BQ Scotland Special Report: Taking Scotland to the world

SPECIAL REPORT: TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

WELCOMING THE WORLD Eleven billion reasons to encourage tourism A CITY ON THE BRINK Will the V&A transform Dundee’s fortunes?

BORN LEDERER Peter Lederer looks back on his eventful career

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TUE 31ST MARCH 2015 - GL ASGOW HILTON HOTEL JOIN US TO CELEBRATE EXPORT SUCCESS ACROSS SCOTLAND Book your place and join us at the BQ Scottish Export Awards 2015 in association with Scottish Enterprise.

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CONTENTS

CONTACTS

05 NEWS

ROOM501 LTD Bryan Hoare Director e: bryan@room501.co.uk

A round-up of what’s happening in the food, drink and hospitality sectors

EDITORIAL Kenny Kemp e: editor@bq-scotland.co.uk

12 WELCOME ALL VisitScotland supremo Malcolm Roughhead gives 11 billion reasons why tourism is vital

DESIGN & PRODUCTION room501 e: studio@room501.co.uk

16 KEY INGREDIENTS Expert advice on creating loyalty and passion – and then protecting it

18 BRAND AWARENESS Food writer Karen Peattie highlights 10 up and coming brands

22 THE FAB THREE Six pages showcasing three very individual businesses

32 ANOTHER VIEW American visitor Liberty Vittert offers her unique perspective on Scottish fare

34 FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN How the sector is set to benefit again from a bumper year of golf

36 BORN LEDERER Peter Lederer looks back on his eventful career in hospitality

DUNDEE’S ROUTE TO PROSPERITY

28 TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

SPECIAL REPORT:

TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

WELCOME Welcome to our BQ2 Special Report on the economic impact of Scottish tourism.

According to Malcolm Roughead, the chief executive of VisitScotland, it is worth £11bn a year to our national coffers. That’s a massive sum. Malcolm explains more about this in our exclusive interview with him.

As the days of 2015 get warmer, and the evenings lighter, we can look ahead to a wonderful spring and summer of food and drink in Scotland. Our food writer Karen Peattie has handpicked ten Scottish companies and their produce to watch – and sample – over the coming months. Some are well-kent, others are new to the table.

Meanwhile, Philip Long, the director of the V&A in Dundee, explains why the new institution will be a source of ideas and inspiration for innovative business people.

We’ve also asked Liberty Vittert, a visitor to Scotland from the United States, to look at our offering through foreign eyes, which makes interesting reading.

We hope you enjoy this special report – and it gives you some real food (and drink) for thought.

Kenny Kemp, Editor of BQ Scotland

PHOTOGRAPHY KG Photography e: info@kgphotography.co.uk SALES Contact Publicity e: info@contactpublicity.co.uk t: 0141 204 2042 Bryan Hoare e: bryan@room501.co.uk t: 0191 426 6300 Audrey Atkinson Sales Manager e: audrey@room501.co.uk t: 0191 426 8205

room501 Publishing Ltd, Spectrum 6, Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, SR7 7TT www.bqlive.co.uk Business Quarter (BQ) is a leading business to business brand recognised for celebrating entrepreneurship and corporate success. The multi-platform brand currently reaches entrepreneurs and senior business executives across Scotland, The North East, Yorkshire and the West Midlands. BQ has established a UK wide regional approach to business engagement reaching a highly targeted audience of entrepreneurs and senior executives in high growth businesses both in-print, online and through branded events.

All contents copyright © 2015 room501 Ltd. All rights reserved.

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All company profiles are paid for advertising. All information is correct at time of going to print, January 2015.

room501 Publishing Ltd is part of BE Group, the UK’s market leading business improvement specialists. www.be-group.co.uk

In association with

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BQ Magazine is published quarterly by room501 Ltd.

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OPENING COMMENT

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WHY WE’RE BACKING THE ICONIC TASTES OF SCOTLAND Minister for Business and Tourism Fergus Ewing explains why the Scottish Government has set up a £100,000 event fund to boost local tourism economies There is plenty to whet the appetite of visitors to Scotland this year, including a packed programme of food-focused events, and a series of monthly themes for the industry highlighting key food and drink sectors such as seafood, whisky and soft fruits. The Year of Food and Drink will build on the success of the previous themed years and Homecoming, plus the excellent reputation of our food and drink industry, raising awareness of Scotland’s restaurants, hotels, food producers, B&Bs and visitor attractions. Food and drink plays a massive role within the tourism sector in Scotland. In fact, according to VisitScotland data the value of Scotland’s food and drink tourism industry is worth an estimated £2.5 million per day to the economy. Visitors are

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demanding and getting a quality food and drink experience with authentic, iconic and seasonal culinary experiences. This opportunity is highlighted by VisitScotland figures which show that visitors to Scotland spend, on average, 21 per cent of their holiday budget on eating and drinking. The Year of Food and Drink will raise awareness of Scotland’s restaurants, hotels, food and drink producers, B&Bs, cafes and visitor attractions. With eating traditional dishes and local produce listed as the second top activity undertaken by visitors to Scotland, promoting food and drink has the potential to provide significant growth for tourism. All this presents significant opportunities for Scottish businesses both big and small. The Scottish Government

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have established an events fund for 2015 which is already being channelled through EventScotland and VisitScotland. This fund will help boost the use of local produce at the many events taking place throughout 2015.

We all look forward to a range of events across the whole of Scotland taking place from 1 July 2015 until Hogmanay 2015.

In addition, a VisitScotland Growth Fund of £100,000 has been disbursed to destination organisations and industry groups who have come up with inspiring marketing projects which showcase Scotland’s natural larder and support the growth of tourism spend in every corner of the country. There is much to look forward to in the coming months - and many ways to welcome our visitors. n

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Events team scoop awards, VisitScotland offers advice on ‘authentic’ tourism marketing, £14bn sector praised, new centre aims to keep Scotland at the forefront of innovation, leading hotel group sold >> Firm’s ‘stars’ shine bright Sodexo staff were praised for their commitment to excellence

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The Scottish events team at one of the UK’s largest services companies has scooped accolades at its awards ceremony.

Sodexo, the hospitality group, hosted its annual ‘Star Awards’ at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel to honour its 35,000 employees in the UK and Ireland.

Prestige Venues & Events division north of the border grabbed an impressive four awards.

The event, hosted by sports presenter Clare Balding, gave 600 employees the chance to be on the other side of a glitzy event for a change, before the prizes were awarded by Debbie White, chief executive of Sodexo for UK and Ireland.

Stephanie Lee picked up the Support Employee of the Year title. Stephanie, who is based in South Queensferry, was rewarded for her involvement in the development of the inquiry hub, as well as for her personal commitment to her role, including visiting over 30 sites across the UK to gain a full understanding of their conference and events needs.

Lindsay McLaren, general manager for Prestige Venues & Events in Scotland, took home the ‘Star Business Manager’ award.

This award was given to Lindsay due to her positive financial performance throughout 2014 in increasing sales and profit by 10% within the three Edinburgh venues in which she represents – the Corn Exchange, National Museum and Assembly Rooms.

The Scottish Prestige Venues & Events team behind the success of the Commonwealth Games events at Hampden Stadium won the chief executive award and the Team Effort award for their efforts throughout the momentous event in Glasgow. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh also struck gold, taking home the award for the ‘Better Tomorrow Plan’ for their efforts in Sodexo’s UK wide sustainability project.

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to England or Northern Ireland instead.

The new facilities combined with QMU’s academic knowledge and expertise in food, nutrition and biological sciences is already offering companies in Scotland’s food and drink industry an unrivalled opportunity to innovate and develop new products which are underpinned by QMU’s scientific research.”

>> Tasting success

The Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation will enhance the country’s reputation

>> Looking to the future The first Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation has been launched at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. The centre will help enhance Scotland’s position as a leader in food and drink innovation in Europe.

Over 100 guests from Scotland’s £14bn food and drink industry got a behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities and heard from a range of food experts about the work that is taking place both in the university and across the industry.

QMU’s on-campus SME, Advanced Microwave Technologies (AMT), provided a demonstration of its cutting-edge machinery.

AMT is emerging as one of the world’s most innovative users of microwave expertise in its application to the food and drink sector.

According to Bank of Scotland’s latest food and drink industry economic report, “Arguably most critical of all for long term growth is innovation and improvement to food produce and the development of innovative new food sources or ‘frontier foods’.” More than half the companies interviewed in Bank of Scotland’s third annual survey of Scotland’s food and drink sector expect their business to grow by five and 25 per cent over the next five years.

Many firms cite new product development and investment in existing products being the top two ways to achieve this growth. It

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is estimated that a growth in sales of premium health products could be worth an additional £1billion to the Scottish economy by 2017.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland’s food and drink sectors are internationally recognised for their quality, with many of the most famous products having a long history and unique sense of identity. The work of the centre is helping those companies evolve to meet new demand, develop new products and diversify into new markets, particularly lucrative export opportunities. Despite having a long history of collaboration with the food and drink industry, in the past three years alone, QMU’s innovation based engagements with SMEs in the sector have generated an estimated extra £5.7m for the businesses it has worked with.”

QMU has research support for iQ Chocolate in Stirling; Gusto artisan dressings, marinades and oil and vinegars in Leith, Edinburgh; Black & Gold rapeseed oil in East Lothian; leaf tea experts, eteaket, in Edinburgh; Cuddybridge fruit juices in East Lothian; Belhaven Fruit Farm in East Lothian and The Chocolate Tree chocolatier in East Lothian.

Dr Jane McKenzie, said: “We’re really excited to have reached this significant milestone in the development of QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation. Facilities like this are currently unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work is often sent

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Inveralmond Brewery, one of Scotland’s leading independent craft beer breweries, has spread its tasty cheer across the world by making and selling an average of almost four pints every minute in 2014. This year, the team at the Perthbased business are keen to capitalise on their international appeal by reaching all four frothy corners of the globe through introducing more beers to their growing range and increasing their distribution both internationally and in the UK. More than 1.9 million pints of beer from the craft brewers were sold last year, showing their popularity with beer lovers and their broadening appeal in a competitive and crowded market. As a result, the brewers have been able to freeze their prices for this year to further support their customers at home and abroad in an exceptionally tough trading environment.

