Invest In Perth Business Magazine

Business Magazine Issue 15: The Creative, Cultural and Independent Issue (Autumn 2023)

Little Lies: The online independent rocking the fashion world

Perth Museum Opening Easter 2024 Jackie Brierton: Embracing Culture for Economic Growth Independent Businesses in Perth City Seize the Opportunity PLUS: HONEYBERRIES FROM PERTHSHIRE / £50M PAPREC ENERGIES DEAL / STORTERA ENERGY SOLUTIONS / HIGHLAND DISRUPTORS / FLOCK TO FROCK Invest in Perth Magazine

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Delivered to you by: Delivered to you by:

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Headline speaker: Headline speaker:

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For more information visit www.transformbusinessfestival.com For more information visit www.transformbusinessfestival.com

WELCOME for Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Vision 21, and the development of the Smart City Agenda for Perth – all of which have now been successfully delivered.

This issue of the Invest in Perth Business Magazine is focused around the Cultural, Creative, and Independent.

It also launched the Big Move 7, highlighting the opportunity to revitalise Perth’s cultural attractions with specific attention being paid to the Museum and Art Gallery. Now, following the UNESCO Creative Cities Award and as we approach the opening of the £27million Perth Museum project in March 2024, we are reminded of the vision that was laid out at that time.

Arguably, the broad brush of culture has different meanings for all of us, but its benefits are well recognised and researched. In 2016 Perth & Kinross laid out its creative vision for the area in a cultural strategy that included the Transform Perth Theatre project, support

To be at the heart of Scotland’s cultural landscape, and celebrate our distinctive cultural past, present and future – for everyone. So why do we need a cultural strategy? By ensuring we integrate the values, history, and lived experiences of our communities into economic and

political decision-making, we can inspire and connect our communities in a more meaningful way. In turn, this builds a sense of civic pride and offers a compelling hook for increasing tourism and growing the population through placemaking.

Our main cover story, The Online Independent Rocking the Fashion World, shows creative talent at its very best. Jade Robertson has embraced her history, her passion, and her creative skills to build a multi-million pound fashion brand from her base here in Perthshire.

As well as fashion, this issue also highlights the cultural, creative and independent success stories behind leading entrepreneurs in the tech space, agriculture, retail, and hospitality.

Councillor Grant Laing Leader of Perth & Kinross Council

Highlights 4

Jade Robertson and the Online Brand Rocking the Fashion World

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Perth Museum and its Cultural Impact

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Viewpoint, by Jackie Brierton of GrowBiz

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Independent Business Spotlight

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The Honeyberry Revolution with Fin Hay

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Oliami from Flock to Frock

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Disrupting the Hospitality Tech Space from Highland Perthshire

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Mark Robertson, What Perth Means To Me

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Elevator’s Microbusiness Champions

As the inward investment arm of Perth & Kinross Council, Invest in Perth is committed to driving economic growth through continuous business support.

How we work, live, and do business is evolving and Perth’s ability to adapt in a changing global marketplace has secured its reputation as an innovative business destination. If you are seeking an ambitious, vibrant city in which to invest your capital, build your start-up or place your headquarters, contact us:

Kirsty Easton Senior Economic Development Officer keaston@pkc.gov.uk +44 (0) 1738 475364 Perth and Kinross Council, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull St, Perth, PH1 5GD

Follow us on LinkedIn

@investinperth investinperth.co.uk

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18 On the cover: Jade Robertson of Little Lies Clothing

Invest in Perth Business Magazine is a Perth & Kinross Council publication. Produced and designed on behalf of PKC by the Red String Agency.

Writing: Nicola Martin Design: Cain Martin

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FEATURE

Business Leaders: Take 5

Jade Robertson of Little Lies Clothing

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ounded by Jade Robertson and husband Stuart, Little Lies, the independent, online fashion and lifestyle boutique, has been building into one of Perthshire’s most creative success stories since its launch in 2015.

The Perthshire-based company may have appeared as a ready-to-rock, perfectly formed idea but the groundwork had been a decade in the making. Inspired by her love of ‘70s fashion and music icons, and shaped by her student years at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow and her experiences working in the event, theatre and music industry, Jade’s singular vision of a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle platform provided a clear, bold and vibrant brand message from the outset.

In the eight years since, the brand has become synonymous with quality fashion and lifestyle pieces and boasts a customer base that spans the UK, America, and until recently, Europe. In 2021 Stuart joined the business full time as Managing Director, allowing Jade the time and energy required to execute the launch of their first own-label clothing collection in her capacity as Creative

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Director. The company now boasts an annual turnover of circa £2 million but Jade and Stuart’s ambitious plans are only just beginning. Little Lies is targeted to reach £10 million turnover and 100% own-brand stock by 2025, and in doing so will become one of Scotland’s largest, independently owned, fashion labels.

Q1. How did Little Lies start?

As a teenager I was obsessed with ‘70s style and the rock stars from that time and as far back as 14 I was making and altering my own clothes. I staged my first fashion and music event, Rock The Catwalk, when I was 17 and over the four years that followed we raised £50,000 for charity – so although the company officially launched in 2015, the creative direction of the business, its heart and soul, has been around for years.

My studies at the Royal Conservatoire and work in backstage production fuelled this rock and roll passion but when it came to my wardrobe, I struggled to find what I was looking for. I wanted quality, well-made clothing that I could wear for years to come – we call it future vintage at Little Lies – but all the High Street offered was fast-fashion, festival clothing

We ask local industry leaders the questions that matter most. that was designed to be worn once and thrown away and I didn’t have time to trawl charity shops regularly.

I knew there was an opportunity and I’d thought through various business models before telling Stuart my idea – in the car on the way home from a gig, of course!

Once I had it in my sights, I knew exactly how the brand would look and feel, and with Stuart’s business background we were confident we had the combined skills to make it work. We invested a few thousand of savings each, a friend helped build the website and I studied YouTube tutorials day and night to hone my e-commerce skills!

Q2. How quickly did it grow, and what were your major milestones?

Well, we outgrew the spare bedroom pretty quickly! We went from £12,700 in year one to £50,000 in year two and then from there we doubled and tripled year on year; by the end of year four we were at £500,000 and in year five we broke the million-pound turnover mark.

Our first move was to a bigger house, and we started doing pop-ups in farmers’ markets, at large company headquarters,

tattoo conventions and events, but within a couple of years we’d outgrown that too. In September 2017 we made the move into retail premises with a large basement that housed the online business.

The shop was a very different experience.

Having that one-to-one interaction with our customers helped brand development hugely – for instance, talking directly about issues around sizing and fit gave more detail than an online form ever could. However, it was also distracting; it was easy to listen to individual preferences instead of looking at broad data and that’s not commercially viable when buying for a market.

In January 2020 we had outgrown the retail unit and had drawn up plans looking at three different models: stick to traditional retail, stick to online only, or move forward with a hybrid model. By March, we were in lockdown and after the initial shock – are we going to lose it all?

– we threw ourselves back into the online model and our decision was made.

Covid gave us the time we needed to stop and think. Working from the kitchen table again showed us how much we could do when we weren’t running two businesses and we came out of it stronger, leaner and more focused. I loved the shop, and I learned a lot from it, but now, I can’t believe how much time I spent hoovering and dusting instead of focusing on growing!

In August 2020 we moved into the distribution unit and Head Office space at Glencarse. We thought we might have to sublet to meet the rent but instead we had shipping containers in the car park and my mum tagging band T-shirts to keep up with demand!

A year later, we leased the unit next door giving us 3626 ft2 for the Little Lies HQ, and an additional 3950 ft2 for our fulfilment warehouse. At that point, Stuart left his job to give his full attention to Little Lies.

We’ve not stopped since! We’ve launched our own label, which has meant recruiting a product development team with designer and photographer (more on page 6) and won Business of the Year at the 2022 Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Awards.

Q3. How did you go about changing your operation to facilitate the increase in sales?

Stuart’s business background informed a lot of our early decisions and from the outset we’ve worked hard to establish solid foundations, always thinking about the processes and structure of the business to ensure we’re financially efficient and looking after the workplace wellbeing for all members of the team.

