training are to be transferred from enterprise networks to a new single skills body. The 21 local enterprise companies are also being merged into just six regional operations. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will continue to operate as an organisation which is independent of Scottish Enterprise national (SEn). A new "strategic forum" has been set up involving government ministers, officials, SEn, HIE and VisitScotland the tourism agency, to provide leadership and promote integration and collaboration.
The illustration here shows the Scottish Enterprise HQ in Glasgow.
Red Tape Holding Scotland Back?
Sir George Mathewson, the former chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, now has a new role of chairing the new group of experts appointed by the government to advise on how Scotland can boost its competitiveness and match the economic growth of the UK by 2011. He has commented that bureaucracy is one of the issues holding back Scotland's economy - and that some taxes such as corporation tax are too high. Sir George was chief executive of the state-funded economic regeneration organisation the Scottish Development Agency (now called Scottish Enterprise) during the Margaret Thatcher years (1981-87). He was later in charge of the highly successful Royal Bank of Scotland as chief executive and then chairman from 1992 to 2006. He controversially lent his support to the Scottish National Party prior to the 2007 elections for the Scottish Parliament.
Harnessing the Power of Tides and Waves
First Minister Alex Salmond was in Orkney this week to open a new testing facility at the European Marine Energy Centre. The centre offers developers the opportunity to test prototype devices in wave and tidal conditions and is believed to be the first of its kind in the world to provide purpose-built testing facilities. The aim is to make Scotland a world leader in such technology.
Tunnel Under Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal, which runs from near Fort William on the west coast to Inverness on the east, was built between 1803 and 1822. But it was never a great commercial success and is now mainly used by pleasure craft. The canal runs through the Inverness itself, creating traffic problems for the city, with tailbacks caused when the swing bridges open for boats using the waterway. So Highland Council has been looking at options for a new crossing - either a bridge high above the canal or a tunnel underneath. Officials had recommended a bridge with a 15 metre (50 feet) clearance, costing £50 million, which would let 85% of boats pass without opening. But this week the councillors voted for an £85 million tunnel. This will now form part of Highland Council's trunk link road plan, which will be sent to the Scottish Government for approval and funding. Even if it gets approval, it would be 2010 before work on the new link would get underway.
Crumbling University Buildings
A report, by the government watchdog Audit Scotland, says that university buildings in Scotland need £700 million spent on them to bring them up to modern standards. Nearly half of Scottish higher education property is in a poor state - and 3% is regarded as "beyond repair." Strathclyde, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt and Dundee all require repairs "urgently", with Strathclyde University needing £110 million spent on its buildings alone. Scotland's 21 higher education institutions have nearly 1,000 non-residential buildings across 72 sites, worth an estimated £5 billion in total. The older universities in Scotland create additional problems because their buildings are listed as historical, making repairs costly and difficult.
The picture here shows Livingston Tower, Strathclyde University.
Future Bright for Glasgow Shopping
Glasgow is ranked as second only to central London in the league of UK shopping centres. And forecasts by Experian Business Strategies, which were published this week, predict that it will remain in that position for the next ten years. In the same timescale, however, Edinburgh is forecast to fall from 7th to 10th place. Out of town shopping centres such as Braehead, the Fort and the soon to open Silverburn, have provided additional competition for Glasgow city centre. But the shopping malls at Buchanan Galleries, St Enoch Centre and surrounding streets have not been standing still and extra retail floor space is being created in a flurry of major and minor building projects. There is a concentration of shops offering the widest range of high quality shops that cannot be equalled anywhere else in the UK, apart from central London. The availability of leisure attractions also helps to boost business, as people come into the city for the day and can go to cinemas, restaurants, bars and theatres, all within a few blocks of one another.