Inveralmond have created a diverse and exciting range of beers, offering unique and memorable taste experiences to beer lovers. Recently launching the Belgian influenced De Mons, the third beer in their internationally flavoured “Inspiration Series”, the innovative brew team are looking forward to more launches in 2015.

Bob Hogg, commercial director at The Inveralmond Brewery, said: “2014 was an excellent year for us launching additions to our Inspiration Series as well as continuing to grow our presence internationally, reaching beer drinkers in places as far away as Russia, China and Canada. We had a lot of fun launching our latest beers online – beer fans around the world could join in and enjoy the launch with us, no matter where they were.”

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>> Authenticity is subjective Tourism businesses offering “authentic Scottish experiences” must always bear in mind that authenticity is a “fluid and subjective concept”, according to VisitScotland. In a paper, the national tourism organisation’s Insight department has identified “Selective Authenticity” as a top trend for 2015, pointing out that tourism businesses should be aware that ‘authentic’ means different things to different people.

Chris Greenwood, senior tourism insight manager at VisitScotland, said: “Authentic experiences can mean different things to different people.

‘For example, to some an authentic trip to Edinburgh might involve a trip to the Castle, the sound of bagpipes and shopping for tartan, while to others it might mean going shopping in Multrees Walk or

enjoying the capital’s nightlife.

“The experience is defined by individual visitors. And, in this increasingly personalised consumer economy, awareness of your customers’ requirements remains key. There is a place for all levels of authentic interpretation – traditional and modern, contemporary and kitsch – but it needs to be genuine, true to your product and connected to your customer.”

Other trends identified by the VisitScotland

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Insight team include Value Disparity, which sees consumers avoiding companies that implement hidden costs, and Emotional Uncertainty – where certain demographics take fewer risks and conduct more research before making purchases or planning trips.

The VisitScotland Trends for 2015 paper is designed to give the tourism industry an informed outlook for the year ahead, helping it to meet the challenges of today’s marketplace.

There is a place for all levels of authentic interpretation – traditional and modern, contemporary and kitsch – but it needs to be genuine...

>> Food and drink driving the economy Scotland Food & Drink is the main industry leadership body aligned to the Scottish Government’s priority economic sector of food and drink. Speaking at the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation launch, James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food & Drink, added: “The food and drink industry is one of the strongest performing sectors in Scotland’s economy. Our £14 billion industry rests on a growing reputation for producing quality products and an envied flair for innovation. However, we know there is always more to be done to ensure Scotland’s producers adapt to a fast-changing world and the Scotland Food & Drink partnership is working towards the launch of a new innovation action plan in 2015.

“Relationships between the industry and Scotland’s universities are critical. My ambition is that this new centre will provide producers with intelligence and support, to help them create exciting new products and in turn find new customers. With Scottish food and drink exports up 50% since 2007 and sales within the UK up by more than a third, we have real momentum. But competition is always fierce so innovation will be fundamental to staying ahead of the pack.”

Our £14 billion industry rests on a growing reputation for producing quality products and a flair for innovation

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>> Targeting business tourism Leaders of Scotland’s business tourism industry gathered to launch brand new initiative ‘Think Scotland, Think Conference (TSTC)’, which aims to grow this crucial area of Scotland’s tourism sector as part of Scotland’s national tourism strategy.

Launched at Edinburgh Castle by Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing, MSP, the initiative, developed by the Scottish business tourism industry, will work with champions in Scotland’s key business sectors.

Such champions will then aim to generate enquiries for events within their fields. This national campaign is a first for Europe and is aimed at attracting new events, which would not otherwise have taken place in Scotland.

As a fresh strand of business tourism advocacy, TSTC is aimed at champions from both UK and international organisations, who can influence decision-makers over the location of business events.

Fergus Ewing said: “Our business tourism sector is a main driver of growth, and makes a strong contribution to the economic vitality of Scotland’s key tourism destinations. Not only does business tourism – in all forms – bring tens of thousands of delegates to Scotland, but the events also act as a shop window for all our country has to offer.

This not only makes a contribution to our economy, it is also an opportunity to showcase Scotland as a premiere location to invest, study, live, work and visit.

“It is vital that we continue to build on this success by providing support to our business tourism sector, which has long benefited from Scotland’s reputation as a world-class conference venue destination.”

Comprising visitors to Scotland whose trip is related to conferences, meetings and incentive travel, business tourism is worth £782 million to the Scottish economy. TSTC is being delivered as a key strand of implementing Scotland’s TSTC will work with Scotland’s business community, particularly with Scottish Enterprise and its partners such as Scottish Development International and Global Scots to reach out to those in business who have an affinity to Scotland and pride in their sectors and individual organisations. Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland,

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added: “Business tourism plays a vital role in the Scottish economy, with the country punching above its weight in terms of the number of high-yield conferences and business events it attracts. Think Scotland, Think Conference will support the business tourism industry as it continues to grow while showing that, when it comes to hosting business events, Scotland really is the perfect stage.”

>> In praise of fair trade Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, has launched the Fair Trade Awards 2015. Now in their ninth year, the awards recognise the difference that residents, businesses and schools make in promoting fair trade in Edinburgh.

The Lord Provost has invited nominations (or in the case of schools, applications) in four categories – Achievement Award; Newcomer Award; Faith Community Award; and Fair Trade Schools Award – before the closing date of 13 February 2015. The awards will be presented during Edinburgh’s Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from 23 February to 8 March 2015.

>> Water warning Scotland’s hotels are urged to seize the opportunity to save money and become more efficient by putting their choice of water supplier to the test. Hotels typically use a lot of water, but by not choosing to shop around for the best deal from a provider, Thames Water Commercial Services warns that these businesses could be paying over the odds.

Marc Crothall, chief executive officer of Scottish Tourism Alliance, the overarching industry trade body, said: “Many hotels are now seeing the benefits of switching water provider. Switching energy companies has become the norm to get the best rates and better service level agreements for your business – so it makes sense for tourism operators to look at doing the same with their water management contract too.”

Thames Water Commercial Services (TWCS) has seen an unprecedented surge in the number of hotels from across Scotland signing up to its services.

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>> Award for unique hotel The Chester Residence in Edinburgh has been named as the ‘No1 Luxury Hotel in the UK’ and the ‘7th Best Luxury Hotel in Europe’ in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2015.

These awards follow on from The Chester Residence’s success of 2014, when it was named as TripAdvisor’s ‘No1 UK Small Hotel of the Year 2014’ and ‘No1 UK and European Luxury Hotel of the Year 2014’, and ‘Serviced Apartments of the Year 2014’ in the Scottish Hotel Awards, to name but a few.

The Chester Residence comprises 23 luxury Georgian townhouse apartments located in Edinburgh’s West End. Each suite is individually designed using the most luxurious, contemporary décor and furnishings, with all the comforts of a five star hotel as well as full reception and concierge service, offering guests a personalised and memorable experience.

Owner of The Chester Residence, Graham Wood, said: “It’s always great to receive feedback and winning these coveted awards is the highest compliment.

Our team works exceptionally hard to ensure each guest’s stay is as luxurious and enjoyable as possible.”

>> Sky’s the limit!

‘Welcoming’, ‘beautiful’, ‘home’ or ‘fandabbydozy’ – what word best describes Scotland for you? That’s the question being posed to people across the country.

After what has been an unprecedented year for the tourism industry, an invitation has been issued to the nation to tweet their #onewordscotland.

It’s part of a campaign by leading figures in the Scottish tourism industry to create a giant word cloud and raise awareness of the importance of the tourism industry to Scotland’s wider visitor economy. Organisers hope it will act as a subtle and fun reminder that tourism in Scotland is everyone’s business.

Starting today (1 January 2015), Scots and visitors, will be invited to tweet the word they believe encapsulates what Scotland means to

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them. The chosen word should be followed by #onewordScotland.

Since October, when the Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing was invited to put the first word into the cloud at the Scottish Tourism Alliance October Conference, hundreds of delegates and guests from various events, including the regional Scottish Thistle Awards finals, have been submitting their suggestions.

Currently ‘welcoming’ has emerged as the most popular choice.

2014 has been a unique year for Scottish tourism with confidence within the industry high. However, it is recognised by all that to really capitalise on the success of 2014 it is important to continue shouting about and promoting Scotland to the world.

Marc Crothall CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance said: “The world is becoming an increasingly small place and there are many more places to visit so to ensure Scotland becomes that destination of choice our collective promotional voice has to be even louder in 2015 “Following the success of 2014 there is a real feel-good factor, not just within the industry, but also among the people of Scotland. We wanted to create something that harnesses that enthusiasm and turns it into a lasting physical representation of what is so great about Scotland.

“As tourism is everyone’s business we felt it was only fitting to extend the invite to everyone across the country including those visiting for New Year .So we’re asking people to kick off 2015 by tweeting #onewordscotland with the term or description they feel perfectly sums up what Scotland means to them.”

All tweets under the #onewordscotland will be included in a word cloud set to be revealed as part of the Signature Programme held during Scottish Tourism Week 2015 on 4th March.

The #onewordscotland word cloud will be supported by VisitScotland, the Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scotland Food and Drink and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, as well as tourism businesses and organisations across the country.

The Signature programme, includes the National Tourism Conference titled STA TV, the Scottish Thistle Awards Finals, ScotHot,

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the Scottish Culinary Championships, the Scottish Licenced Trade Association and Scotland Food & Drink AGM’s. The programme will see in excess of 10,000 professionals from the Scottish tourism industry descend

NEWS

on Glasgow to attend one or more of the six Signature events, to network and hear from influential speakers.

For more details please visit: www. scottishtourismalliance.co.uk/stw2015

Peter Taylor had not planned to sell his hotels but says staff will be in ‘safe hands’

>> Surprise transaction sees top Scottish hotels change hands Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private investment firm, has bought one of Scotland’s leading independent hotel groups, The Town House Collection, created by entrepreneur Peter Taylor, for an undisclosed sum.

The transaction sees Glasgow’s only luxury five-star property, Blythswood Square, and an awardwinning, boutique hotel in Edinburgh, The Bonham, transfer ownership immediately.

Peter Taylor set up the group 1989. He stressed that selling had not been on the agenda for 2015, as both hotels continued to perform exceptionally well.