Getting this right has helped hugely; of course, we’ve had to tweak and upgrade various elements along the way but that joint skills base – me on product development and attention to quality and Stuart on operational and financial strategy – has allowed us to expand organically. It remains our key strength.

Q4. How have you maintained your vision and ethos as the company expanded?

Maintaining the core vision of Little Lies has never been difficult because it was never about a corporate identity, it was an extension of my personality and passion – Little Lies has grown with me.

Since we launched, we’ve got married, had a baby, and renovated two houses.

I’m a different person, with different needs and wants for my wardrobe. I’ve been every size from an 8 to a 14 and I have a much deeper understanding

of women’s bodies because mine has changed. I think our customers appreciate that.

We’ve always focused on customer care; I want people to have an experience when they receive their Little Lies package.

From the outset all our wholesale stock has been repackaged into Little Lies branded tissue and labels, with a note from the team. This attention to detail plays a big part in connecting with our customers – it felt less churned out than other online boutiques – so when we launched our own brand, we had a loyal customer base ready to go. Over the past 12 months, 57% of our customers are returning.

Q5. What’s next for Little Lies?

We’re planning to supercharge the business! Our ambition is to grow to 100% own brand and make good on our promise of selling only Future Vintage.

To do this, we need to get the positioning spot on but with 8 years’ worth of data we’re confident we can get this right first time. (More on page 6) Strategically, we need to grow our audience; we have 90,000 followers on Instagram and 250,000 followers across the board but that needs to be millions to make our dream a reality.

Find Out More: LittleLies.com Invest in Perth Magazine

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FEATURE

Creating Opportunities with Future Vintage

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he launch of their first Little Lies own label collection in spring 2023 followed a significant period of change for Jade and Stuart, which included team development at senior level and the single largest reinvestment of profits since the company’s inception.

Bringing onboard a Design & Product Development team, headed up by Lauren White, who previously worked as a womenswear designer across various High Street retailers such as Toast, Urban Outfitters and Whistles, was the first step on this journey, and Jade and Stuart have continued in this vein, with photography, styling, content creation and marketing all done in-house from their base in Glencarse.

Stuart commented, “Our aim of moving to 100% own brand in five years was frustrated due to covid, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis but in 2022 we made the decision to reinvest a significant share of profits in order to move our ambitions forward.

“There is a significant difference, moving from a boutique model whereby you buy in stock, mark it up and resell it, to an ownbrand model where you are responsible for everything from designing and manufacturing to brand positioning. Margins are greater, yes, but the lead time on your investment is longer.

“We’re currently onboarding suppliers to ensure we can deliver on quality and consistency – how it washes, how it lasts, potential volumes – and until that’s in place we’ll continue to offer our boutique items.

We’re currently at a 25% boutique and 75% own brand split but this will close gradually over the next two to three years.

“As well as meeting our production and manufacturing standards, we need to know that the people working on our designs are treated well. This means we’re working with independent auditors to give us assurance on fair wages, holidays, and environmental

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conditions. There’s a lot to consider.”

Whilst the decision to launch their own collections should impact positively on the bottom line, it has been as much about the brand ethos as it has about profit. Jade’s love of style was sparked at an early age – her auntie, Eve Graham, the Perthshire singer who rose to fame with the New

We want to attract talent to the area.

Having our roots in Perthshire is important for us for both personal and business reasons.

Seekers, was a significant influence – and for her, clothes have always told a story and she was passionate about pre-loved long before it reached the sustainability headlines.

“There is a substance to the Little Lies brand that has allowed us to stay true to ourselves.

It’s not rock and roll gimmicky, not a costume. It’s more about shape, colour, and icons. I wore one of my auntie’s Top of the Pops dresses to my prom and the idea that we could be making the vintage clothes of tomorrow has always excited me. Buy now, love it for years to come.

“Having full control in-house means that we can offer a better, more inclusive product that is right for the market today. When I was sourcing, I would wish it had a better neckline, thicker straps, a different hem – I always wanted more. It’s everything from ensuring, to offering, a full sizing range of 8 to 24 – the demand is there and continues to grow. We want Little Lies to be at the forefront of the market for everyone.”

As well as satisfying their own ambitions, Jade and Stuart are committed to creating opportunities for young creatives in their home region of Perthshire.

Jade continued, “When I was starting out, I was frustrated at the lack of creative opportunities in Scotland. I saw young

people move to London and Manchester when we needed and wanted them here. As Little Lies grows, so too will the jobs and learning.”

Stuart agrees: “We want to attract talent to the area.

Having our roots in Perthshire is important for us for both personal and business reasons. We want our daughter to grow up here but it’s also a central location for distributing across the UK and internationally.

“We’ve spent eight years with our heads down, working hard, but this is our time. Up until now, we’ve self-funded the business, but this may change as we look towards the future. Developing a board of directors, looking for investment – these are all on the horizon, I’m sure.”

Investment Timeline 2015 Little Lies launches as an online platform

2016 First three team members join

2017 Move to small retail unit with basement

2020 Move to distribution and Head Office in Glencarse

2021 Stuart joins full time as MD, £1.9 million turnover reached

2022 Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year winners

2023 Launched Little Lies own brand label

Developing as Directors Although both Jade and Stuart started their Little Lies journey with years of experience between them, they have had to develop new skills and business acumen including how to show up as leaders of a brand.

“When we started, Stuart was in full-time employment as a mechanical engineer, leading a design team working on innovative tech for Apple and others; this gave us an income but he travelled a lot, and in those first two years most of the major decisions around finance and legals were made over video-calls or between his trips.

“Meanwhile, I was running Little Lies from the spare bedroom. I did everything from curating collections, to uploading web images, running the social media, photography, pricing, dealing with customers, and all the picking, packing and shipping. We turned over £12,700 in year one and the learning curve was steep!

“Now, we have 14 employees, and this is only going to grow in line with the business as it develops.

“Leading the team has been one of the greatest challenges. We were so clear in our vison and ethos but, along the way, we’ve had to ensure every person recruited buys into those same principles. We now have a warehouse team, product team, marketing and content creation team and they all need to play their part in delivering on the Little Lies promise.”

In early 2023 Jade and Stuart joined the Accelerator Course, run in conjunction with Perth & Kinross Council and Elevator. The six-week course is designed for high growth start-ups and existing businesses in Perth & Kinross and focuses on the fundamentals needed to fast track business.

“One of the key benefits to us was getting out of the office! Making the space together to work on the business instead of in it has been productive. It is easy to become insular when you are focused on working hard and networking among other likeminded businesses all looking to grow brings fresh perspective to how you’re approaching things.”

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NEWS

Perth Museum Prepares to Open

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he ambitious £27 million Perth Museum project will open on Easter Weekend, in March 2024, bringing a worldclass cultural and heritage attraction to Perth city centre.

Following several years of debate around the future of Perth’s iconic City Hall, an agreement was reached in 2016 to ringfence a significant investment of £30 million capital expenditure to create a new Museum within the historic building and support a refresh of Perth Art Gallery.

The £27 million investment in what would become known as Perth Museum, includes £17 million from the Council and £10 million through the Tay Cities Region Deal.

Following a rigorous procurement process, award-winning architects, Mecanoo, were awarded the design contract, and BAM was appointed as the main contractor for the development.

Building work commenced in early 2020 and was completed earlier this year with object install already underway.

Doors will open to the public on Easter Weekend, in March 2024.

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Culturally and Historically Significant Once open, the Museum will offer visitors a world-class, fully accessible, and captivating experience that inspires them to explore Scotland’s past and its connection to the wider world through its display of exceptional objects representing natural history, archaeology, social history, and world cultures.

A bid to move the Stone of Destiny from Edinburgh Castle to Perth succeeded and was announced in December 2020. Returning to Perth and Kinross for the first time in 700 years, the Stone, also known as the Stone of Scone, will be the centrepiece of the new Museum and will be free for all to view.

Assets such as Perth Museum enhance the overall appeal of an area, contributing to quality of life and igniting a sense of civic pride.