£90 Million Makeover for "Forgotten Towns"
The seaside towns of Argyll used to be a popular tourist destination for many who lived in central Scotland. With the rise in foreign package holidays, the glamour days of places such as Dunoon (pictured here), Helensburgh, Campbeltown, Oban and Rothesay declined and they became a forgotten backwater. They were visited by day trippers, many of them the older generation who had fond memories of their former glory. Now Argyll and Bute Council is to spend £90 million to breathe new life into the resorts. £40 million of that cash is for a much needed transformation of the promenade and pier area of Helensburgh. In Dunoon, a refurbishment of Queen's Hall and the pier are the main elements. Plans for a marina, which it is hoped will be privately funded, will improve the area's profile and encourage more people to the town. Due to limited staffing resources in Argyll and Bute, the projects are likely to have to be prioritised - with Dunoon's plans being dealt with first.
Agricultural Census
Government estimates of the Scottish farming sector at June this year show that there were 1,898,000 cattle, 7,491,000 sheep and 453,000 pigs, with numbers down slightly compared to 2006. The area of combine harvested crops (wheat, barley, oats) rose slightly to just over a million acres, with much of the increase due to a rise in the area growing spring barley and wheat. The number of people employed either full time or part time in Sottish agriculture decreased slightly to 66,800.
Glasgow Site Looking Up
A derelict site beside the river Clyde in Glasgow is the location of three glass-fronted towers with 15, 13, and 11 storeys. They will provide an "anchor" for the expanding International Financial Services District and work will begin on their construction next year. The site, bounded by the Broomielaw, McAlpine Street, Carrick Street and Crimea Street, has lain vacant since the 1990s. The developers will also make improvements to public spaces down to the riverside walkway. The upper floors of the towers will provide half a million square feet of offices, with cafes, shops, bars and restaurants at ground level. The land next door is being marketed as a site for a five-star hotel. The International Financial District has attracted 13,000 jobs over the last five years and had transformed the river front between the Central Station and Kingston Bridge.
Dream Order
2,000 Rolls-Royce workers in Scotland got a boost this week as British Airways announced orders for new Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which will be powered by Trent 900 and 1000 aero engines. The £4 billion orders were the biggest placed by BA in the last ten years. 750 workers at the Sprit plant at Prestwick, which produces wing parts for the Airbus 380, shared in the delight at the increased job security that the orders provide. The planes will be delivered between 2010 and 2014 and the "greener, quieter and more fuel-efficient" aircraft will replace 34 existing planes in the airline's long-haul fleet.
Picture via Wikipedia.
Sabbath Sailing to Lewis?
Responding to a campaign by some local residents, ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has confirmed that it is looking - again - at sailing to the Western Isle of Lewis on Sundays. The move has been resisted in the past by local churches and those who want to preserve the local way of life. But many residents these days would rather have the option of being able to travel to and from Lewis seven days a week. There is already a ferry service to the Western Isles of Harris and North Uist, further south from Lewis. And, since November 2002, there has been an air service to Stornoway, the largest town on Lewis. Even if CalMac management decides to move to a Sunday service to Lewis, the state-owned company would need to obtain the approval of the government in Edinburgh before being able to implement the change.
Renfrew's Historic Ferry Sunk?
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has confirmed that is to commission a feasibility study into the construction of a bridge to replace the ferry which has been running between Renfrew and Yoker since the 17th century. The present ferry carries 50,000 passengers a year and runs at a considerable loss. The vessels will need to be replaced by 2009 at a cost of £2 million. And it is argued that even modern vessels would have a large "carbon footprint" contributing to global warming. The river where the short ferry runs is still used by large vessels sailing further up the river, so any bridge would have to have a means of allowing them to pass through or under.
Salmon Catches Leap
Official government statistics on the number of salmon caught in Scotland's rivers last year show that numbers are continuing to improve, with some waters having the highest catches on record. Nearly 86,000 salmon were caught by anglers during last year - the fifth highest since records began. Just over half of the fish were released back into the river, so some may have showed up in the figures more than once. But anglers were disappointed by the low numbers of sea trout being caught. Only 20,675 were recorded - the second lowest on record.