“The approach captured our attention, the deal was right, and the timing will allow me to focus on new challenges, knowing that the company and, most importantly, our team members will be in safe hands,” said Mr Taylor.

The Town House Collection employs 270 members of staff across the two properties and has revenue of approximately £12m. Managing director Hans Rissmann and finance director Russell Hynd will continue to work alongside the new owners in a consultancy capacity to ensure a smooth transition.

The transaction adds to Starwood Capital Group’s UK hotel portfolio in Scotland.

This includes the historic George and Roxburghe in Edinburgh, together with the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

With the acquisition of Blythswood Square and The Bonham, Starwood Capital Group’s UK portfolio comprises 53 owned and leased hotels with 7,455 keys.

“We are thrilled to add Blythswood Square and The Bonham to our rapidly expanding collection of UK hotels,” said Cody Bradshaw, Senior Vice President and Head of European Hotels at Starwood Capital Group. “We have become intimately familiar with the vitality and potential of Glasgow and Edinburgh through our management of the George, Roxburghe and Grand Central and believe that this acquisition perfectly complements our strategy of purchasing prime hotel assets in the region’s top-performing markets.”

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INTERVIEW

ELEVEN BILLION REASONS TO BELIEVE IN SCOTLAND There can be precious few people in Scotland who doubt the importance and value of our visitor economy. 2014 was a momentous year when Scotland welcomed guests from a record number of nations. The trick is to sustain this level of interest – to ensure that this £11bn tourism economy continues to improve and punch above its weight.

Malcolm Roughead, the softly-spoken and rather cerebral head of VisitScotland, has been at pains to keep the ‘tourist economy’ at the front of everyone’s mind. Scotland’s policymakers, politicians and media must continue to understand the primary importance of our tourism industry. It is no longer ‘a nice add-on’: it’s central to national future prosperity.

However, Roughead, at the helm as chief executive since September 2010, notes a heartening change of tenor.

“I’ve been up in Dundee speaking to business people at the chamber of commerce and one of the questions was: ‘How do you rebuild your economy on the back of the V&A coming?’ I can’t think of any time since I joined VisitScotland where someone has said to me, “How do we build our economy on the back of something? It has always been “How does tourism fit into an existing situation.”

This direct approach and fresh thinking is even exciting Roughead, who is a normally a very measured individual. Even after all the great events of 2014, he is not someone to go over the top, which is why he remains the perfect foil to VisitScotland’s gregarious chairman Mike Cantlay, who has been an inspirational dynamo prepared to champion Scotland’s tourism assets at any opportunity.

For Roughead, Dundee’s preparation and regeneration for the arrival of V&A Dundee is

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The visitor economy is vital for the successful economic future of Scotland. BQ Editor Kenny Kemp talks to Malcolm Roughead, the chief executive of VisitScotland, about the increasing awareness of this sector above and beyond the existing toursim industry operators

deeply satisfying with an expectation that the rejuvenation will bring tens of millions of new visitors over the coming decades. Roughead cites the investment by Apex and Malmaison hotels and other operators to show that this can indeed drive significant economic benefit into a new area.

“Dundee is becoming a tourism-driven city which is turning the city and the hinterland on its head. There are great economic opportunities on the way for the city. Large numbers of visitors from around the world coming to Dundee will certainly build a buzz.”

Malcolm Roughead, a seasoned marketer and linguist who joined VisitScotland in 2001 as marketing director, is convinced that wider Scotland now ‘gets’ the importance of sustainable tourism.

“You start from the premise that the visitor economy is an £11bn sector for the wider Scottish economy. Then you work your way back and tourism is at the heart of this. It is making sure that people make the connection, so that if you are in the car hire business it is fairly obvious you are getting customers from abroad, but that might not be so obvious if

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you are in the double-glazing industry or a florist selling flowers, this isn’t so clear.”

Yet, he points out, the people in the double glazing business will be getting work from new hotels, while the florist will be doing well out of conferences, events and hotel rooms.

“These hotels are being built on the back of a thriving industry. Indirectly, they are still linked and part of the tourism industry. A breakdown of tourism money spent on flowers alone is £7milion, which is quite substantial.”

There are other sectors, such as arts and craft-making across Scotland that are all benefiting from being part of the authentic fabric of an area where visitors want to find out what is happening.

“It is the sum of the parts in local areas that create the unique visitor experience. A lot of the work the VisitScotland guys do is about making the linkages and bringing people together to see how that works. We are keen to get people to list their companies on VisitScotland.com. It has a phenomenal reach and it is a free listing. Where people are looking at things in a particular area it can be on the radar.” >>

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He admits there is still work to do around the peripheral fringes of the tourism economy to get more businesses in Scotland improving their levels of customer service.

“This year there is an ongoing programme speaking to business, which is a continuation of our programme last year with the Scottish chambers of commerce.”

How does he view 2014, which many say was a momentous year.

“Yes, 2014 was an amazing year but we saw it as a catalyst for growth. The final figures will come out in the next month or so and they are all looking pretty good. Even the anecdotal stuff is that 73-75% of businesses are confident about 2015, while 17% say they are going to hire more staff.”

The impact on job creation in Scotland shows the power of a sustainable tourism sector, with an estimated 28,000 new jobs across Scotland.

“There is an underlying strength for the tourism industry, and positivity which is great to see. But what is also important is that people who don’t necessarily see themselves as part of the industry are now understanding the benefits. Perhaps many people didn’t fully appreciate how the likes of the events, such as the Glasgow 2014 Games and the Ryder Cup, can make a positive impact to the nation. That has definitely changed, not just economically but socially as well.”

This has all been good for Scotland’s reputation internationally too. This is exemplified by the three Cs of confidence, capability and capacity.

“I see a fourth ‘C’ in there, which is credibility, because we’ve done it and put on two wonderful sporting events and also over 1,000 events with the Homecoming programme.”

Scotland is in vogue as the global visitor economy begins to recovery.

“It is the belief that Scotland can deliver and will deliver that goes a long way in terms of conferences and events, and we are beginning to reap the benefits of the infrastructure in place over the last few years.”

The glowing success of the 13,000 seater SSE Hydro, bolstered by the unexpected 21-day sell-out sensation of the comedy Still Game, is great news from Glasgow and the rest of the country. It has now become the second busiest venue in the world, after the O2 arena

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We talk glibly about ‘gamechangers’ but there is no doubt the SSE Hydro is one for Scotland.

It’s been a gamechanger for the business sector and a gamechanger for Glasgow, and for Scotland in London, and even beating Madison Square Garden in New York.

“We talk glibly about ‘game-changers’ but there is no doubt the SSE Hydro is one for Scotland. It’s been a game-changer for the business sector and a game-changer for Glasgow, and for Scotland.”

Infrastructure remains a topical issue for Scotland, although the improving aviation links with the likes of Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, which starts daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Edinburgh in June, and Ryanair’s expansion

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from Glasgow and Turkish Airlines out of Edinburgh into Europe, are giving Scotland a tremendous boost. Roughead also adds WestJet, the Canadian low-cost airline flying in from Toronto.

“This allows Scotland to have access to markets into the Far East and Asia. The demand is there and we need to be smart about how we tap into that.”

Roughead explains like any business VisitScotland has to look at the portfolio and prioritise where it sees the best return for its bucks. He says it is a balance of developing new markets while also maintaining the presence in more mature markets. Europe makes up 64% of the value of Scotland’s visitor numbers, while there is still a lot of work to do in North America, where the demographics are changing.

“Tying into the Scottish diaspora is still important but there is also the new demographic of the US-Hispanic market, which is growing and more prosperous.

The question is: how do we make Scotland interesting to them? Without the old ties, it is a different proposition for them?”

How can we forget our English, Welsh and Irish neighbours?

“The rest of the UK market remains very important to us. It’s very competitive and UK citizens are great travellers and we are competing with sunshine holidays in exotic destinations. But we’ve got plenty to attract them north of the border with festivals and sporting events and the likes of the SSE Hydro.

And great food and drink.”

Where does he see emerging trends?

Roughead cites ‘agritourism’ as making a return in Scotland, with visitors staying in farmhouses and experiencing the animals and nature at close range.

“The leading experts are the Italians – they do this exceptionally well – and I know it is of interest to many in the Scottish industry. If farmers are diversifying into other things, then this is something to consider. He says there are already some great success stories in Scotland, and this will be a sub-sector to watch.

In all, Roughead remains quietly confident about Scotland’s tourism future. With 11 billion reasons already to be cheerful, there’s still plenty of scope to make it even more. n

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THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS Rona Dennison, the director of food and drink with leading Scottish law firm Burness Paull, says firms in the sector must protect their ideas and intellectual assets After the historic year of 2014, the appetite for Scotland’s food and drink brands shows no sign of being satisfied in the coming 12 months. Our food and drink sector relished the opportunity to showcase its produce to the supply of sports spectators from the UK and overseas and to promote the provenance of its products to those at home as we ruminated over the constitutional future.

Local sales of Scottish produce are up, according to Asda, and the year’s visitor statistics are expected to show a hearty surge.

It would not, therefore, seem too greedy to anticipate another jump in the right direction towards hitting the industry sales target of £16.5bn by 2017, as set by Scotland Food and Drink.

Indeed Grant Thornton’s recent report identifying Scotland’s Top 100 Limited Companies listed 21 from the food, beverage and leisure sector (including three of the top four) and revealed the sector as Scotland’s top performer by profitability, with operating profit growth of 157%.

We are now into the Year of Food and Drink 2015, a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership by EventScotland, VisitScotland and Scotland Food and Drink. With the aim of the initiative being to spotlight, celebrate and promote Scotland’s natural larder and quality

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produce to its people and visitors, this would seem the perfect platform from which to harvest the fruits of 2014.

Innovation and new product development are essential to the growth of the sector, particularly in this age which is waging a war on sugar and witnessing a significant rise of the health and lifestyle product.

The opening of the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh in December could therefore not have come at a better time. With a dedicated micro-biology laboratory, a fully-equipped sensory suite, a dedicated chemistry laboratory and a technology room for the testing of new devices, the centre will allow food and drink companies to work alongside academia in developing a wealth of new products.

Stirling’s iQ Chocolate recently worked with QMU in validating the 21 health benefits of their organic superfood chocolate bars which are sweetened using only organic coconut blossom nectar.