Alongside the Stone, Perth Museum’s displays will explore how the city and wider area has shaped Scotland’s ancient roots and the creation of a modern nation.

Drawn from one of the oldest public collections in the country, the permanent displays will include archaeological material that gives a unique window into local life since the end of the Ice Age, 10,000 years ago, taking in the Bronze Age, the Picts, the kingdom of Alba, and the medieval city of Perth.

Jacobite objects will give unique insights into the influential role of the region during the Jacobite rebellion. The earliest material exploring natural history and world cultures was collected at the end of the 18th century, and social history objects will shine a light on 20th century developments right up to more recent objects reflecting modern Perth.

Helen Smout, Chief Executive, Culture Perth & Kinross, said, “Perth Museum will open its doors to the public on Easter Weekend 2024.

Over the next five months we will be getting ready to share some of the incredible objects and stories from our collection in a completely new way. The transformation of the old City Hall has created a world-class visitor attraction and the perfect heritage setting for a new conversation about Perth’s central role throughout Scotland’s history, with the Stone of Destiny at its heart.

“This ambitious project has created a new Museum that everyone in the region can take great pride in and will attract a whole new audience to visit Perth.”

Long Term Economic and Social Impact It is estimated that Perth Museum’s aim to grow the regional visitor economy and address the gaps in the local tourism offer, will quickly come to fruition. Expected to attract an additional 167,000 visitors to Perth by year three and increase overnight staying visitors by 3% year on year, the Museum is a welcome addition to Perth’s growing cultural scene.

Longer term, it is hoped that Perth Museum will play a role in tackling the low productivity in the area’s cultural sector; the average GVA per creative sector job in Perth is significantly lower than the national level at £41,471, compared to £56,268 nationally. Within ten years, gross visitor expenditure should reach £101m producing a GVA of £25.4m at local level and £10.2m Scotland level.

As well as the direct spend, evidence shows that assets such as Perth Museum enhance the overall appeal of an area, contributing to quality of life and igniting a sense of civic pride. An excellent example of this is the increased cultural participation opportunities such as the artist commission to commemorate the impact of the Jacobite Risings and the Clearances on Highland Perthshire, to be co-created with local communities.

The project will create 19 direct employment opportunities, with an additional 37 jobs in construction.

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Partnership Working

Opportunities for Business

A partnership from its outset, between Perth & Kinross Council and the UK government through the Tay Cities Region Deal, Perth Museum will be managed long term by Culture Perth and Kinross.

With the opening of Perth Museum in March 2024, Culture Perth and Kinross has launched a range of sponsorship packages for both local and national brands. Sponsorship will further extend the reach and impact of the venue by assisting in:

Once Perth Museum is open, Culture Perth and Kinross will build upon their engagement with the national and international travel trade market offering a dynamic programme of unique experiences for group and individual travellers.

In doing so, the Museum is marking Perth and Kinross as an outstanding tourist destination and contributing to the ongoing creation of itineraries by Scotland’s Tay Country, a collaborative venture between the local authorities of Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Angus and Fife together with VisitScotland.

Councillor Grant Laing, Leader of Perth & Kinross Council, said “The Perth Museum project has always been a collaboration, with key partners working together to ensure that the ambitious vision for the city, and the economic potential, is fully realised.

“A landmark attraction, the significant increase in visitors from across the UK and internationally offers real opportunity for retail, hospitality, and other tourism businesses, both in the city centre and further afield. Importantly, it presents a compelling reason for new business and inward investment.”

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• • • • •

Developing the region as a vibrant tourist attraction, generating over £25m return of investment into the area over 10 years.

Unlocking the impact of local heritage – improving wellbeing and addressing inequalities for everyone who visits.

Preserving over 500,000 objects held by Perth Museum.

Enabling Culture PK to develop a schools and learning programme.

Creating jobs and career development opportunities.

Benefits of sponsoring include: Opportunities to Promote Your Brand • • •

Embedding your brand within high-footfall spaces relevant to your customers.

Crediting you in our direct and digital marketing campaigns, including outdoor signage.

Support-in-kind for themed events and activities relevant to your target audiences.

Media Profiling • • •

Inclusion in social media campaigns and the online platform.

Credit throughout social media and local press.

Quotes from your business where relevant in the media.

Corporate Hospitality and Employee Benefits • • •

Opportunities for corporate venue hire.

Complimentary tickets to blockbuster exhibitions and events.

Exclusive group behind-the-scenes tours and talks.

Contact Robin Patel, Fundraising Officer, to learn more: rmpatel@culturepk.org.uk / 01738 444949 / perthmuseum.co.uk

VIEWPOINT

Building on Perth’s UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art Award

In November 2021, Perth was awarded UNESCO status as the UK’s only Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. This placed us into a global network of cities, opening doors for local artists and makers to showcase themselves on an international stage and setting a benchmark for quality that stretches beyond UK borders.

Jackie Brierton, CEO of GrowBiz, on why we should embrace our Creative, Independent and Cultural sectors.

The award will strengthen existing creative networks like Perthshire Open Studios, Perth Creative Exchange and Perthshire Artisans, a curated platform of creatives launched by GrowBiz Scotland in 2020. To date, we have supported over 300 creative businesses in Perth & Kinross and supported the launch of initiatives such as the areawide Creative Trail and Open Studios Festival in September.

As we look towards the opening of the new Museum in March 2024, much has been made of the potential it will deliver into Perth city centre and the surrounding areas. Set to generate around 133,000 visitors each year – thanks in no small part to the successful endeavours that secured the return of the Stone of Destiny to Perth – the Museum presents a very real opportunity for Perth & Kinross to become a centre of excellence for creatives and culture. I say this, because, of course, the foundations are already here.

By their nature, makers and artisans are often sole trader operations faced with the significant and unique challenges of making and selling at the same time. From a practical standpoint, the Museum offers a new route to market through permanent exhibitions of

GrowBiz provides a range of information and enterprise support services for small and micro businesses in rural Perth & Kinross and across Scotland. It is recognised that rural businesses have a unique set of challenges on an ongoing basis, and this community-based, enterprise support service aims to deliver specific expertise in overcoming these barriers. It encourages connections and collaboration through the Rural Enterprise Directory Scotland – REDS. Growbiz.co.uk Reds.scot

local artists’ work, a busy gift shop, and a steady stream of national and international customers.

Culture and creativity have a huge overlap and interlink particularly well.

Both sectors are diverse, inclusive and are driven by passionate individuals.

A venue such as Perth Museum has the potential to pull everyone together, in one exciting and inspiring space for performers, artisans and musicians. The opportunity then, for cross-fertilisation of art, music, history, digital, workshops and education, means we can breathe new life into our historic city.

When combined, international links, a broader creative/cultural approach, peer-to-peer support, and the provision of a retail outlet, will undoubtedly go a long way to fuelling the ongoing ambitions of this vibrant sector. From here, I’d expect to see growth in demand for shop fronts and workshops giving us an opportunity to build on the successful independent business story, and to encourage artisans to make and sell from their own space.

It’s a simple fact that when people see success, they want to be part of it. We speak to our networks of enterprises all the time, and we know that the environment in which they live and work is crucial to their creative process and sense of pride; is there any place more inspiring than Perth & Kinross for creating exactly this?

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NEWS

Tay Cities Region Clean Growth Platform Launched Launched earlier this summer, the Tay Cities Clean Growth website showcases the mix of clean growth projects within and beyond the Tay Cities Region Deal.

It is designed to enable wider project development, knowledge exchange and research, and development collaboration, as well as creating a positive environment for investor engagement.

By establishing an online community designed to enable and encourage businesses, industry, and academia to collaborate, the aim is to push low carbon and clean growth innovation, while driving investment within the region.

Energy Minister, Gillian Martin MSP, said, “Clean and sustainable growth will be central to our economic transformation.

The transition to net zero will require innovation and large-scale collaboration between businesses, communities and public services.”