Weather in Scotland This Week
There was a lot of cloud this week, though not a lot of rain, just showers here and there. Stornoway and the Western Isles enjoyed the best of the sunshine as an easterly wind brought cloud to the east and central parts. Temperatures were on the low side - 10/11C (50/52F) were typical and Stornoway's maximum temperature on Wednesday was under 9C (48F). That strong easterly wind that brought in a lot of cloud also made it feel even colder than those temperatures suggest.
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include luxury liner QE2 at Greenock on her last visit to the river Clyde; Drummond Castle, Perthshire, formal garden design created in 1838 at Drummond Castle; masses of colourful dahlias; and a multi-coloured rose (see thumbnail here). See This Week's Colour Supplement.
QE2 Archive Photos Online
The University of Glasgow has launched an online exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of the QE2. It includes over 70 previously unpublished photos showing every stage of the liner's construction as well as the finished interiors of the luxury cruise ship. The exhibition went online to coincide with the launch of the QE2 on September 20, 1967 at John Brown's shipyard at Clydebank. Since then, more than two million passengers have sailed on her. See hwww.gla.ac.uk/qe2.
100 Years of Horse Racing
Perth racecourse at Scone Palace Park was this week celebrating 100 years of the "sport of kings" there. There was a race meeting on Thursday and there was a celebratory dinner in the Nelson Stand earlier in the week, attended by distinguished guests, jockeys, trainers and racing professionals who have been involved with racing at Perth. There was also a display of the history of racing at Perth over the last 100 years, including many images from the early years, in a marquee close to the racecourse entrance. The area has a long history of racing, with the first recorded race in Perth taking place in 1613, when a silver bell was run for on the South Inch in Perth itself. In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s supporters allegedly used the races as cover for a meeting to finalise plans for the Jacobite rising.
Next Week in Scottish History
Nicola Benedetti's Third CD
Ayrshire classical violinist Nicola Benedetti released her first album four years ago when she was only 16, following her win in the "BBC Young Musician of the Year" contest. Her second album was issued two years later and now her third CD has appeared - with some critics saying it is her best yet. It contains her interpretation of pieces by Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Taverner. She describes it as "emotional, tuneful and atmospheric". Classical music accounts for only 4% of albums sold in the UK, but because of her high profile, she attracts a "crossover" audience who would not normally buy classic music CDs.
Early Start to Hogmanay
It may only be the end of September, but tickets for this year's Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh went on sale this week through the event's official website. This is the first year that the passes, costing £5, have been released online ahead of sales via the box office. Passes can be bought via www.edinburghshogmanay.org and are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations take place over four days from Saturday 29 December to New Year's Day. The street party on the evening of 31 December attracts over 100,000 revellers.
A Close Shave
Scottish Opera's 2007/08 season kicks off next week with the classic Rossini work "The Barber of Seville". The story of Figaro, the mischievous Spanish barber and the memorable music has kept audiences applauding since it was first performed in 1816. Later in October, comes Mozart's extravagant and emotive opera "Seraglio". Scottish Opera last staged this work in 1987, telling the classic story of love, forgiveness and humanity as a young man journeys to rescue his fiancée from captivity.
Click on the picture to see all 12 calendar views...
Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland. But the "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.
Seaside Highland Games - California
This year's Seaside Highland Games will again be held beside the blue Pacific in Ventura, California October 12 - 14 starting with a Single Malt Whisky Tasting and "A Scottish Evening" (fine buffet supper, music by Alex Beaton & Highland Way and a Scottish fashion show). The weekend will bring wee dancers, Scottish Heavies and Gaighlig lessons along with excellent piping in the Pipe Major Angus Macdonald Western Regional Championships. Famed fiddler Alasdair Fraser will join Alex in a rousing Saturday night concert. Special guest Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness and Chief of Clan Sinclair, will declare the Games open at the Grand Parade and Opening Ceremonies at noon sharp on Saturday. See seaside-games.com for further information.