But as established industry leaders and emerging sector stars alike would appear to be keenly aware, the key ingredient in capitalising on this chance to further spread the word of

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Scotland’s gastronomic wares is the creation of a visually recognisable brand.

The appeal of Scotland’s produce lies in its quality and its provenance and in the innovation shown by its producers. It is through the medium of a powerful brand that these elements have time and again been conveyed to consumers, both home and abroad, with resounding success.

Those at the forefront of the sector are looking to engage directly with their consumers and engender goodwill and brand loyalty.

In this, the social media era, the results can be far-reaching, both in terms of geography and impact. A carefully-employed social media campaign (as used to great effect by players in the craft beer industry such as Brewdog and Innis & Gunn) can create such enthusiasm and passion as to result in a voluntary workforce of brand ambassadors, eager to promote all that the brand is intended to represent. These unpaid workers can generate funds not only by being fervent consumers and marketeers, but by becoming investors too, as they participate in crowd-funding schemes in an effort to become a part of the brand they so strongly support.

This year our producers would well be well advised to protect their brands and any underlying intellectual property created in the course of new product development.

Competitive as the marketplace may be, as Scotland’s producers share their provenance stories in the course of the Year of Food and Drink, we can expect many of them to continue in the spirit of collaboration which

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AS I SEE IT

The appeal of Scotland’s produce lies in its quality and its provenance and in the innovation shown by its producers.

It is through the medium of a powerful brand that these elements have time and again been conveyed to consumers...

has already served them so well.

Scotland’s food and drink players have shown themselves to be resourceful in joining forces to raise awareness of their category as a whole, with the country’s eight producers of rapeseed oil (Black & Gold, Borderfields, Cullisse, Mackintosh of Glendaveny, Ola Oils, Summer Harvest and Supernature) who have formed the collective

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group, Scottish Rapeseed Oil, being one such example. Our food and drink sector is enjoying what can be described as a ‘golden era’.

This year dishes up an opportunity for our producers to seek to make loyal consumers out of those, both in Scotland and globally,

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who sampled their wares during the events of 2014. Through targeted marketing, product innovation and development and collaboration, Scotland’s hungry food and drink sector has every chance of continuing to grow and thrive. n

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A DELICIOUS PEEK IN SCOTLAND’S LARDER Respected food writer Karen Peattie – a regular contributor to BQ – is also a judge in the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards. Here she picks out her 10 brands to watch

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IF there’s one thing guaranteed to get people talking it’s food and drink, and with 2015 being promoted by VisitScotland as Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, this clearly represents a fantastic opportunity for our producers.

Working in partnership with influential industry body Scotland Food & Drink, VisitScotland’s aim this year is to get the message across to everyone living in Scotland – and, of course, visitors – that the nation deserves to be recognised for its worldleading natural larder. What does this mean?

It means that throughout 2015, people will be encouraged to taste their way around the country by eating out, attending events, visiting distilleries, exploring farmers’ markets and following food trails. In other words, get out there and discover for yourself the worldclass, award-winning, protected-status food and drink Scotland is famous for – and enjoy your very own taste of Scotland.

VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said: “2014 showed the world that Scotland was the perfect place to visit with warm welcoming people, a fantastic atmosphere and unmissable events. The Year of Food and Drink will see visitors far and wide come and sample our enticing natural larder and Scots enjoying the delicious cuisine that is right on their doorstep.

“Visitors spend one-fifth of their holiday budget on eating and drinking so promoting our natural larder is a recipe for success. After the major events of 2014, interest in Scotland is high but we can’t rest on our laurels – we must continue taking Scotland to the world, showcasing our strengths and positioning Scotland as the perfect place to visit and do business.”

Demonstrating that Scotland is a true destination for those who love good food and drink, its provenance and the stories behind the people who produce it, the Year of Food and Drink got off to a high-profile start with activity around Burns Night and other themed months are coming up – whisky in May, for example, and summer berries and fruits in July.

Food and drink remains a key business driver for Scotland, up there with energy, life sciences, financial services and, crucially, tourism. Events taking place throughout the year – including the established Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight in September – will

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grated mozzarella. Gannon came up with his invention as an experimental snack for staff at his Indian restaurant in the French ski resort of Chamonix, and is now on track to produce 10,000 currizzas a week. A master of publicity, Gannon is fast spreading the word about his brand and has plans to expand it into curry sauces, bhajees and pakoras. He recently clinched a deal to supply 107 Tesco stores.

Owner: Dave Gannon ISLE OF SKYE BREWING COMPANY, SKYE Isle of Skye Brewing Company has embarked on a £450,000 development programme to expand production capacity at its site in Uig and grow the business. Supported by a £116,000 grant from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Isle of Skye has established a distribution centre in the central belt and recruited two business development managers to lead growth of the brewery’s customer base at home and abroad. Its business strategy has also involved a rebranding exercise to make its brands more appealing to modern drinkers.

Isle of Skye, founded in 1998 by Angus MacRuary, is looking to export 20% of all production in the next three years.

Managing Director: Kenny Webster underscore the key role which food and drink plays in Scotland’s economic growth and cultural development.

Scotland Food & Drink, meanwhile, is well on course with its mission to grow the industry’s value to £16.5bn by 2017. And the good news? Producers are punching well above their weight in terms of innovation, responding to consumer trends and creating a point of difference.

James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Food and drink is now one of the nation’s greatest success stories and the Year of Food and Drink couldn’t come at a better time. Scotland’s reputation for worldclass produce is advancing across the globe as well as at home and we can now keep the momentum up through 2015.

“We are blessed with a fantastic, diverse larder with food and drink businesses that are over a century old working alongside a new generation of start-ups,” he continued.

“Collectively they are what make us a Land of Food and Drink and what have driven our

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sector to being the top performer in Scotland’s economy over recent years. But, critically, success for the food and drink sector means success for our tourism businesses too. This year is the perfect platform for both these sectors to work together and make fresh strides forward.”

HERE ARE MY TEN-TO-WATCH COMPANIES/BRANDS TO WHET THE APPETITE DURING 2015: CURRY DAVE, GLASGOW Glasgow-based entrepreneur and chef Dave Gannon has tapped into the nation’s love of curry and pizza with his Curry Dave Currizzas, launched in 2013. Using Indian naan bread as a base, they are topped with authentically fresh curry sauces and

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MACSWEEN Macsween is renowned the world over for its haggis but this long-established Edinburgh institution – over 60 years old now – is very much at the forefront of driving innovation in this most traditional of food sectors. Who would have thought wild boar or venison could find their way into haggis? Macsween, under the stewardship of siblings Jo and James Macsween, has taken the humble haggis to an entirely new level and their family business to turnover in the region of £5 million. Its three bird grouse, pheasant and duck haggis may not be to everyone’s taste but Macsween is making this Scottish staple interesting and attracting new consumers in the process. Haggis is not just for Burns Night or St Andrew’s Day. Joint Managing Directors: Jo and James Macsween >>

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MAKAR GLASGOW GIN Gin is very much the “in thing” in Scotland just now and there are many new and interesting brands emerging in this exciting market. The Glasgow Distillery Company (GDC) is just one of the firms driving the sector and its small-batch Makar Glasgow Gin is the first to be produced in Glasgow.

Drinks industry veteran Liam Hughes and accountant Ian McDougall are behind the venture and the gin is available through drinks supplier Wine Importers and The Glasgow Distillery Company – it is gaining growing listings in bars, restaurants and hotels.

Chief Executive: Liam Hughes SUMMERHOUSE DRINKS, ABERDEENSHIRE One of Scotland’s newest, familyowned soft drinks companies, Summerhouse Drinks company was set up in January 2014 yet is already making a big impression. The brainchild of Claire Rennie, who graduated

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from Aberdeen University in 1998 with a BSc Hons in geography, it produces a range of 100% natural slightly sparkling drinks with no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours.

The range includes Misty Lemonade, Scottish Raspberry Lemonade and a Hint O’Mint – Lavender Lemonade is new for 2015. The drinks are produced in small batches on the family farm near Fraserburgh. Rennie, who wanted to create a “grown-up, sophisticated flavour that is special without alcohol”, has recently embarked on a brand revamp including a new website and refreshed label. Currently stocked in farm shops and independent retailers, the Summerhouse brand is attracting considerable trade and consumer interest – expect to see more of it in 2015.

Owner: Claire Rennie

BORDER BISCUITS, LANARK Border Biscuits has been around over 30 years now, quietly doing what it does without making too much of a song or dance about it. More recently, however, it’s been making a noise – and quite rightly too. The Lanarkbased firm, still independently owned and family run, has notched up a turnover in excess of £12 million and is now the top 20 sweet biscuit brand and third fastest-growing biscuit brand, according to Neilson data in December 2014. Borders’ famous Dark Chocolate Gingers take a lot of beating

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but innovations such as its newer Deliciously Different range along with fun combinations including Strawberry & Cream Melts have contributed to a sharp sales increase and more store listings across its portfolio of premium biscuits. A dab hand when it comes to social media, this is a firm that likes to have a bit of fun – it renamed January “Ginger January” to celebrate the success of its best-selling Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Gingers.

Founder and Managing Director: John Cunningham DAMN DELICIOUS, LANARKSHIRE Damn Delicious, a Lanark-based online butcher, is fast making a name for itself as a producer of premium Aberdeen Angus beef, natural grass-fed lamb and free range pork.

Michael Shannon operates Scotland’s only complete forage-based beef finishing system – based on a New Zealand-style concept – at Thankerton, the family farm near Lanark.

Finding favour with high-profile chefs such as Mark Greenaway in Edinburgh, Damn Delicious delivers all over the UK and runs a farm shop, and has found a niche with its 100% natural produce. Procuring beef and lamb since 1996 and selling to the public since 2007, the firm has expanded its range to include pies, free range pork bought directly from a farm in the Borders, and free range Norfolk Black and Kelly Bronze Christmas turkeys reared at Thankerton. Distinctive marketing and an eye-catching logo have helped raise the firm’s profile.