Cllr Grant Laing, Leader of Perth & Kinross Council and Chair of the Tay Cities Region

Deal Joint Committee, said, “With central geography, mixed economy and a broad base of academic, professional expertise and active developments, Tayside and Fife are great places to exploit the economic transformation as we strive to address climate change.

“This new platform provides support for collaboration to help our organisations to flourish as they innovate and create the goods and services we need for a sustainable and regenerative economy.”

Clean growth strengths within the region include sustainable mobility, green agritech, clean energy, the circular economy

and data and digital solutions.

Current projects based in Perth & Kinross include Perth Innovation Highway, Perth Eco Innovation Park, Low Carbon Transport & Active Travel Hub Perth, James Hutton Institute - International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre, Perth Smart Energy Network, Perth Smart Energy City Programme, Project Beacon (advanced plastics recycling), and Binn Ecopark.

Any businesses seeking to get involved or find out more should visit: taycitiescleangrowth.scot

StorTera in World First for Energy Storage Perth & Kinross Council has become the first place in the world to use spiral-flow battery technology to reduce its carbon footprint.

Designed, developed and manufactured by StorTera, an Edinburgh-based developer of intelligent energy storage solutions, the project aims to develop a prototype smart energy network at the Friarton Waste Depot.

As well as reducing the Council’s carbon footprint, the new system will help bring down energy costs through smarter energy management while reducing carbon emissions and supporting the move towards low carbon transport and heating.

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The smart energy network will help PKC understand the requirements for developing Local Smart Energy Systems that can be built at scale across the Council’s estate and has the potential to help tackle fuel poverty.

PKC-SEN was funded by Scottish Enterprise via its Can-Do Innovation Challenge Fund.

Jane Martin, Managing Director of Innovation and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, commented, “This is an excellent example of how public sector organisations can play a key role in unlocking innovation and wider economic benefits.

“Perth and Kinross Council’s green energy solution in collaboration with StorTera’s world-first battery technology at its recycling centre will lower costs and reduce emissions.”

This smart energy network can: • •

• •

Store excess energy for use when required or when energy prices rise Generate revenue by providing renewable energy to the electricity network Power devices such as smart heaters with excess solar generation Transfer clean energy between Council sites (peer to peer)

NEWS

Black Watch Castle & Museum Reports 31% Increase Due to ‘The Hauntings’ Sculpture.

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he Hauntings, a scrap metal sculpture of a war-weary soldier, will be on display at five-star, awardwinning visitor attraction The Black Watch Castle and Museum in Perth between 1st July and 12th November 2023.

As the only Scottish venue to host the sculpture to date, the team at the Castle and Museum has arranged a series of events for locals and visitors alike including arts and crafts, tours, and lectures, all created to engage and entertain visitors of all ages, and to drive the tourism experience and greater economic impact.

Caroline Warburton, VisitScotland Destination Development Director, said, “The opening of The Hauntings exhibition at the Black Watch Castle and Museum is a fantastic addition to Perth’s strong arts and cultural offer.”

She continued, “Excitement for the only Scottish appearance of this remarkable art sculpture has been building in recent months and it is sure to attract visitors from across the country, providing a boost for the city’s economy and tourism businesses

and showcasing Perth and Perthshire as a world-class tourism destination.”

Since its arrival on 1st July, Black Watch Castle and Museum have seen an increase in footfall of +31% compared to the same period last year.

They have welcomed visitors from all over Scotland and the UK, and as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, The United States, Belgium, Holland, Latvia and more, who are enjoying all areas of the business.

There has also been an increased number of families and children in attendance; anecdotal evidence suggests they are visiting and learning about The Hauntings sculpture, and enjoying the wider offer, such as Family Crafts and Museum Explorers’ Club.

The Hauntings stands in the Castle Courtyard and is free to view. The volunteer Hauntings Helpers host free five-minute talks on the hour, every hour, which take place next to The Hauntings sculpture. The talks explore the inspiration, design, build and themes that it represents.

£50M Contract for Paprec Energies Binn Ltd

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erth & Kinross Council has awarded a significant 10-year contract worth £50 million to treat residual waste and turn it into energy.

Paprec Energies Binn Ltd will work in partnership with PKC to manage waste through a thermal treatment, energy recovery and recycling solution.

To facilitate this, a new ‘Energy from Waste’ facility is being developed at Binn Ecopark in Glenfarg, realising an investment of over £90 million. Once operational the facility will generate heat and electric power, adding capacity to their existing private renewable energy grid which has the potential to extend into Perth.

Currently, around 40,000 tonnes of nonrecyclable waste collected in Perth and Kinross each year is sent to landfill, but this will no longer be permitted under new Scottish landfill regulations coming into force at the end of 2025.

Paprec Energies Binn Ltd is a new company incorporated to develop the energy from waste facility at Binn Farm, Glenfarg and the parent companies are Paprec Energies UK Ltd and Binn Group Ltd.

Councillor Andrew Parrott, Convener for the Environment, Infrastructure & Economic Development Committee, added, “This energy from waste solution offers a safer and less environmentally damaging way of treating unavoidable non-recyclable waste that previously went to landfill. Still, we recognise that avoiding waste in the first place must be the main priority and encourage residents to continue to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible.”

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NEWS

Evie Grace Announced as Young Designer of the Year Comrie-based artist, Evie Grace Caldwell, was named Young Designer of the Year at the Scottish Design Awards 2023.

The illustrator and graphic designer is best known for her creative approach to drinks packaging – she works with a range of clients including Guinness, Dornoch Distillery and Purist Gin – and her climate related art.

Evie, who studied Communication Design at Robert Gordon University, beat dozens of other entries for the 2023 edition of the annual show, with judges commenting that she was chosen for her “knack for conveying personality and humour in her work.”

Evie said, “I take inspiration from the stories I collect through my own life experience, travel and conversations as well as current affairs. When I’m not working on illustrating difficult topics, I

am creating lighthearted, positive designs often themed around plants, food and drink, the realities of navigating this strange world and what’s on the news.”

Following university she lived and worked in Vancouver for two years, before returning to Scotland at the start of the pandemic. Confined to working from home, she made the decision to move into freelance working, and began building a portfolio of work which has continued to grow steadily.

“The first year was really hard but as my reputation grows, I’m finding people are now reaching out to me. The Award has been a real confidence boost pushing me to look at higher profile clients such as Guinness.” eviegraceillustration.com

James Hutton Institute Wins King’s Award The James Hutton Institute was one of 148 organisations across the UK to be recognised in the first King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as the Queen’s Awards.

The new name reflects The King’s desire to continue the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses.

The programme, now in its 57th year, has awarded more than 7,000 companies since its inception in 1965.

Minister for Enterprise, Kevin Hollinrake, said, “I congratulate the first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, who exemplify the talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of British business.

“I wish them every success and commend the invaluable contributions they make to communities both at home and overseas, helping to grow the UK economy.” The James Hutton Institute has five research sites in Scotland, and is headquartered 14

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in Invergowrie, Perth & Kinross. A worldclass research institution for fundamental and applied science, it focuses on driving the sustainable use of land and natural resources.

The research is directed towards reducing the impact of agriculture in terms of climate change, and the development of innovative farming protecting biodiversity. Agriculture is responsible for

approximately 7.5 mt CO2e, equalling 19% of Scotland’s emissions.

The James Hutton Institute has also looked at the sustainability of its own business practises and identified interventions to reduce its own impacts, including investment and development in renewable energy and carbon emission reduction. www.hutton.ac.uk

FEATURE

Perth: The Independent Business Destination Increases in new business registration and resident earnings bode well for the independent business sector in Perth city centre.

Despite the underlying uncertainty presented by the current economic crisis, a recent survey

by Forbes has shown that independent businesses have continued to demonstrate “resilience, innovation and an unwavering commitment to their craft” with 57% saying they are more confident in their business success.

Boosted in no small way by the resurgence of the ‘Love Local’ mantra post-covid, this national trend was echoed in the survey conducted by The Retail Group amongst Perth city centre businesses earlier this year.

