WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER EDITION OF ONTRADE SCOTLAND MAGAZINE
I am truly humbled and for once speechless with the response to the #ontradeawards2024 at The 4th Birthday Bash
To see over 700 people from across the hospitality industry in Scotland coming together with no arrogance and just a sheer desire to have fun and celebrate a night together is genuinely heartwarming and fills me with a huge amount of pride.
Thank you to my team Hayley Ewing, Fiona Gauld, Natalie James, Lisa Stockton, Sarah Fraser & all the girls at Fierce Promotions for all they do we couldn’t do any of it without you.
Massive thank you to EAST 17 who smashed it out the park and to the amazing ZANDER NATION who blew the roof of the place and had everyone and I mean EVERYONE up on their feet, just amazing to see the room full of people enjoying themselves.
Thank you to James McFarlane for getting the party started and having everyone singing along with him just outstanding.
To all of our brand partners and exhibitors who joined us for the evening a massive thank you for your support and trust.
To Simon, Campbell & all the team at SLS for their amazing lighting and sound and staging and to the all the team at The Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central for allowing us and trusting us to have the awards at the venue a massive thanks.
Thank you also to all of our event partners and amazing exhibitors, the feedback and engagement was fantastic.
Thank you to Donald, Senga, Ian & all the team at The Garage for a brilliant afterparty!
Most of all thank you to all who attended across the industry, venues, suppliers, brand and staff for making me so proud to be part of our industry, congratulations to all the winner and to the finalists
All the images and videos from the night are available on our website and socials as well as later in this edition.
Till No5…..
THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART
As always STAY COLLABORATIVE STAY POSITIVE STAY TOGETHER
Justin Wingate Director at TopGunMedia
Hayley Ewing Head of Events - events@topgunmedia.co.uk
Fiona Gauld Production - info@topgunmedia.co.uk
For press enquires or advertising opportunities please call or email: Email: info@topgunmedia.co.uk Telephone: 0141 556 4111 8 6 15
Industry News
SWA LAUNCHES WHOLESALE FUND TO BOOST LOCAL SCOTTISH PRODUCE
A NEW Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund has been launched by the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) as it seeks to further support wholesalers and food producers to increase the volume of local Scottish produce being sold through wholesale channels.
SWA has secured £195,000 from the Scottish Government to deliver the initiative and will provide match funding of up to
£10,000 per business for wholesalers whose applications to the new fund are successful.
The Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund sets out to increase the turnover of Scottish produce sold through Scottish wholesalers to 35% of baseline sales and it represents the third phase of the groundbreaking Delivering Growth Through Wholesale (DGTW) local sourcing programme launched by SWA in 2021.
DGTW, which aims to educate and engage with producers on the opportunities provided by the wholesale sector, was designed in collaboration with SAOS and Scotland Food & Drink, and is supported by the Scottish Government.
To date, the programme has delivered over 230 new Scottish product listings via new wholesale partnerships, leading to a substantial increase in new sales through wholesale.
The Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund is open to food and drink wholesalers who sell into the Scottish retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, licensed on-trade and the public sector, and who have premises and employees based in Scotland.
If a producer has completed the Delivering Growth Through Wholesale training programme, this will be taken into consideration when awarding funds. Similarly, if the wholesaler has trained Wholesale Local Food Champions in their business, this will be taken into account.
THE WHEEL TURNS AND AN OPPORTUNITY ARISES
DM Hall offers Millhouse Hostel and Millhouse Farmhouse on the beautiful Island of Tiree, with a guide price of £550,000
Tiree is one of the most beautiful islands in Scotland, famed for its white sands, crystal-clear seas and balmy weather, but visitors travelling its unhurried roads might be surprised by one of its more unusual attractions – an 18th century waterwheel.
This charming fragment of history is the dramatic introduction to a substantial cluster of buildings which sit in splendid isolation at the northern shore of the Inner Hebridean gem, within touching distance of spectacular sandy beaches.
The property, which has the feel of a small hamlet within Cornaigmore, is made up of the sturdy, stone-built Millhouse Farmhouse, the successful Millhouse Hostel – converted from
an old barn and the original mill building itself It has now become available as a rare lifestyle business opportunity.
Lying just west of the meandering B8068, which links this rural area to the ferry port at Scarinish, the 0.7 acre-site is being brought to the market by DM Hall, one of Scotland’s largest independent firms of chartered surveyors, at a guide price of £550,000.