Sunday Football Results
Hibernian 3 Celtic 2
Rangers 3 Aberdeen 0CIS Cup 3rd Round - 25/26 September 2007
Falkirk 0 Dundee United 1
Hamilton 2 Kilmarnock
Heart of Midlothian 4 Dunfermline 1
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 Gretna 0
Dundee 1 Celtic 2
East Fife 0 Rangers 4
Hibernian 2 Motherwell 4
Partick Thistle 0 Aberdeen 2Clydesdale Bank Premierleague Results - 29 September 2007
Aberdeen 2 Gretna 0
Celtic 3 Dundee United 0
Hibernian 4 Kilmarnock 1
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4 Falkirk 2
Motherwell 1 Rangers 1
St Mirren v Hearts will be played on Sunday.Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Results - 29 September 2007
Dundee 2 Greenock Morton 1
Dunfermline 1 Partick Thistle0
Livingston 4 Clyde 2
Queen of the South 2 Stirling Albion 2
St Johnstone 4 Hamilton 1Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 29 September 2007
Ayr 1 Peterhead 2
Brechin City 0 Raith Rovers 1
Cowdenbeath 1 Airdrie United 1
Queens Park 1 Berwick Rangers 0
Ross County 2 Alloa 2Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 29 September 2007
East Fife 7 Stenhousemuir 0
East Stirling 2 Arbroath 3
Montrose 0 Dumbarton 1
Stranraer 3 Elgin 3Scottish Rugby Premiership 1 Results - 29 September 2007
Ayr 18 Hawick 17
Boroughmuir 29 Watsonians 20
Currie 27 Heriots 32
Edinburgh Academicals 16 Glasgow Hutchesons 12
Glasgow Hawks 19 Dundee 20
Melrose 33 Stirling County 16League Tables
Rangers move to the top of the SPL, after Celtic's defeat by Hibernian last Sunday, was short-lived. A draw on Saturday against Motherwell allowed Celtic to regain the advantage, if only by a better goal difference. Hibernian, meantime, are keeping up the pressure and are only one point behind the leaders. At the bottom of the SPL, Gretna still struggle with 4 points so far, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle are just 2 points above them.
Top Seeding for Scotland
After the years in the wilderness, Scotland's national football team is on the verge of joining the world's elite in the 2010 World Cup. The sport's governing body has confirmed that it will use the FIFA world rankings to determine the seedings for the European groups instead of basing it on performances in the previous two qualifying World Cup tournaments. That would have placed Scotland in the third pot of seeds at best. Scotland's recent win against France saw the team rise to 14th place in the FIFA world rankings. No matter the outcome of the remaining Euro 2008 qualifying matches, Scotland would be placed in the second pot of seeds. When the draw was made for Euro 2008, after the reign of Berti Vogts, the national team had fallen to the fourth group - and found themselves facing both France and Italy in the race for only two places at the finals.
Scotland v Italy
Scotland struggled in the make or break encounter on Saturday against Italy, with both sides needing a win to get through to the last eight in the Rugby World Cup. In a scrappy game staged at St Etienne in France, with some poor decisions by the match officials penalising both sides, Scotland just managed to stay ahead and win 18-16, thanks to a perfect kicking performance from Chris Paterson in his 80th capped match. But it was a close-run game which could have gone either way right up to the end. Still, the last time Scotland played Italy at Murrayfield they lost, so there was a sigh of relief at the win. However, now that Scotland are through to the quarter finals, they will play either Argentina or France.
Celtic's New Chairman
John Reid, the former Home Secretary in Tony Blair's government, is to be the new chairman of Celtic Football Club. He will take over from Brian Quinn, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England. Reid is still a Member of Parliament at Westminster, but will be leaving politics at the next general election - whenever that takes place.
St Mirren Stadium Plans Roll Forward
Supermarket giant Tesco obtained planning approval this week for the demolition of St Mirren's Love Street stadium and replace it with a giant superstore. Meantime, the club's search for a permanent training ground also ended this week with an offer of a 20-year lease on pitches at Paisley's Ralston playing fields.