From its origins as a market town to the attractive city that it is today, Perth has always been renowned for its wide range of quality, independent businesses. Compact in its layout, Perth’s streets, lanes and vennels are easy to navigate and offer well-maintained, smaller units at competitive rates that lend themselves to independent businesses.

745 new businesses were registered in the Perth and Kinross area in the 12-month period ending in July 2023, which was 5.4% higher than the previous 12-month period; of these registrations, 100 were in Perth city centre. In addition to this, resident earnings increased by 13.8% on the year before and are currently 3% higher than the Scottish national average.

Add to this the 160,000 new visitors expected as a result of the new Perth Museum opening, and it is easy to see why Perth is fast becoming one of Scotland’s first choice destinations for new, independent businesses.

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FEATURE

Parklands Hotel Scott and Penny Edwards took over the Parklands Hotel in 2003 and, in the 20 years since, have created an awardwinning boutique hotel that has earned its place on the national hospitality stage.

As the only independent 4-star hotel in Perth city centre they place an emphasis on continuous investment in their product which now comprises hotel, restaurant, beer garden and small events venue.

“When we decided to move back to the UK from Germany, the advice at the time was ‘go to Perthshire’ and having looked from the Borders up, I’m very glad we listened to it! We celebrated 20 years in business this August and during that time we experienced continual growth until covid. However, we’re now out of the other side, stronger and better, and the past two years have shown increases on our prepandemic figures.

“In particular, our rack rate has increased significantly; our product is strong and demand often exceeds supply for a boutique hotel offer. Our experience this year has shown the foreign inbound tourism market has come back stronger,

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Quince & Cook with the exchange rate working in their favour. Crucially, the staycation traffic has also increased and we’re seeing locals continuing to enjoy the beer garden and food offer that we built on during covid. The North Coast 500, in particular, is bringing additional room nights, with people choosing to stop in Perth as they travel to and from the North.

“Since purchasing we’ve invested at least £30K each year enhancing the offer and we like to make sure that we’re using local trades when we spend that money; a mix of technology, refurbishments and cap-ex have all contributed to the success of the business.

“We are proactive in our approach and link to local attractions such as Black Watch Castle and Scone Palace to showcase the area as a whole. We’ve also enjoyed working with travel bloggers such as Kay at the Chaotic Scot to raise the profile of the hotel and the city. Perth Museum’s opening next year is a hugely positive addition to the mix and I’m hopeful it will bring with it an increase in dwell time for short break visitors.”

Quince & Cook opened in Perth city in October 2020, moving from their outof-town base in Inveralmond Industrial Estate. Taking ownership of a large, double unit in Princes Street, their new idea merged their online offering of homewares and gifts, with their refill eco-shop and range cooker business.

“Opening any business in 2020 was always going to be a gamble but we had planned so carefully for our April opening that by October we simply had to go for it. We secured a bounce back loan and opened the doors in time for the Christmas rush – and thankfully, the local people came out in force to support us.

“Like all good retail, we’ve evolved our offering over the past three years to bring in new lines and to keep up with customer demand. We now offer workshops and cooking classes, working with other independent businesses and artisans to build a community of loyal followers and to bring something different to the city centre.

“We like to offer products and ideas that you can’t get anywhere else. We’ve found

Willows this keeps stock turnover high and gives people a reason to drop in regularly – there is something new every week.

“There’s no denying it has been tough but overall business is up 30% year on year.

The challenges come from the increase in costs – between energy spikes and rates increases, and the Brexit aftermath causing chaos in the supply chain, all the while repaying bounce back loans from covid.

“With that said, we feel fortunate to be based where we are. Perth is a beautiful city and has a vibrant community of independent, quality retailers. Locals are keen to support small businesses here, and because we’re so central with great transport links, we have customers coming in from Edinburgh and Glasgow for the larger ticket items.

“Everyone I know is working really hard right now, but I have huge faith in our business and the community around us.

Perth Museum’s opening next year should offer a real boost to footfall and we look forward to working in partnership with the team there in ensuring that benefit reaches us all.”

Willows Coffee Shop opened in May 1992 opposite the then City Hall. Since then, Michael White has taken over the business from his father, Willie, making him the second generation to run this Perth institution.

“We’ve seen a lot of change over 30 years of business, and I think it’s fair to say that the current climate is challenging. Cost of sales and energy increases in a restaurant environment hit profits hard. However, we’ve worked hard, and over summer 2023, two years on from covid, we’ve witnessed an increase in foreign tourists and more of a return to normal.

“Situated where we are, we’ve had a front row seat to the transformation of the City Hall into the Perth Museum and, from the street scaping to the external building, it looks impressive. The new doors are beautiful and, at night, lit up, it really is a stunning centrepiece for the city.

“We’ve taken advantage of the Council’s Open For Business Fund to help us keep up with improvements to the façade and better disabled access.

“The mix of independents in Perth is strong and varied, and our second offer, Brew & Chew on Perth’s High Street, is also faring well. We’re currently in discussions to extend our outside seating here, increasing the number of covers to take full advantage of the increased visitors to come.

“We know that people use cities in different ways now, and I’m looking forward to plans for expanding on mixed-use recreation and city-living. It is exciting to see Perth moving forward as a destination visit and, combined with bigger projects such as Perth West, the incremental spend locally should find its way to all of us.

“People are undoubtedly working harder as costs rise, but I’m hopeful that long term we will reap the rewards of efficiencies and build a stronger future for our businesses.”

The Invest in Perth Team is committed to assisting inward investment and driving economic growth.

To discuss your business requirements with the team, please contact Kirsty Easton at: KEaston@pkc.gov.uk

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FEATURE

Creative Farming: Honeyberries for the Win

F

in Hay, of Hay Farms in rural Perth, is one of the founding members of the Scottish Honeyberries co-operative and a champion for this exciting new superfood.

As a fifth-generation farmer – Hay Farms was established in 1892 at Easter Rhynd in Perth – Fin Hay knows a thing or two about tradition. Supplying oats to Quaker for porridge, wheat to Diago for spirit, and barley and rapeseed to multiple buyers, Hay Farms is an essential, if unseen, cog in the Scottish food and drink industry.

Whilst the vast majority of Hay’s arable crop is reserved for these time-honoured routes to market, an innovative opportunity presented itself in 2016 when he was approached to join a new soft fruit growing endeavour by Stewart Arbuckle, a successful berry farmer based in Angus.

Honeyberries – also known as a haskap berry – are native to Japan, Russia and Canada, thriving as they do in cooler, seasonal climates. Known as the berry of longevity, they are packed full of health benefits boasting four times the antioxidants and 42% more vitamin C than blueberries, and offering antiinflammatory, neuro-protective, and cardio-protective properties.

Fin commented, “Stewart Arbuckle came across honeyberries on a trip abroad and

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had experimented with planting before approaching a handful of local farmers to gauge interest in launching a Scottish production group. His vision was to create a co-operative that would grow, sell, valueadd and market this new Scottish product.”

Hay Farms became one of the first to join the nine-strong group, planting their first crop in 2017.

“The sales pitch is easy; the health benefits are right up there with other super berries placing it into the young, health-conscious market.

The flavour really packs a punch, and the dark purple flesh and skin brings beautiful colour to a plate.

“But even with that, the biggest challenge has been educating the customers; although it tastes delicious it’s not as sweet as a raspberry or strawberry which means it better lends itself as an ingredient. The flavour really packs a punch, and the dark purple flesh and skin brings beautiful colour to a plate.

“Once you get past the idea that it isn’t a traditional straight-from-punnet summer snack, it becomes hugely diverse. We were featured on Hairy Bikers earlier this year and they used it in a sauce with Scotch beef, and in a cranachan, perfectly showcasing it as both savoury and sweet.

And because it has more tannins than grapes, Perthshire winery, Cairn o’Mohr, produced a honeyberry wine last year.”

The group has taken a two-pronged approach to sales. Frozen berries are sold into the trade as a raw ingredient, and it is becoming commonplace to find honeyberries featured on the menus of Scotland’s award-winning restaurants and on-trend bistros and bars. Alongside this, the co-operative has developed a growing product range that includes jam and freeze-dried berries in a snack pack to sell direct to consumer, and via wholesalers into UK farm shops and delis.