With its virtually guaranteed – and Gulf Stream-warmed waves, Tiree is a Mecca for surfers and the current owner of the Millhouse complex, David Naylor, has been riding these Atlantic breakers for some 30 years. He is now planning to retire.
He said: “Millhouse is a special place to me. Its secluded location, a quarter of a mile from the nearest habitation, together with the tranquillity of the millpond and waterwheel, give it a real sense of peace and history.”
The business centres around a purpose-built 16-bed hostel converted from a barn in 2001. The adjacent three-bedroom farmhouse would make an ideal owner/manager residence or could serve as additional guest accommodation for up to 10 people.
Brand News
DIAGEO MARKS WORLD WATER WEEK 2024
This week Diageo are marking World Water Week which provides the opportunity for subject matter experts, companies, and civil society to come together and recognise the important part we can all play to preserve water.
They’ll be attending World Water Week in Stockholm, as they have done for nearly a decade, and be participating in many discussions and panels including on collective action in practice, the barriers, and challenges around corporate engagement in collective action, and empowering women to tackle climate change impact in West Africa. The important topic of partnerships and collaboration is at the very heart of their strategy on water. They appreciate the power and necessity of collective action, so are going above their current 2030 goal of 12 water basins and expanding to 20. Diageo are basin champions in three of these basins, which means they serve as convening agents and ambassadors to drive collective action to happen. To give an example, Diageo are active members of the Charco Bendito collective action in Jalisco, Mexico. Recently Diageo volunteers from across the business have planted nearly 14,000 trees to reforest 30.4 hectares of land, increase the ground infiltration of the basin, and improve the access to water for the local communities. The initiative means 25,780 trees have been planted in two years, an area the equivalent of 76 football fields, aiding the restoration of the micro-basin Arroyo Grande de San Lucas-Tamina that is part of the Santiago River basin, where Diageo’s tequila operations are based.
EPCR AND PREMIER SPORTS ANNOUNCE HEADLINE BROADCAST PARTNERSHIP
Premier Sports comprehensive rugby coverage runs alongside other sports and leagues including rights to LALIGA, Scottish Football, Copa Italia, DFB Pokal, NHL and NASCAR.
EPCR is pleased to announce that Premier Sports will join its suite of TV partners for the coming seasons as the lead broadcaster of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland, following a thorough and competitive process.
The three-year agreement, which will run until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season, will see Premier Sports cover all 63 Investec Champions Cup matches, as well as two EPCR Challenge Cup pool matches per round, two EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16, and all matches in the quarter-finals, semifinals and Final.
Premier Sports is fast becoming a major operator in the rugby landscape, broadcasting 20 EPCR Challenge Cup matches across the 2023/24 season and also being the UK broadcaster for TOP14 and BKT United Rugby Championship (URC). In its sixyear partnership with URC to date, Premier Sports has hosted more than 900 live rugby fixtures showing every game live including the Grand Final.
In addition, Premier Sports is planning to create and launch a 24/7 rugby channel at the very heart of which will sit the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.
Jacques Raynaud, CEO of EPCR, said: “Premier Sports has huge ambition to become the home of club rugby in the UK & Ireland, along with their rights to TOP14 & URC competitions. We are delighted to join them on this journey and tremendously excited to help them reach new heights by bringing the very best of elite club rugby to UK and Ireland audiences.
“In addition to the match day coverage, the creation of a 24/7 rugby channel represents a step-change in Premier Sports rugby coverage. The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will be at the heart of this new offering, led by key rugby personalities including Stephen Ferris, John Barclay, Tom Shanklin and Ryan Wilson.
“Furthermore, we have been able to work with Premier Sports to ensure new fixture times for English clubs, avoiding clashes with Premier League football to maximise viewing.
TWO NEW EXCITING HOSPITALITY VENUES TO OPEN IN MERCHANT SQUARE
Merchant Square has announced two new popular names as they welcome Sano and Vodka Wodka to join the line up at Merchant City’s iconic entertainment venue.
West End pizzeria, Sano is now open in the former Bar Square, at the junction of Candleriggs and Bell Street which will become their largest venue in the city. Sano offers ‘authentic Neapolitan pizza’, using the finest traditional ingredients, sourced from Italy. The unit also operates a bespoke pizza slice van in the central square, with takeaway available from a counter facing onto Bell Street.