Owners: Michael and Michelle Shannon CRACKING COOKIES, LANARKSHIRE Cracking Cookies is a highly innovative business targeting the gift, celebration and events market with premiumquality, gourmet fortune cookies. Still less than two years old, the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Michelle and Kevin Waugh specialise in natural flavours with no artificial flavourings, colours or preservatives. Inside, messages can be themed for occasions and customers can even order their own bespoke cookies to announce a new baby, for example, or even a marriage proposal! There’s a lot of

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Border Biscuits has been around over 30 years now, quietly doing what it does without making too much of a song or dance about it

fun at Cracking Cookies HQ and attending consumer events such as the Country Living Fair in Glasgow is contributing to growing sales of these hand-crafted delights. Definitely one to watch in 2015.

Owners: Michelle and Kevin Waugh STAG BAKERIES, STORNOWAY Bakery is big business nowadays and quietly building a local, UK and international business from humble beginnings on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides is Stag Bakeries. The Stornoway-based bakery has embarked on a significant £500,000 growth strategy to modernise and expand parts of the business to meet increased demand, with plans factoring in a 30% increase in the workforce over the next three years. The Stag brand is growing via distribution in the UK speciality food market and has secured lucrative listings in some of the best independent delis, farm shops and upmarket food halls. Export markets include Ireland, Canada, Belgium,

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Norway and Portugal, and a strategy is in place to target emerging markets. In November, the firm secured funding support of £116,700 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in view of its importance to the island’s economy.

Owner: Charles Macdonald GREAT GLEN CHARCUTERIE, INVERNESS-SHIRE Dutch couple Anja Baak and Jan Jacob saw a niche in the market for Scottish-produced charcuterie products and set up their business at Roy Bridge in the Highlands 10 years ago.

Recognising the demand for continental charcuterie such as chorizo and salami in delis, they tapped into their experience of wild venison and developed a range of award-winning artisan products – including Chilli Venison Chorizo, Green Pepper Venison Salami, Venison Peperami and Venison Bresaola – which are available in independent retail outlets and farms shops. Chefs are also using Great Glen products, all made using sustainable, local wild venison which is low in cholesterol and calories.

Owners: Anja Baak and Jan Jacob n

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Grant Terry owns and runs an Aladdin’s cave of mouthwatering delights in Edinburgh’s Marchmont district. He speaks to BQ Editor Kenny Kemp

Scotland’s local shops are heading back to the future. The greengrocer can no longer compete with the mammoth cut-throat supermarkets – so they need to source unique local produce to tantalise their customers.

Grant Terry might look like an old-fashioned shop-keeper in his blue dustcoat and tie, but he is an entrepreneurial Scot battling hard to make his small business a success story. And he is succeeding. Step into his shop and your tastebuds simply start to jangle with all the colourful array of produce.

There has been a greengrocer in the same spot in Marchmont Road in Edinburgh since 1912, when it was known as Baird’s. In the 1950s, it became D. Fraser McLeod, the name today, and was bought by Grant and his father Alan 27 years ago in 1988. Grant was only a teenager who had just left school – and he drove the white van to deliver to the elderly ladies of Marchmont, who phoned in their weekly orders. He has been an early riser ever since, getting up at 4.30am every week morning to head to the fruitmarket for 5am.

The result has been some of the best fruit and vegetables in Edinburgh. However, when cricket-loving Alan Terry decided to retire six years ago, Grant knew he had to expand the range of produce. At first, he and his colleague Daniel Mitchell dipped their toes in the water to see what was selling. But over the past few years Grant has been able to stock the shop with Spanish, Italian and Greek produce straight from those countries, with specialist olive oils and tins of goose fat that are not available in the supermarkets.

“I started to diversify when my father retired.

We needed to try something different and

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it’s been a learning curve for me. We now stock produce that you can’t really get anywhere else in Edinburgh. Now we have a comprehensive range as a greengrocer-deli, and we’ve expanded our more specialist Scottish produce.” Indeed Grant attended the recent Scottish Specialty Food Show at the SECC, making connections with several Scottish companies. He now stocks Reid’s of Caithness shortbread, from Thurso, Hebridean Sea Salt, loved by the likes of chef Andrew Fairlie, Stag Bakeries’ chocolate chip cookies and biscuits from Stornoway, Orkney smoked cheeses, and Argo’s Bakery and fudge from Stromness, also on the Orkney islands.

“Scotland’s best produce is as good as anything else from the rest of Europe. I’m proud, as a Scottish shop owner, to be selling this kind of produce. I like to think we’re doing our bit to keep these businesses alive and thriving. ”He is also looking at stocking an artisan organic chocolate that is made in nearby Bruntsfield in Edinburgh. Grant Terry admits there are very few specialists shops around, but says he has great support from his regulars in his catchment areas. While there aren’t as many spinster aunts needing their weekly shop delivered, there are plenty of students from the universities and two secondary schools.

“They prefer the filled rolls that we make. But if we use Scottish cheeses and relishes, then we are helping too.”

Fraser McLeod remains a local shop successfully flying the flag against the mass power of supermarket society. It’s a shop where you find retail passion among the plums and the polenta. n

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GREENGROCER AT THE END OF A RAINBOW TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

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Scotland’s craft brewing sector is booming. Stewart Brewing, based at Bilston Glen Industrial Estate outside Edinburgh, are reaping the rewards of their hard work. Founder Steve Stewart talks to BQ Editor Kenny Kemp Stewart Brewing is now a well-established beer brand. How have you gone about building your brand?

We were established in 2004 and although the brand has evolved over the years, our original values still remain at the core of the business.

We pride ourselves on brewing beers of the highest quality possible and maintaining an excellent standard of customer service.

Back in 2004, our main focus was simply to sell great beer in Scotland’s capital, which has a rich brewing history. Since then we have developed and innovated to uphold that ethos.

What business lesson have you learned?

There are two that spring to mind. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Someone once told me that you are never the first person to take the long way around a short cut. After a lot of time and effort, you get to where you already were! Also, keep being creative, enjoy what you are doing, and never give up. If you are not enjoying it, then change it.

There is a real revival in locally produced beers and ales. How have you been able to scale up to meet demand?

Craft beer is self-propagating. There is, however, a definite ethos of ‘the more the merrier’. Brewers tend to share the same passion. Being one of the more established names in Scotland, we are fortunate in that our supporters have been with us for years.

That said, we are always on our toes and keep up with the market changes.

Can you give us some sense of the growth in the last five years?

From 2010 to 2012, we were quite simply unable to keep up with the demand for our beer. Frustrating at times, we weren’t able to trial new beers and tinker with the ideas that our team of brewers had. Then we built our new brewery in the summer of 2012. We now brew from a 50 hectolitre brewkit and have

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the facility to produce 18,000hl of beers per annum. As such, head count has doubled since 2010 and considerably so in the past year. The Craft Beer Kitchen (brew-it-yourself facility which is open to the public) and our on-site bottleshop have developed a new strand of our business and this continues to grow.

You have the flexibility and ability to make beers for different markets and occasions. Is this all part of the plan?

We are able to produce, and perhaps more importantly store, more beer than ever. With that in mind, we have been able to extend our Hop Series with a couple of new additions, as well as bring some limited edition beers to market. Beers such as First World Problems and Hopricot have demonstrated what we can do, and just how well we can do it. In terms of small scale releases, our Craft Beer Kitchen enables our brewers to produce one or two kegs/casks of a brand new and exciting beer, and in turn, offer our loyal trade customers something unheard of.

In Year of Food and Drink, what are you doing to encourage more people to enjoy your beer?

We have been working closely with VisitScotland during 2014 and will continue to work together to encourage more of Scotland to visit our facility and try locally brewed beer. Having hosted a successful event shortly before Christmas 2014, which invited our loyal customers to spend the day at the brewery sampling beers, talking to brewers and touring around the brewplant, we are planning on hosting several more in the coming year. We are targeting people who perhaps aren’t

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aware of Stewart Brewing or even aren’t huge beer drinkers. We also will host events in various pubs around Scotland and plan to produce a series of one-offs on the Craft Beer Kitchen with specific themes. We’ve plenty of other tricks up our sleeves as well!

What foods go well with a pint? (other than pies, that is!)

I enjoy eating lighter dishes such as seafood with nice pale hoppy beers and enjoy matching more darker, malty beers with desserts. We’ve also had beer and haggis events, teaming up with Macsweens, the famous haggis makers.

Tell us about the team. What is their passion for beer?

We have such a mix of people working here, from Scotland to Tunisia to Australia, we have such a fantastic mix of characters and, of course, hard workers! Our passion is most definitely making high quality beer. As far as the collective team goes, they all share a passion of wanting to take Stewart Brewing to the next stage, while upholding our core values, continuing to innovate and have fun!

Is there exporting opportunity for you – after all Export was once a popular Scottish ale.

I would say we have been more ‘receptive’ rather than ‘proactive’ to export potential.

For no reason other than needing to focus on our local market and ensuring that we brew the right beers for them and can meet their demand.

That said, our beers have been shipped over to Australia, Brazil and Canada in the last 12 months. This year, however, will have an emphasis on tackling the export market. n

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MEET THE MARVELLOUS MEAT MEN Scotland’s local butchers – such as Mathieson in Edinburgh – are in the frontline in selling premium cuts of beef, lamb and pork to customers in the Year of Food and Drink.

Kenny Kemp crossed the sawdust floor to meet the team

You always get a friendly welcome along with your steak, pork chops or sausages when you step into Mathieson, a traditional Scottish butcher shop on the southside of Edinburgh.

Tucked in under the sandstone tenements on Ratcliffe Terrace, the team of butchers have a wealth of experience and knowledge about their produce – and even a bit of banter about how the Jambos performed at the weekend.

Mathieson’s – with a sprinkling of sawdust on the floor – are typical of the Scottish butchers that can still be found right across Scotland.

But times have become tough as supermarkets squeeze profit margins and parking outside High Street shops becomes increasingly difficult. Tommy Dickson, Duggie Glass, Alistair Morrison and Murray Allan in their aprons and neckties are local legends, veterans of the business, with Murray the ‘youngster’ having only worked in the shop for 24 years since leaving school. All have a line in patter that is as sharp as the knife skills required to carve a carcase of lamb.

“When the photographer came in to take our pictures we told our customers that the

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photo shoot was for a glamour magazine,” jokes Tommy.