Fin continues, “Gleneagles Hotel now do honeyberry muffins at breakfast, and chefs such as Jamie Scott at The Newport and Stuart Black at 63 Tay Street use them regularly on the menu. This has helped us enormously both in building recognition for the fruit itself, and in growing demand.

“Once people taste it, they love it. We go to trade shows and do tasting events with stockists, and people are enthused by what we’re offering – it’s a great product!”

Growing the Investment As a group, each farm committed to a six-figure capital investment which allowed Fin to plant across five acres of berries. As is the way with agriculture, this didn’t come to fruition until year three when he harvested 30 grams per bush of honeyberries. By year five this had grown to 900 grams per bush – and as a group of eight, they now harvest 40 tonnes of honeyberries annually.

This is predicted to increase to around 70 tonnes annually over the next three years.

To realise the full potential of their investment, the group has employed a sales manager to take them to the next stage.

Supporting the Claims To fully exploit the health claims and growing opportunity, the co-operative formed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the James Hutton Institute, the globally recognised research organisation delivering fundamental and applied science to drive the sustainable use of land and natural resources based in Invergowrie.

The three-year project, which ran from 2018 to 2021, was led by scientist Louise Gamble, who sought to determine the antioxidant levels of honeyberries in comparison to other berries. As well as looking at the end product, she also produced a growth guide to help other Scottish farmers who hope to join.

“The scale up has been fast, but due to the nature of the berry, around 70% of the crop is frozen which gives us a year-round opportunity to sell. The next step for the co-operative is attracting large scale customers who want serious tonnage; we have a guaranteed supply and need a guaranteed volume order.

Manufacturers of jam or purees would be ideal but we’re also talking to a gin distiller to offer a new flavour of Scottish botanical.

“Alongside this, we want to develop additional products for our own direct to consumer brand. We’ve been experimenting with chocolate and yoghurt coating for the freeze-dried pouches, and we’re currently working on a soft drink / mixer that should be ready to launch at the end of the year in time for the Christmas market.

“We’re now making inroads across the wholesale and industry markets and the potential to snowball is there. There’s no reason why we can’t make a success of this.”

scottishhoneyberrygrowers.co.uk

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FEATURE

Creating a Sustainable Brand, from Flock to Frock

T

he UK’s first vertically integrated, independent clothing brand starts and ends with Nadia Alexander in beautiful Perthshire.

Nadia Alexander launched her first retail outlet in Multrees Walk in Edinburgh in 2017. Since then, her dream of creating a truly sustainable, luxury fashion brand has been realised with BearCo, which sells online, and from her Auchterarder-based boutique, Oliami.

BearCo’s core product line is a range of modern tailoring made with Scottish woven wools and her own exclusive Mause fabric.

The ‘flock to frock’ project is the brainchild of Nadia, and husband Murray Alexander, and is the first fully integrated product of its kind in the UK. Using wool from the family farm, Mains of Mause, in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, the processing begins in Yorkshire with Woolkeepers Ltd and Laxtons scouring and scrubbing to ensure a top-quality base product. It is then returned to Macnaughton’s mill in Pitlochry, Perthshire before being sent to Keith to be spun, and onto Alexander Manufacturing in Cumbernauld – a facility that Nadia has owned and managed since 2022.

It is here that Nadia and the team design and produce the BearCo collection, and this winter will see the first collection drop in their Auchterarder store, Oliami, which has recently undergone a six-figure refurbishment in anticipation of the launch.

Nadia commented, “We opened in Multrees Walk in Edinburgh in 2017, with a franchise brand, and by 2020 we were in lockdown.

Like all independent retailers, it was a frightening time for us; we were relatively new, we had huge overheads, and we had to find a way to quickly grow our presence online to keep the sales moving.”

Using a personal brand strategy including live recordings from her garage stockroom,

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she targeted a captive, housebound audience.

“It grew so quickly! By the time lockdown was over our customer base had more than doubled, and when we reopened the shop it was a destination outlet that people travelled miles to visit – only 1% of our customers came from Edinburgh. I realised we had something special, and I could see the potential for growth but we were tied to the franchise.

“We opened Oliami in Auchterarder in 2020 allowing us to stock the range of brands our customers were looking for. It worked, and by the time we were facing the energy crisis, and the eye-watering rent

increases, we knew we had something that could survive outwith the prime real estate location of Edinburgh.”

The success ignited a desire to go one step further and she began to investigate the possibility of her own collection. Nadia wanted to bring a country-meets-city vibe to the classic blazer and jeans look and commissioned Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle to create the Modern Blair tartan.

This vibrant blue and pink tartan with splashes of green, orange and yellow, was brought to life by Lovat Mill in Hawick, and passed to Hancock’s factory in Cumbernauld ready to be transformed into BearCo’s first collection.

The team she met had crafted haute couture pieces for various luxury fashion houses such as Hermes, LVMH, Johnstons of Elgin and more as well as contemporary brands such as Wood Wood, and Albam.

“The decision to work with Hancock’s factory to bring the collection together was the gamechanger. We witnessed firsthand the incredible talent and skills of the people involved; the whole thing clicked into place. I was desperate to create a luxury clothing brand and here were world-class craftspeople that could make it happen.”

However, the rise of cheap global labour had impacted greatly on the industry and the factory was under threat of closure.

With a vision to rewrite the story of British luxury fashion, Nadia made the bold move to buy the factory, and following a new factory build by Perth-based Algo Ltd (owned by her husband, Murray Alexander), it was relaunched as Alexander Manufacturing in 2022.

“Our BearCo brand has flourished. What started as an idea to recreate a classic blazer has grown into a full collection of raincoats, skirts, trousers and shirts.

Our waterproof macs are incredible – beautifully trimmed in the Modern Blair tartan and sold in classic navy or vibrant orange, they’ve been a huge hit.”

In early 2023, the decision was made to close the Edinburgh shop and to focus on the Auchterarder boutique as the destination visit. Following a move into a larger 2,500 sqft space, and a six-figure investment, the new Oliami retail boutique and online distribution arm opened.

This summer, the first batch of Mains of Mause wool was delivered to HD Woolkeepers to be scoured and spun, and the AW 2023/24 collection will be the first to include designs from flock to frock.

“It’s taken a year to get off the ground but in September 2023, Murray sheared the sheep, the kids packed and rolled the wool and we all watched as it headed south to be transformed into our own yarn.

“Quite apart from giving us one of the most exciting stories in British fashion, it makes perfect business sense. British Wool will give you 50p a sheep for the fleece – but it costs £1.50 to shear it. By making use of our farm by-products, we can create sustainability across the board. Which

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The Production Cycle

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Wool is sheared from sheep on the family farm in Perthshire

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Sent to Yorkshire to be scoured and spun

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Yarn is returned to Macnaughtons in Perthshire to be made into the Modern Blair tartan

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Tartan is delivered to Alexander Manufacturing to be made into BearCo designs

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BearCo clothing is sold online, and in the Oliami boutique in Perthshire

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is why our cow hides are now going to Bridge of Weir to create leather for picnic blankets, straps and handbags!”

Nadia has also been courting new business for Alexander Manufacturing, largely from the whisky industry, producing a range of high-end own-brand clothing for distilleries including Glenturret in Perthshire, Macleod, Macallan and Macduff.

It has been a steep learning curve for the ambitious businesswoman, who is currently planning to take her BearCo collection to Milan Fashion Week in

February 2024, where she will launch her strategy to grow a worldclass brand.

“It has been quite the journey, but we see Auchterarder as our long-term base.

We want to become a full-experience, luxury destination for women. They’ll stay at Alexander Residence in Perth, enjoy a luxury shopping day and a factory visit, and maybe tour one of our distillery partners.

“Perthshire is the home of Oliami and BearCo, and we’ve only just begun.”

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FEATURE

Disrupting Tourism Technology The Highland Perthshire business owners planning to shake up booking and ticketing in Scotland.