Sano Co-owner, Raymond MacHugh, said, “Merchant Square is the perfect venue for our latest restaurant. Merchant City is buzzing right now, and we are excited to have our largest SANO to date with 150 seats right in the middle of the action.
“We are known for our high-quality Neapolitan-style sourdough pizza at value for money prices and that is what we’re delivering at SANO Merchant City alongside a great cocktail menu for those on a proper night out and for the first time a new single slice offering for those looking for a quick bite.”
Due to open in September 2024, Vodka Wodka Merchant Square plans to open in time for the surge of new freshers for that first taste of Glaswegian nightlife. The new Merchant City
venue expects to continue the 25 year long legacy, offering a fresh and exciting experience for all whilst retaining the core elements that have made Vodka Wodka a must-visit on a night out in and amongst Glasgow’s thriving nightlife. The venue will be open 7 days a week from 12pm till late, offering their classic range of cocktails and spirits, featuring the legendary drinks; cocktail Jolly Rancher and the 1L sharing shot bottle, Kamikaze - two drinks offerings that have been on the menu since the beginning of Vodka Wodka back in the 1990’s. Expect to see all of the classic Vodka Wodka features, with regular DJ’s and nightlife offerings, plus a robust drinks offering that not only is affordable but creative and diverse.
Fraser McIlwraith, Vodka Wodka’s founding Director, commented: “Vodka Wodka has gone from strength to strength over the years and the decision to expand is something we have considered for a long time. We are confident that we have not only found a great location that embodies what Vodka Wodka truly is, but we know that we have also perfected the business model and can replicate the brand successfully in a new area.”
FEEL THE BUZZ
For the full experience of WATTSHOT´s flavour and activation of the secret extract, serve up straight and hold in your mouth for 1-2 seconds
Best served chilled
WATTSHOT is a premium shot company at the forefront of the industry s innovation, offering consumers an opportunity to enjoy a new way of drinking shots
NATIONWIDE ENERGY DISCUSS COMMODITY RISES
The last few weeks have seen commodity costs rise significantly particularly in recent days. While the current gas supply situation is good with European gas storage being over 86% full several risk factors remain:-
Military - the risk of escalating conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine. Israel’s killing of senior Hamas and Hezbollah figures in Iran and Lebanon increases the likelihood of a wider conflict. International diplomacy is focusing on Iran & Israel to avoid further escalation. A key consequence of this would be to reduce global gas and oil supplies. Ukraine’s incursion into Russia may provoke greater aggression further impacting global supplies.
Weather – severe heatwaves in Europe and Asia have increased LNG demand to meet increased electricity demand from air conditioning. The approaching winter heating season increases consumption, and a severe cold snap will draw on gas reserves more quickly than they can be replaced.
Unexpected losses in gas & LNG production – a variety of events like maintenance in Norwegian gas fields, strikes in Australia, hurricanes in Texas and other unplanned production losses frequently impact supplies. Any losses at a time of increasing demand will be factored into market prices. Prices peaked 2 years ago, on the fear of running out of gas –something we never got close to. Without some positives, and the Middle East is the only one where tangible improvement seems possible, prices may continue to climb. However, there seems little likelihood of a peak like August 2022. The very recent spike in commodity costs hasn’t fully impacted contract rates. Without a strong downward trend, contract rates will rise more rapidly. Many businesses will be faced with the
dilemma of agreeing to higher prices now or delaying in the hope that prices will fall back. 2021 & 22 showed the wisdom of agreeing a price that may be higher but is affordable, rather than holding off for a lower price that may not come. If your current contract ends in the spring, you may consider that there is enough time for prices to fall back, even if they rise in the short-term. However, if you need to renew in the autumn or winter perhaps a slightly higher price now beats a much higher price in a few months.
Any business owner who is in their renewal window is urged to consider their options. Many will be facing tough choices, and this will allow you to carefully consider what best meets your needs. Nationwide Energy’s field consultants and renewals advisors can explain the key features of different supplier contracts alongside a market review, and updates on available prices.
Any customers struggling to pay current rates or are at risk of default can contact our Billing Team for support and advice on their options.
CALLUM BEATTIE ANNOUNCES DECEMBER SCOTTISH TOUR - AND ALL AGES BARROWLANDS DATE
Scots rock star Callum Beattie has served up an early Christmas present for young fans – an all ages show at the iconic Glasgow Barrowland days before Santa arrives.