Robert Wilson, the owner of Mathieson, is proud of his butchery team and the fact that they sell high quality beef, pork and lamb to customers, ranging from the local pub who love the shop-made meat pies or the more well-to-do in the city’s Grange district who snap up their haggis, sirloins and roasts.

When Robert Wilson left school in 1972 he worked in the livestock auction market in Edinburgh. Then later moved into the abattoirs where he learned his trade. In 1990 he started buying and selling livestock, travelling all over Scotland buying sheep, pigs and beef.

When the last Mr Mathieson, who ran the shop that was in the family for four generations, decided to retire in 2007, Mr Wilson stepped in to buy the business.

“I’ve been in the livestock meat wholesaling business for a number of years. I purchase all the animals for the shop. We stick to the same system and it is all sourced in Scotland.

It’s the very best and it is processed properly by our guys. They start at 7am every day, so we can have the best fresh produce for our customers,” he explains.

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The beef and pigs come from a farm near Coldingham in Berwickshire, sold through the auction mart in St Boswells, while Mr Wilson sources the lambs through his own connections. “Everything I buy is Scottish.

Scottish pigs, beef and lambs. I’m one of the few who still goes to the auction and physically buys the produce. A lot of places get it bought for them. Obviously, a lot of butchers don’t have time to go and buy at the auctions.”

Will the Year of Food and Drink 2015 help raise the profile of Scotland’s great produce.

“I think it will raise awareness about Scotland’s high quality produce. Unfortunately, there are now fewer and fewer independent Scottish

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butcher shops. We’re fortunate in that we have a discerning local clientele who support us. We’re part of the local community and that makes a difference to us,” he says.

According to Quality Meat Scotland, Scotland’s beef, lamb and pork producers make a significant contribution to the country’s rural economy, contributing over £2.1bn to the annual GDP of Scotland and supporting around 50,000 jobs in the farming, agricultural supply and processing sectors. The local butcher is still an essential part of Scottish life.

The Scottish Meat Trade Fair will be held at the Dewars Centre, Perth, on Sunday, 10 May 2015, when the Scottish Haggis and Pork Sausage Competition will be held. n

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INTERVIEW

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INTERVIEW

DESTINATION DESIGN: DUNDEE’S ROUTE TO PROSPERITY Philip Long is the director of V&A Dundee. He talks about how Scotland’s design heritage will be given pride of place among international exhibitions in the much-anticipated V&A Scotland, due to open in 2018. BQ Editor Kenny Kemp hears more about the design ethos >> There has been tremendous interest – and media column inches – about V&A Dundee’s arrival. And rightly so. This is a project that will help Scotland’s fourth largest city place itself firmly on the global international stage with an unprecedented opportunity to emulate the likes of Bilbao, where the Guggenheim has undoubtedly breathed fresh life into a fading Spanish industrial city.

V&A Dundee will become Scotland’s design museum to showcase both creative and industrial design, and how Scots and Scotland have made an indelible mark in the design of buildings, computer, technology, printing, textiles and visual art. On the back of this, Dundee has been awarded UNESCO City of Design status, along with Helsinki, Bilbao and Turin. There is a great deal riding on this flagship project for Dundee and for Scotland.

Philip Long is the director of Design Dundee Ltd, the business that is responsible for delivering the >>

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creative direction of the museum – one that will create the WOW! factor and pull in the crowds – while Dundee City Council has the responsibility of delivering the iconic building.

“V&A is a symbol of Dundee’s new ambition.

Once it is built it will be at the forefront of the city, a stunning building on the waterfront,” says Long.

The delivery of this prestigious project has recently made headlines over a doubling in the costs to more than £80m, from an original estimate of £45m. As a result the Scottish Government will increase its stake of £15m to £22m, with a commitment of £25m, Following the tendering process with main contractor BAM Construction, Dundee City Council’s policy and resources committee is being asked to approve a funding strategy to enable construction to get going. This involves discussions with the Scottish Government about funding totalling £12.6 million through the creation of a Growth Accelerator Model fund for the Dundee Waterfront Project. A further £6.5m is expected from the council’s capital programme for 2015-18 without impacting on council services.

There have been delays in building work, due to start in March, while the elaborately, designed structure has been modified to fit its allotted space on the waterfront.

“There will be huge expectation when it is open. We will benefit from having a strong team looking at design and innovation. It is absolutely about business and developing a great sense of design thinking – not just in the creative industries but in all types of business.”

The creation of V&A taps into an incredible design ethos in the city that was once famed for its jute, jam and journalism. Long singles out Abertay University for its computer games design, [he cites Genes in Space, a Cancer Research project involving a computer game devised in the city by GuerillaTea which harnesses scientific data on DNA] the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design for its teaching and expertise and the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre as examples of the city’s existing innovation.

“It was important to set out a compelling case of what the project would be. Projects like this around the world can often pay great dividends in terms of return on investment on

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V&A is one of the world’s most outstanding museums and the leading museum of art and design.

It was of enormous interest to me. I thought bringing it to Dundee was an absolutely fantastic idea

tourism benefit, contributing to the broader economic agenda through attracting new business investment.”

Long says this is fine up to a point. But if you don’t get across the message about the importance and relevance of setting up such a new cultural institution, then it can be an uphill battle after this.

“V&A Dundee will be an international centre for design in Scotland. We want it to be an institution that changes people’s perceptions of what design is and its potential. We want it to look at the opportunities that design can provide for people, communities and businesses, across all disciplines. We don’t think of design as a division of art – it is about problem-solving. Everything is design: it transforms lives.”

For Long, the history of design is about human ingenuity in solving problems.

“We want to show people this and provide opportunities as far and wide as we can that helps the understanding of this. We want to get people involved in being creative in all parts of life. Our job will be to explain and interpret that.”

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Long, originally from Edinburgh, is an ideal person to set the context for the gallery. He studied art and design at Lancaster University and then Essex, where he continued with museums and gallery studies. “I’ve always had an interest in the relationship between art and design. I began my career making art in sculpture and design but I quickly moved into working in museums and galleries. “ He worked for five years with the Fine Art Society Gallery, then in Glasgow, and then joined the National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh as a curator.

“I worked my way up through the National Galleries of Scotland doing all sorts of things, but my specialisation was in Scottish art and design. I undertook many projects including curating Scotland’s presence at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Latterly, I worked with the Tate on behalf of the National Galleries of Scotland, leading the Artists Room project, which has been very important in exposing young people to art and how it can transform people’s lives.”

Artist Rooms, an outstanding collection of international contemporary art, was donated by collector and dealer Anthony d’Offay in 2008 and became a national touring programme with museums and galleries across the UK, including the Pier Arts Centre in Orkney. Long also did work on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the architect Sir Basil Spence, famed for his post-war Coventry Cathedral and Glasgow high-rised flats in the Gorbals.

“When I heard that there was the prospect of V&A Scotland, I thought this was an extraordinary opportunity. V&A is one of the world’s most outstanding museums and the leading museum of art and design. It was of enormous interest to me. I thought bringing it to Dundee was an absolutely fantastic idea.”

Long already knew many people in Dundee’s contemporary art and design community and among the art school academics and he felt it was a Scottish city that had ambition and expertise to support something as imposing as the V&A. “This is a world-class cultural institution at the heart of a major civic regeneration project that is contributing to future development and well-being of the city. While the institution needs to have a root into the local community

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and take that very seriously, it needs to be international.”

He speaks about the proven success of the Guggenheim in Bilbao, and mentions the Tate Liverpool, at Albert Dock, and also the proliferation of contemporary galleries making Helsinki a place for art-lovers to visit and explore.

“Dundee understands this and is well-placed to do this because of the strength of its academic population in Abertay University and Dundee and Angus College, and its civic leadership in the city council, and the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. Dundee knows that investment in culture works.”

In the completed museum, which now looks likely to open in 2018, Scotland’s prowess will be strongly celebrated and featured.

“At the heart, we will have gallery space given over to Scotland’s extraordinary history of design innovation. That is an international history and it is really staggering for centuries.

If you think about the Adam family, as architectural innovators across the UK, to Thomas Telford, who built the Caledonian Canal which opened up the Highlands, or

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the manufacture of the Paisley pattern, or shipbuilding and engineering in Glasgow.

Or with Ian Callum, head of design at Jaguar cars, born in Dumfries, who is transforming one of the UK’s global brands. There is an intrinsic right that people should be more aware of this heritage and have access to this part of our economic history.”

He argues that with the creative economy such an important part of our modern Scottish economy, we can take great comfort in appreciating this national legacy. There is a lot to learn. The most collected antique cabinetmaker in the United States from the 18th century is Thomas Affleck, known as Philadelphia Chippendale, who came from Aberdeen, while one half of Harley Davidson motor bike company, Sandy Davidson, came from Aberlemno in Angus, while Tel Aviv’s town plan was devised by Patrick Geddes.

“It’s an extraordinary story. We will reflect this. There will be difference between V&A London and V&A Dundee.”

Long explains that the Victoria & Albert in London was set up after the Great Exhibition of 1851 because it was felt that Britain was

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falling behind in design technology and education – which only became apparent when other nations outshone British industry and goods in the international pavilions at the Crystal Palace.

“There was a concern when the Great Exhibition opened in London. V&A was a permanent solution and was set up partly with a mission to improve the quality of Britain’s manufacturing goods. It set about doing this by developing an institution that was free to the public, bringing great examples of art and design from around the world. It was to inspire creativity.” Dundee’s difference will be to concentrate on design, not art and design.

“However, we share V&A’s founding mission to improve our creativity and the quality of our manufactures,” he says.

With the project development well underway, Long became the director of V&A Dundee in 2011. The international architectural competition was established and won by Kengo Kuma & Associates, who have designed an iconic building to rival the Frank Gehry designed Bilbao building. The building was chosen by the people of Dundee.

“I acknowledge that there were a lot of people working on the project. I was the first dedicated employee. When I walked into the office in Dundee in the summer of 2011, there were 20 empty desks. I’ve been responsible for the development of the project ever since.”

V&A Dundee is all about partnership. It would not be happening without all the bits of the jigsaw clicking into place.

“The partnership continues to be responsible for driving the project forward. The diversity of the partnership, which includes the local authority, the academic bodies in the city, Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise and the V&A itself means there is the wonderful ability to get things done. The civic leadership of the city is at the top table.”