Richard Drummond: Hotelier and Founding Partner of Hop Property Management Software

R

ichard Drummond has worked in the hospitality business for over 40 years.

Trained as a chef, he spent time at the world-famous Gleneagles in the ‘80s before going on to launch one of the UK’s fastest-growing catering companies, Out of Town Restaurants, in the ‘90s.

In 2007 he joined forces with Jon Erasmus, creating a small chain of Highland hotels and restaurants. Their combined assets of The Strathgarry Hotel (Drummond) and McKays Hotel (Erasmus) launched the enterprise that grew to include The Boat Hotel in Boat of Garten, The Seaforth in Ullapool, and MacDonalds in Pitlochry, which was integrated into McKays.

Since then, they have ridden out two recessions, covid, and Brexit, and most recently pooled their extensive industry experience to create Hop, a Property Management software system.

Drummond commented, “Eight years ago, we bought the guesthouse and takeaway next door to McKays and redeveloped the site into what it is today. We have 40 bedrooms, the live music venue, restaurant, bar, and award-winning fish & chip shop.

“It’s a great business, but alongside our other two hotels, we were spending a lot of money on our property management system. This always irritated my business partner; these products are expensive, but they rarely do what is required. Jon 22

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had been threatening to create our own system for years and driven by mounting frustration and cost, we contacted Ronald Tweedie, a friend of Jon’s from his IT days, and we put our heads together.

We’re currently in over 200 hotels across five continents, from the Caribbean to Florida and Africa.

“It took two years to develop, and initially I knew nothing about tech! But I did know first-hand the pain caused by ineffective systems; I’ve been in the heat of a kitchen; I’ve serviced long queues at check in. I understood what needed to be fixed and why – and Ronald, with our assistance, knew how to make that happen.

“We ran beta testing in McKays before rolling it into our other hotels. A year later, in November 2018, we launched Hop into the market.”

Today, Hop Property Management System promises to streamline multiple day-today processes by integrating a booking engine with a channel manager, event management, customer relationship management, and revenue and reporting.

The software can be used for multiproperty companies and, importantly, comes in at a competitive price point.

Drummond continued, “The beauty of a cloud-based product is that it can be accessed from anywhere. While 34% of our business comes from Scotland, our customer base is worldwide. We’re currently in over 200 hotels across five continents, from the Caribbean to Florida and Africa.

“It is a crowded marketplace but if you have a good idea, that benefits everyone, then it will travel internationally with ease. Add to this a willingness to listen to feedback, to evolve and grow, and it’s easy to see why we’ve made such a strong start. We came to disrupt the market, while offering real value for money to the industry, and I’m proud to say that we’ve done exactly that.” hopsoftware.com

expensive, and an environmental issue.

There were also a series of bizarre pricing strategies forcing venues to create tickets that would fit the system instead of the end customer. Add to this the cost of booking fees – whether being paid by the customer or the venue – and it was easy to see that something better was begging to be built.”

Learning from the mistakes of others, flexibility became the backbone of Liberty Engine Ticketing.

“Our customers don’t have to change their business processes to fit a ticketing system. Liberty Engine is currently working for one-off events, recurring events, and daily entry.

Anna Ford: Owner and Lead Developer at Liberty Engine Ticketing System

A

lways the early adopter, Anna Ford created her first website in 1997 for a children’s centre at The Tryst in Pitlochry. She had honed her design skills at Manchester School of Art and a conversation with her brother led her to explore coding as an option for her skills.

the years she has distilled the best of these to create Liberty Engine, the bespoke CMS which now drives her websites.

Most recently, this has evolved to offer a bespoke ticketing system that integrates online event sales with ticket redemption and POS venue sales.

She explained, “There was nowhere offering courses in web development at that time, so I ordered a load of books in PHP coding and taught myself. The only formal training I secured was an Open University course in Computing 201. Back then, I had to persuade businesses that a website might be worthwhile; BBC and Coca Cola were online but local businesses had brochures.”

Flexibility became the backbone of Liberty Engine Ticketing

Ford was an early pioneer of content management systems (CMS), allowing owners to update their own websites many years before the concept became normalised. In the early 2000s she was adding tags that connected to early social media, helping page rankings in the emerging search engine, Google. By 2010 her customers were enjoying dynamic content that would select and show only relevant items.

Entering the marketplace just as the internet took off has given Ford an unrivalled depth of knowledge across a range of frameworks and platforms. Over

Ford explained, “It was a request from Perth Racecourse, one of our long-standing clients, that really pushed the ticketing system to the forefront of our development projects. We had created a streamlined CMS that could integrate with booking and stock systems, but when it came to event ticketing, the options were clunky and inflexible. Worse still, they took control of the sale – and the cashflow.

“Systems that could be redeemed digitally required expensive, integrated kit but those that required print were inconvenient,

“We ran the first iteration of the scanning software at Perth Racecourse in 2017. On the first day of the opening Festival, we scanned over 3000 tickets in three hours – 800 in ten minutes at peak!

“Since then, we’ve provided the service to various venues, including Knockhill Race Circuit, St Andrews Sealife Centre, Perth Festival of the Arts Online Concerts in 2020, Birnam Arts, Active Kids, and Glenshee Ski Centre.”

Research has shown that with the rise of digital solutions, expectations are higher than ever before. Customers want slick, easy-to-use systems, and venues need to ensure control of the process, including live crowd data, at every stage.

Ford continued, “Attending events as a support team has allowed us to really understand the issues and we have continuously updated our system to address these. When we do our job well you don’t remember us – you just have a great day out.

“In the last 12 months 250,000 tickets have been sold through Liberty Engine, worth circa £5 million. We now offer tickets for door sales, printing POS, and handheld card machines; it’s important to keep events accessible for the non-techies too!

Our next development is to provide software as a service plugin for use across non-proprietary web platforms, and to create a frictionless link between accommodation providers and activity providers.” libertyengine.co Invest in Perth Magazine

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WHY CHOOSE PERTH?

Mark Robertson: What Perth Means to Me Mark Robertson of Robertsons of Scotland talks about launching and growing an international luxury brand from rural Perthshire.

M

ark Robertson is the founding director of Robertsons of Scotland, a luxury clothing brand specialising in cashmere, tweed, and waxed waterproofs. The brand ethos is pared back indulgence, with high-end fabrics and a limited colour palette bringing the exclusivity Mark set out to achieve.

Based in Auchterarder in rural Perthshire, the direct-to-consumer and wholesale business has grown to serve an international audience since it launched in January 2019 and is currently set to move into a new, purpose-built studio.

Mark hails from Perth, and having spent many years travelling as he built his career, he has returned to the fair city to raise his daughter, and grow his business.

How did the idea for Robertsons of Scotland come about?

I’ve worked with multiple corporates over the years, largely in oil and gas, manufacturing, and exporting. I’ve always wanted to fly my own flag and see my brand placed all over the world.

I worked in manufacturing for over 20 years and had an understanding of factories and how they work. I knew I wanted to create a distinctly Scottish brand – people all over the world love Scottish products! I’d been lucky enough to meet Peter Toner, the man responsible for growing Harrods online, when I worked at EMI and he gave me the idea for doing two colours and a clean,

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simple, brand identity. It inspired the whole brand.

You’ve travelled extensively over the years; what made you decide on Perthshire as a base for your business?

Choosing Perthshire as my base was easy; I’m a Perth boy and it’s important to me that my daughter grows up with me at home. I didn’t want to travel the world with kids. When you travel a lot, you realise where your heart is – this is home for me.

But of course, it had to be right for the business, and it is. There is a huge kudos attached to being based in Perthshire.

Canada, Scandinavia, the States, Japan – they all love it. It gives weight to the brand.

Our Perthshire base gives us a way to connect to people.

You look around and it’s uninterrupted scenery and a beautiful backdrop for photoshoots. When we’re at international shows it gives us a way to connect to people and offers an authentic talking point. And of course, we’re neighbours with Gleneagles Hotel so I’ll meet our manufacturing and wholesale customers here, which is always well received!

Logistically, we’re located in the heart of Scotland which means I’m no more than an hour or so away from our manufacturers.