The December 21 event is part of his now traditional Christmas tour. Which runs through December weekends taking in shows in Aberdeen, Perth, Stirling and three Glasgow dates to finish off.
With an army of young fans desperate to see him but often not allowed in due to in-house rules at different venues, Callum and manager Dave Rogers have been working with promoters Regular to line up a chance for the youngsters to see the show too.
Callum said: “Touring at the end of the year is always really special – everyone is in that kind of celebratory spirit thinking about Christmas.
“It’s especially an exciting time for kids so it’s disappointing when they can’t come to shows – we all try but sometimes there are restrictions no one can work around.
“Mark at Regular and the guys at the Barrrowland have been great in making this happen -we can do a matinee show with no age restriction which I love, Dave and I always want to welcome everyone to our shows.”’
Callum has enjoyed an incredible year as he writes his next record, in between shows all over the UK.
The much-loved singer songwriter works closely with various charities and has big plans on that front soon.
“We can’t say too much but we have a massive thing coming up next month – it’s really exciting and I think it will really help raise awareness for a fantastic cause.
“It’s so important to Dave and I to give back and use this platform we are building to do good int eh world around us, that’s what really gets us up every day.”
Callum’s December tour kicks off on Friday 6th in Aberdeen’s Music hall, then goes to Perth Concert Hall on the 14th, Stirling Albert Hall on the 15th and Glasgow Barrowland on December 20 and 21 – with the matinee for all ages on the 21st with doors at 2pm.
Callum said: “Thanks every single person who has bought a tee or downloaded a song, come to a show or festival or even just sang along with a song on the radio – we love you all.”
The most awarded vodka in the British Isles
ONTRADE SCOTLAND & PAYFACTO ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
OnTrade Scotland are proud to announce the official partnership with Payfacto as it’s official POS & PAY title partner.
With so many differing solutions in the market and with many owners & operator navigating the minefield of which is the best overall solution with some incentivising “free terminals’ but much higher rates and others having challenging engagement or service models , the partnership is designed to help bring some simple solutions to the industry in a more transparent way .
Speaking about the partnership Sales Operations Manager Carrie Murdaca commented on why they chose to partner with OnTrade Scotland
“Having had much success in the last 4 years as the go-to online magazine for the hospitality trade, it’s easy to see why we’re delighted to be partnering with OnTrade Scotland as their exclusive POS and PAY supplier. Sharing the same ethos on customer service and transparency across all aspects of the business, we’re excited to be collaborating with OnTrade Scotland to bring our unique perspective
on how we can alleviate the pain points business owners and their staff are experiencing while providing a stable, customisable POS and PAY solution with no hidden fees and no surprises.”
Justin Wingate head of OnTrade Scotland commented,“We are proud to partner with a leader in it’s field like Payfacto to provide transparent solutions to the industry.
Having spoken to many owners & operators over the last few year and listening to their feedback there seems to be a real pain point when it comes to POS & PAY solutions, from unexpected costs , price rises mid term confusing options , difficult ways to resolve potential problems and integration ,all of which are time consuming and costly.
We wanted to try and help make this a simpler and more transparent solution.
ONTRADE AWARDS 2024
VENUE OF THE YEAR
MAGGIES ROCK N RODEO WINNER
THE ALCHEMIST WINNER
ONTRADE AWARDS 2024 HOTEL OF THE YEAR
RADISSON RED WINNER
WUNDERBAR WINNER
THE GARAGE
BUCK’S BAR WINNER
ONTRADE AWARDS 2024
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
DUCK & WAFFLE WINNER
BUCK’S BAR WINNER
DONALD CAMERON MACLEOD MBE WINNER
summer vibes
THE PLACE FOR ALL YOUR EVENT & MARKETING NEEDS
MARKETING & DESIGN
We have over 20 years of publishing & brand marketing experience to help take your brand or event to the next level.
SPONSORSHIP & EVENTS
We have the experience & partnership to position the right partners for your event to bring in not only funding but offer a great experience to your guests.
ARTIST & HOST BOOKING
We have access to some of the best talent & biggest names that REALLY deliver an experience.
World-famous recording artists, festival headliners, emerging artists, experienced presenters & hosts we can provide them all at a cost that works with your budget
FILM & AUDIO
We can provide filming and content creation for events, shows, advertising projects, music videos or bespoke plans due to the diverse crew experience.