It will be several years before we see the full fruits of Long’s work, but in the meantime V&A Dundee is setting up some touring exhibitions to whet the appetite for the arrival of the gallery. A lot of water will flow under the Tay Bridge before the iconic building is complete, alongside a regenerated waterfront with bars and restaurants, but it is certain to become a jewel in the Dundee crown. n

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We know the visitor economy is a major economic driver for Scotland yet it is often overlooked by those who miss the wider significance and impact. Kenny Kemp reports

TOURISM IS BLOOMING GOOD FOR SCOTLAND’S BUSINESSES It can be as simple as buying a bunch of flowers to place in a guest room. Every act of commerce has an accumulated impact.

And Scotland’s national prosperity depends increasingly on our visitors’ spend. From flower shops to construction companies, the multiplier effect of tourism trickles down into the most unexpected areas of the economy.

“Without tourism, industries like food and drink, retail and construction would be severely impacted and without tourism the spotlight would not be on Scotland after an amazing 2014,” says Malcolm Roughead, the chief executive of VisitScotland.

He is right. But he says we are still struggling to get the business world to take tourism seriously.

“This needs to change and it is time that we took tourism from the breakfast table to the global stage,” he says.

For every £50,000 spent in tourism, a new job is created in Scotland. The consultants Deloitte estimated that around 350,000 jobs will be created in tourism in the next ten years – that’s

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up 20% on current figures. Between 2012 and 2013, Scottish tourism created 29,000 jobs.

This is also news worth celebrating.

An extra job in tourism economy employment for additional spending of £54,000 and using the Scottish Tourism Alliance 2020 projections for growth from 2013 to 2020, we should expect between 13,000 to 14,500 extra tourism economy jobs by 2020 in Scotland.

So the 292,000 tourism economy jobs in 2013, estimated by the Deloitte report, will increasing to around 306,000 by 2020.This is a massive cohort of employment.

Even more interesting, Scotland’s tourism industry is set to grow 54.4% in real terms by 2025 – faster than manufacturing, construction and retail.

But Malcolm Roughead’s point is that we don’t always see these jobs. Yet all around there are perfect examples of firms who derive benefit from the visitor economy.

For example, Narcissus Flowers and Plants, set up by founder Sharon Nugent in 1997, in Edinburgh’s Broughton Street is a stone’s

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throw from the Playhouse Theatre and a host of city centre hotels and restaurants. It is a well-known local florist and a typical Scottish business that gains from tourism.

Emilia Robledo, who is one of shop’s floral designers for wedding and events, says Narcissus does a lot of the flowers and plants for conferences, symposiums, major dinners and film-makers in the city.

“We often get asked to make a bouquet for guest staying at hotels. We also do major conferences, such as the TED Global Talks which take place at the EICC. This was a big job for us,” says Emilia, who has worked in Narcissus for three years.

The flower shop handles work for the Sheraton Grand, the Royal College of Physicians, a popular venue for weddings in Queen Street, and restaurants including Gustos, Martin Wishart, David Bann and the Honours.

One of the specialties is the purple thistle which is used to give conference displays a distinctly Scottish look.

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“There is a general look that people like, which is quite wild and rustic, and unarranged in terms of style. It is a look and a feel that people go for rather than varieties. Certainly, when you think about it we benefit from the visitor economy.”

Spending at the four main conference centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen totals £1.1bn every year – the same as eight Edinburgh Festival Fringes, 27 T in the Parks or 14 Commonwealth Games. Even if the flowers are a small percentage of this, then it is good for local Scottish firms.

Then there is the construction and manufacturing industry. A Scottish-based company such as Grant Westfield is in manufacturing and shop-fitting. Managing director Nigel Patch has successfully moved his business into his multiPANEL product range which are used in commercial washrooms, hotels and restaurants, while other products have been used to refurbish hundreds of budget hotel rooms. This Edinburgh firm is undoubtedly a manufacturer – but it is just

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one of a host of manufacturing businesses benefiting from the tourism boom in low-cost hotel rooms.

Tourism has a significant impact on a number of other industries too including: • 47% of ancillary transport, such as taxis, private cabs and car hire. (£700m).

• 63.6% of recreational services, including swimming pools, hotel spas, museums and galleries.

• 82% of wines and spirits (£95m).

If it wasn’t for tourism, carpet manufacturers would lose nearly £100,000, accountants would be £9m less well off, car mechanics wouldn’t repair £6m worth of cars, leather makers would lose £350,000, soft drinks industry would lose £14m. In Scotland, tourism really is everyone’s business.

According to government statistics, tourism impacts on at least a third of other Scottish businesses – bringing around £2bn extra spend to the Scottish economy beyond its traditional boundaries. A survey by the Meeting Professionals International

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Foundation, valued business tourism alone – these are people travelling to meetings, networking events, staying over and having supper – at £1.9b annually to Scotland.

And it is spread geographically too, as tourism touches every part of Scotland, from the islands and other rural areas to the Central Belt and urban areas. It is a catalyst for maintaining communities: for example, 15% of the working population in Argyll and Bute are employed in tourism-related industries.

In all, the visitor economy is worth £11bn with potential to grow. Additionally capital investment in 2013 was estimated at £2.1 billion, this is expected to be £4bn in 2025.

Anyone who isn’t paying attention to this kind of growth, could be missing out on some great opportunities. n Narcissus also runs a flower school, with its spring workshop starting on 5th March. Emilia Robledo is one of the tutors. school@narcissusflowers.co.uk.

Or 0131 478 7447.

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TO SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US SPECIAL REPORT | SPRING 15

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Haggis, hangovers and deep fried Mars Bars. BQ2 asked Liberty Vittert, a visitor to Scotland from the United States, to take a critical look at our eating and drinking in Scotland

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What would a visit to Mexico be without tequila and tortillas? Or France without wine and frog’s legs? Even Italy without pasta and sambucca? Every country has its own special fare that has often existed longer than the nation itself and one of the great joys of travel is discovering those delicacies.

So, as a visitor from the United States, what are some of the tasty and historical offerings of Scotland: a land surrounded by sea with an abundance of fresh seafood, gorgeous Highland cows, and well, of course, plenty of Scotch?

I know that when I moved here I had hordes of deep fried Mars Bars swirling around in the clouds above my head. Thankfully, for my waistline that is, I haven’t actually stepped over the threshold of a place that sells them.

I was also stunned to find out that most Scots don’t actually drink whisky – although I have witnessed quite a few pints of Tennent’s lager being downed. So, I decided to embark upon a ‘tradition inquisition’, trying to understand what indeed makes food and drink distinctly Scottish, and most importantly how foreigners and Scots alike can truly experience Scottish culture: through their tastes and their tummies.

First stop, a German science professor who moved with his young family to Glasgow a couple years ago. Like me, his preconceived notions of Scotland also included deep fried Mars Bars, but besides an initial encounter with some deep fried toast, he was astounded by the abundance of fresh food and fabulous cultural options available to him. A favourite haunt is The Shish Mahal (60-68 Park Road, Glasgow, G4 9JH), which claim to have invented chicken tikka masala.

It would be remiss of us when exploring Scottish food to forget the powerful Indian influence. Other Indian restaurants such as Mother India (28 Westminster Terrace, Glasgow, G3 7RU), with the best butter chicken around, are highly popular among knowledgeable Glaswegians.

My next stop was with Vinny, a young mathematics doctoral student from Gloucestershire, living in Glasgow who thought everything in Scotland was deep fat fried. While he may have gained a couple of kilos while living here, his taste buds have

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exploded and he suggests that you head on over to MacCallum’s of Troon “Wee Fry” (159 Milngavie Road, Bearsden, G61 3DY) to try the best battered fish and chips around.

Interestingly, Vinny wouldn’t touch a whisky, but one of this favorite haunts in Glasgow is the Ben Nevis whisky bar (1147 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8TB), where a rag-tag group of local musicians play live music, paid simply with the beer they drink.

For a luscious burger (yes, you can get black pudding on it), slip on up to the bar at Chinaski’s (239 North Road, Glasgow, G3 7DL), a fabulous pub with mile-high burgers and a great outdoor beer garden.

I have never had a deep fried Mars Bar and I have never seen anyone eating one – Andrew Fairlie When in Edinburgh, our resident expert Jessica, a 25-year old North-west American postgraduate student in literature at the University of Edinburgh, says to head on over to Love and Crumbs (155 West Port, Edinburgh, EH3 9DP); a cute little breakfast stop off the beaten track from the castle.

Some of her favorites are the violet and bramble cake, the custard cream cake, and the best scones with clotted cream around.

For a nice night out in Edinburgh, try the Newsroom (5-11 Leith Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3AT), a burger and cocktail bar with ‘out of this world delicious’ drinks. Ask for the toasted marshmallow bourbon bottle – you’ll feel like you’re at a campfire telling ghost stories about conquering Highland warriors.

For a bit of exploration, I thought we should take a gander at a couple of restaurants up north, and speaking of up north, who better than Andrew Fairlie, the proprietor of Scotland’s only two-star Michelin restaurant (working on his 3rd) at the Gleneagles Hotel,

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to give us some idea of what Scottish cuisine genuinely means. After exploring the rest of the world for 20 years he returned to the country of his birth to create his own namesake restaurant. Why? Well, “the restaurants [in London] were using Scottish produce and even in France the chefs were using Scottish shellfish with Scottish produce all over the Parisienne markets. I knew that Perthshire, where I grew up, was rich with the greatest produce in the world. “ So, a couple questions later, I think he gave us a pretty great view of the best way to experience Scotland.

If you were to serve a visitor in Scotland one meal that was emblematic of the best of Scottish food, what would you cook for them?

Andrew: A starter of scallops, lobster and langoustine – unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Scottish roast grouse – unique in this world. Red Berries (strawberries and raspberries) – in season, it is the best fruit ever.

I asked Andrew if he had one day to take a visiting friend around Scotland where would you go and what would you eat?