This was crucial to the business because it meant I could have a personal relationship with the people who were at the heart of our process.

And how important is that close relationship with your manufacturing partners?

I’d say that it has been the single most important decision we’ve made.

Building strong relationships with Scottish factories has allowed us to create the quality and luxury that we need to differentiate ourselves on the international stage. We work with Halley Stevensons for our waxed cotton who service brands such as Dubarry and Barbour, and our cashmere products are manufactured in the same Scottish mills as international fashion houses such as Burberry, Hermes and Chanel.

We now have new stock dropping every quarter and our factory partnerships help us deliver on our promises. During covid, these relationships kept our business alive.

What have been the most important lessons you’ve learned in the past two years?

Well, the thing about success is that once you’ve achieved it, you have to maintain that drive and learn how to adapt.

When we started, we had over 25 product lines but we soon realised that servicing this was eating into our margins. We forecast and plan orders at least six to nine months ahead and so, when we sold out of specific lines, we’d have to wait 18 months to restock; it was a missed opportunity.

We took a good look at what was working – you must be brutally honest with yourself – and decided to cut back to around 50 lines and do higher runs.

At the same time, we looked critically at all of our costs and stripped back anything we didn’t need; it meant taking on a little extra ourselves but it has paid dividends and we’re now leaner, and far more focused on the market we’re in.

We sell direct to consumer via our online shop and have a wholesale arm which supplies to select brands whose values align with our own.

What is next for Robertsons of Scotland?

Growing internationally. When we started, about 20% of our customer base was outwith the UK. Now, it’s around 50%. Export is our big focus for the next two years and we’re busy converting an outbuilding at our new home to give us more space and to cut down on overheads as we prepare to ramp up our international presence.

We plan to tap into the Beyond Scotland Market Development Grant and the Green Recovery Capital Development Grant available here in Perth & Kinross to help us make these things happen – another great reason to be based here! robertsonsofscotland.com

Cross Tay Link Road Launches Community Artwork Project

T

he Cross Tay Link Road project is the most significant infrastructure investment Perth & Kinross Council has undertaken. Budgeted at £150m, the road will provide substantial economic and environmental benefits for generations to come.

Alongside the build, the Council has produced a robust Community Benefits and Social Value Strategy which targets main contractor, BAM UK and Ireland, to deliver social value through a range of community benefits including volunteering, work experience opportunities, adult employment, charitable donations of labour and equipment, fundraising, and local charity support.

These targets dovetail with the areawide ambition as laid out in the Perth and Kinross Offer which demonstrates the Council’s commitment to balance the relationship between people who design and deliver services and those who ultimately use them.

Inspired by the area’s strong links to the creative industries, the project team has appointed an artist-in-residence to work with the nearby local communities in creating a series of legacy artworks.

Nichol Wheatley is a Scottish artist, based in Kinross-shire, who, since graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1993 has gained a wealth of experience in public realm art, creating large-scale mosaics and murals, and advising as the arts consultant for many infrastructure projects.

Nichol commented, “There is much in the way of evidence to support communityled artworks bringing local residents together, creating both legacy and unity.

By focusing on subjects or values that are shared among everyone – such as history, nature, and culture – we hope to generate ideas that will lead to mass participation and a series of artworks that will instil pride and ownership.”

Aiming for eleven locations throughout the new road corridor, it is the intention that these focal points provide a sense of identity and support wayfinding.

Using the rich history and culture of the area as inspiration, some of the themes and features that might influence the development of the artworks are: Scone Palace and Designed Landscape Considered one of Scotland’s finest and oldest designed landscapes and containing Category A listed Scone Palace Perth Racecourse The northernmost course in Britain with racing activities starting in this location in 1613, opened in its current form in 1909 Archaeology There are a total of 14 scheduled monuments within 1km of the proposed route; this includes the discovery of a souterrain which has been removed from the site, safely stored and ready to be installed at a suitable location within the project site Local Ecology The site is rich in ecology with extensive woodland and tree belts.

A full list of the artworks with a brief for bids can be found online at: perthtransportfutures.co.uk Artists interested in bidding for one or more of the artwork projects should contact Nichol directly to find out more: nichol@nicholwheatley.com Invest in Perth Magazine

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NEWS

Winter Warmer November 2023 Perth & Kinross Council has commissioned Elevator to extend their Design-Led Innovation Programme for a third cohort, to run November 2023.

Whether you’re a business professional, owner or entrepreneur, the Winter Warmer programme will provide you with the skills you need to drive change.

Places are limited to ensure high levels of one-to-one support. All workshops will take place at the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre in Perth: Tuesday 21st November (10am – 5pm) Wednesday 22nd November (10am – 5pm) Tuesday 5th December (10am –5pm)

Design-Led Innovation from Elevator

D

esign-led innovation is a creative approach to problem solving that is being adopted by world-leading companies of all sizes. Aimed at driving innovation and improving customer experience through five pillars of designled innovation (see below) the process promises to provide individuals with the skills needed to drive change for positive impact.

Drawing on best practices from organisations including the UK Design Council, D.School, and the Global Design Thinking Alliance, Elevator, a social enterprise working to support entrepreneurship and employability across Scotland, has developed a new approach to innovaton and growth for Perth and Kinross microbusinesses.

Launched in January 2023, in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council, their Design Led Innovation Programme has now supported 27 individuals and will restart this November with its third cohort of microbusinesses and SMEs. Based in the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre, the course is open to all SMEs in Perth & Kinross. Andrew Cameron, Programme Manager and Design Innovation Lead, commented, “Elevator’s mission is to recycle wealth back into the communities we support by enabling businesses to

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Invest in Perth Magazine

innovate and grow. We have found that start-up entrepreneurs can feel isolated and struggle to keep up the initial momentum that led them to launch their idea.

“The course helps individuals look at their business with fresh eyes, and from different perspectives. In particular, we nurture an environment of collaboration, encouraging the group to engage and support one another in a meaningful way.”

This collaborative approach was embraced fully by their inaugural intake, with 11 businesses continuing to meet monthly at the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre at Perth’s Creative Exchange.

Pauline Lockhart of Later Life Concierge commented, “In a small or micro business it is so easy to concentrate on paths that may not be serving you well. The tasks that Andrew presented us with were designed to help us speak up in a supportive and safe space. We found that as well as generating ideas for our own businesses, we become a sounding board for each other, drawing on strengths and sharing knowledge to expand our sales pipelines.”

This ongoing collaboration has provided new opportunities for partnership working with participants joining forces to create mutually beneficial products and services.

elevatoruk.com/accelerators/winter-warmer

Five Pillars of Design-Led Innovation •

Empathy: Understanding customers’ needs to create valuable solutions.

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Ideation and problem solving: Generating and refining ideas to solve complex problems.

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Prototyping and testing: to validate new business concepts.

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Collaboration and teamwork: Working with others to solve problems.

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Mindset: Focusing on creative problem solving, experimentation and iterative development.

Find out more around the Design-Led Innovation journey of Pauline and her fellow participants:

The Famous Grouse Ideas Centre offers an inspirational space for anyone working in the creative, digital and technical sectors.

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Cutting-edge technology

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Creative Software

Get In Touch To Find Out More:

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Flexible Meeting and Event Space

thefamousgrouseideascentre.co.uk

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Education and Skills Development

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Business Support

To book equipment or meeting space for your next big idea, email: fgic@pkc.gov.uk Invest in Perth Magazine

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Beyond Scotland Market Development Grant Grants of up to £3,000 are available Open to fund projects that will enable businesses to expand their market overseas and into other parts of the UK, this competitive grant is assessed on potential impact. It can cover: • • • • •

Exhibition and trade show attendance and related costs Transport and accommodation directly related to a business event Marketing activities and brand development New product development Consultancy services

Contact businessdevelopment@pkc.gov.uk for more details.

“The Beyond Scotland grant helped us to improve our digital reach and subsequently, to increase our sales outwith Scotland.”

- Diane Brown, Provender Brown

*Ts and Cs apply. Funding is up to 50% of eligible costs.