PR & ACTIVATIONS
We have a talented and creative team that works with some of the biggest brands out there that can support your brand or event from a PR standpoint as a joined-up approach is key.
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (“LBTT”) is a tax affecting property transactions, which will generally apply to commercial tenants at the commencement of a lease. Tenants should also be aware that there are further filing requirements which arise throughout the lease term.
LBTT CALCULATION
LBTT is charged on the net present value payable by tenants, which is comprised of the rent paid in terms of the lease, together with any additional premium payments. If VAT is payable on the rent, the figures noted on the calculation should account for this and reflect that VAT is charged.
A tax calculator can be found on the Revenue Scotland website.
The current rates of LBTT for rents at present are as follows:
RETURN REQUIREMENTS
INITIAL RETURN
The majority of commercial leases in Scotland will be notifiable, meaning that an LBTT return must be submitted to Revenue Scotland within 30 days of the effective date of the transaction. It may be that no actual tax is payable, but that does not extinguish the tenant’s requirement to submit a return within the timescales specified.
Commercial leases in Scotland are notifiable except (1) where the term of the lease is less than seven years and there in no LBTT payable; and (2) where the term of the lease exceeds seven years but any premium does not exceed £40,000 and the annual rent does not exceed £1,000 per annum.
THREE-YEAR RETURNS
A tenant’s filing requirements do not end when the initial return is submitted. Instead, Revenue Scotland require tenants to submit further returns on every three-year anniversary of the effective date. This allows Revenue Scotland to monitor any variations to the lease (such as an increase to the term or rent reviews) which may affect the tax position.
Tenants should note that, even if there have been no variations to the lease, a nil return must still be submitted within 30 days of the triennial anniversary of the effective date. If tenants fail to submit returns timeously, penalties may be levied by Revenue Scotland.
LEASE VARIATIONS
The filling requirements for lease variations vary. For example, if the lease was entered into before 1 April 2015 and has not been varied since then, it is likely that the variation will be treated as a new lease for LBTT purposes, with the tenant being required to submit a return on that basis. Alternatively, if a lease which has already been notified is varied, then there may not be a requirement for an immediate submission at the variation stage; instead, notification of the variation terms to Revenue Scotland may occur when the next three yearly return falls due.
ASSIGNATIONS
Where a notified lease is assigned, it is the responsibility of the outgoing tenant to submit an LBTT return accounting for any changes up to the date of the assignation. The assignation return must be submitted within 30 days of the assignation date. The incoming tenant will then inherit the position of the outgoing tenant and will be responsible for future submissions.
If the lease which is being assigned hasn’t been notified, the outgoing tenant does not need to submit a return and the incoming tenant must assess the LBTT position and deal accordingly.
TERMINATION
Termination returns are also required when a lease comes to an end. There are several ways a lease may be terminated (renunciation, the exercising of a break option, irritancy or the natural expiry of the term) and a termination return is required irrespective of the circumstances. With early surrenders (such as agreed renunciations or break options being exercised), tenants may be due a tax rebate if, for example, the initial return assumed that the term of the lease was to be 10 years and it was in fact terminated after five.
SUMMARY
Commercial tenants should note these filing requirements and keep them in mind, not only at lease commencement but also throughout the term of the lease. It is crucial that tenants discuss LBTT considerations with their solicitor at the outset of a transaction so that they have clarity on their responsibilities in relation to LBTT and any tax payable, allowing them to budget accordingly.
Rory is part of Anderson Strathern’s dedicated LBTT Enquiry Group and would be pleased to assist with any queries relating to LBTT and commercial leasing.
RORY KNOX, ASSOCIATE, ANDERSON STRATHERN
Buckfast original
250ml / 15% vol
Red wine based aperitif with added caffeine.
Buckfast and lemonade
250ml / 5% vol
Red wine based aperitif with added caffeine, mixed with lemonade. Best served chilled.
for the facts about alcohol, visit:
Since our humble beginnings nearly 70 years ago when the Company was founded by Bobby Lynas, Lynas Foodservice has been dedicated to one word, Service.
The aim is simple, to serve our customer with the best product and the best service we can provide.
We deliver to over 5,000 independant and chain customers every week throughout Ireland and Scotland. Our customers come from right across the catering spectrum so with our extensive range we will have the right product to suit your needs and your business.
Contact us today to find out more and arrange a visit with one of our experienced team.