“I’d take them for breakfast at this little place in Glasgow called Café Gandolfi; proper homemade sausage, proper black pudding, and great scrambled eggs. For lunch, The Three Chimneys on (the Isle of) Skye. They only cook what the fishermen bring in and there is no place more beautiful for lunchtime in the summer. Dinner; Chez moi… “And what’s the story about the Deep Fried Mars Bar? “I have never had a deep fried Mars Bar and I have never seen anyone eating one”. To Haggis or Not To Haggis? “If you left without trying haggis you would regret it. And Irn Bru is… “the best hangover cure ever invented.” From speaking to every one of these visitors and locals alike, it is clear that the warmth and hospitality of the Scottish people is reflected in their food. Whether it’s an Abroath Smokie (haddock), Aberdeen Angus steak, melt in your mouth Tablet, or the Cranachan trifle you must taste; all this hearty food is unique to and unparalleled in Scotland. It is a country of truly fantastic, simple food. Please enjoy exploring it (and make sure you try haggis along the way). n

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FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN FOR FOOD LOVERS St Andrews beckons for this year’s Open golf fans More than 340,000 spectators attended golf events in Scotland last year with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles the pinnacle. Now in the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, great international golf comes together with outstanding food and drink at the 144th Open in St Andrews, one of no fewer than nine professional events confirmed for Scotland.

Scotland’s global position as the ‘Home of Golf’ was underlined when 240,000 spectators descended on the PGA Centenary Course

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at Gleneagles in September for the Ryder Cup. Now VisitScotland, which supports golf tournaments through its events directorate EventScotland, says it expects another bumper year for golfing spectators, which will help show off Scotland’s excellence in hospitality.

Brett Tonkyn, director of sales for The Open Hospitality Programme, is already seeing a surge of interest in the official hospitality options that have been created with the approval of the R&A, the

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organisers of the 144th Open Championship in St Andrews.

“The Open Hospitality Programme has a number of exciting options available across three on-course locations in St Andrews at the Old Course. We are delighted about the number of Scottish businesses of all sizes that have already secured their hospitality at The Open to help strengthen relationships with their clients,” says Brett.

One package which has gone down incredibly

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well is The Champions Club. Over the four Championship days from 16-19 July, it will host around 2,800 guests providing fully inclusive hospitality in a purpose-built facility.

This new concept in sporting hospitality was launched at Royal Liverpool last year and proved to be popular with golf fans and businesses alike who wanted a less formal environment than traditional hospitality but still enjoy inclusive food and drink in between walking to the course to watch the world’s greatest golfers. “We’re trying to make hospitality at The Open as accessible to as many people as possible.

We’re also targeting the SME market at the price point of £345 per person, excluding VAT. That gives our customers 10 and half hours of Major Championship golf, and allows them to enjoy a fully inclusive package in a purposebuilt restaurant, located within the Spectator Village, close to the 16th hole.”

“With our official caterer, Sodexo, we try to promote local produce and we are sourcing as

much locally if we can. Sustainability is a vital part in helping to grow the sport around the world, which is key for The R&A and The Open,” he says. “The Champions Club package is less formal for the golf fan and suits someone who really wants to soak up the atmosphere around the course and inside the restaurant with like minded people,” he said.

However, The Open Hospitality Programme also offers other exciting options.

“We are also offering the famous Jigger Inn to businesses for private hire. They can become the ‘landlord’ of their own pub for the week of The Open, a truly unique opportunity. It’s on the course, within the paygates and has brilliant views of the 17th hole. We also have other options in the Old Course Hotel and at the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, overlooking the 18th hole. A spectacular place to witness the drama,” he says.

That’s available on application. “The Open is such an exciting spectacle. We have seen an increase in interest from international

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clients, especially the US and this year from sport-loving Australians, who are also using this as an opportunity to watch the Ashes cricket. We would advise people looking to attend St Andrews this July go to TheOpen. com for information on tickets and hospitality.

Some hospitality options are already sold out.”

Meanwhile, Scotland’s Golf Coast is delighted that Muirfield, itself an Open championship course, has topped the list of Top 100 Golf Courses in the United Kingdom and Ireland by magazine Golf Monthly, with North Berwick, Gullane No. 1 and The Renaissance Club also being named highly in the rankings. Scotland’s Golf Coast is also delighted to have eight courses listed in National Club Golfer’s GB & Ireland’s Top 100 Links. No other region in the British Isles boasts more courses in the list. These courses include; Muirfield at No.2, North Berwick at No.13, The Renaissance Club at No. 47, Gullane No.1 at No. 50 and Dunbar, Luffness New, Gullane No.2 of Archerfield. n

The Open is such an exciting spectacle. We have seen an increase in interest from international clients, especially the US and this year from Australians...

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THE LEDERER OF THE PACK Peter Lederer has been in the vanguard of Scotland’s tourism industry for more than 30 years. He recently retired as chairman from Gleneagles and from the board of Diageo Scotland but he remains an important voice. BQ Editor Kenny Kemp charts the massive contribution made by Lederer to our hospitality industry Back in May 2001, as Business Editor of the Sunday Herald, I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Lederer about chairing VisitScotland, then an organisation playing its part in rebuilding our tourism profile after the devastation of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

He told me then that his wife, Marilyn, was concerned about him taking on such a high-profile public job.

“My wife warned me not to do it, against my better judgement. She knows how allconsuming life becomes in this business and she is great at keeping my feet on the ground.

We’re a close-knit family and she could see how much time it would take.”

It has been an all-consuming career. Lederer took over at Gleneagles in 1984 when the once great railway hotel in Perthshire was in decline and requiring a massive upgrade in both fabric and customer service.

“When I took over at Gleneagles it was living on a past reputation, you don’t change that overnight. You have to change the culture and build the respect again. It’s the same with tourism in Scotland,” he said in 2001.

Lederer has achieved a great deal, turning

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the hotel into an industry leading destination.

He then became chairman of both the Tourism Skills Group and Hospitality Industry Trust in Scotland battling to improve our levels of service. It has been his life-long crusade.

When the then First Minister of Enterprise Wendy Alexander asked Peter to step in as VisitScotland’s chair, he was reticent. We should all be grateful that he decided to take on the task. Since then he has helped polish VisitScotland’s reputation too, turning it into a well-run and focused organisation that has done an admirable job at selling Scotland overseas – and encouraging higher

standards at home. Indeed, Mike Cantlay, the current chairman, worked closely with Lederer to make the transition, which then saw Malcolm Roughead become the chief executive. Lederer, who became chairman of Gleneagles Hotel in 2007 and has done much as a tourism ambassador for Scotland, recently announced his retirement as Scottish director of global drinks giant Diageo, makers of Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Gordon’s Gin. While he remains a board member of Baxter’s Food Group, Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Military >>

The tourism sector has struggled with the Minimum Wage and the political movement towards the Living Wage is happening, and this will have an impact on our industry

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SUCCESS STORY Tattoo, he stepped down from his Gleneagles position from January 2015. Now his ‘day job’ is helping in the turnaround of four, three-star hospitality businesses based in Scotland.

“This is the next chapter in my particular book,” he reveals.

In the next chapter, he is involved with three emerging businesses and a turnaround project.

He chairs Applecrate, based in Fife, who make ecological cedar standalone suites giving hotels – and homes - extra room, particularly in the luxury market for cabins and lodges.

“These are very eco-friendly to a very high standard, with under floor heating, wood burning stoves, and the like. The beauty for a hotel is they can add on rooms without planning difficulty and it is half the cost of adding to an existing building. It’s a doublewin because the customer sees it as a premium product.”

He is also chair of Taste Communications, the food and drink public relations agency, founded by television presenter Stephen Jardine, is the chairman of Hamilton & Inches, Edinburgh’s prestigious jeweller firm, and is non-executive director of Pod Global Solutions, which builds flexible retail, food and beverage units. He remains passionate about Scotland’s tourism industry. Speaking recently at a BQ Scotland event on the Royal Yacht Britannia, he shared his thoughts: “There are some strategic issues that we all need to think about that are coming down the track.

The Living Wage is going to be an enormous issue for this industry. The tourism sector has struggled with the Minimum Wage and the political movement towards the Living Wage is happening, and this will have an impact on our industry. Technology is another area. I think the hotel business will be more impacted

by Airbnb than anything else it has seen in the last 50 years. It already is. A colleague went to New York recently and stayed in a beautiful apartment for five days for the price of a pretty mediocre hotel in New York. And why wouldn’t you? And there are other online developments that are impacting already and it is pretty scary about how it will affect our industry.”

Certainly the three American founders of Airbnb – Brian Chesky, 33, Nathan Blecharczyk, 31 and Joe Gebbia, 33 – have

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disrupted the global tourism market. Over ten million people in 2014 were willing to hand the keys of their homes over to complete strangers to rent out holiday space in their house. The website has over 80,000 listings, which means it has more options than the Hilton Hotel group or Intercontinental Hotels, or indeed any other hotel chain in the world.

In just seven years, this start-up has shaken the tourism industry and upset regulators and the tax industry. Lederer is right when he sees Airbnb as a disrupter, revolutionising the travel experience for the social media generation, displacing the established players and generating billions in revenue for the company and their hosts.

While the tourism industry talks about

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creating authentic experiences, Airbnb’s founder Brian Chesky says his business is about more than a bed for the night.

“Airbnb is about so much more than just renting space. It’s about people and experiences. At the end of the day, what we’re trying to do is bring the world together. You’re not getting a room, you’re getting a sense of belonging,” he said in a recent interview with Inc. magazine.

It is a very radical departure for the industry, although cities are fighting back, with Barcelona fining the company for the breach of tourism laws, while New Orleans, San Francisco and Malibu have all investigated the business for violating leasing terms. Last October, New York State’s attorney general

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found that 72% of Airbnb’s New York listings violate hotel and housing laws. Nevertheless, this company is a serious player and there will be others who will see this as an opportunity.

Lederer also talks about the environment and how Scotland has to work to maintain its beautiful scenery, caring more for the pristine landscapes that enthral visitors. Back in 2001, before the proliferation of onshore wind farms, he said: “You drive along the M8, which for many people is the arrival point from the airport, and what do you see? There are cans and bottles and rubbish bags in the trees. This really isn’t acceptable any longer when you are trying to market then country as a pristine place to come and visit.”

That point still remains relevant, although the plastic bags tax is helping, but too many lazy Scots still tip their refuge out of their car, without considering the importance of the action.

He also expressed concern about the ‘public sector dependency’ and the expectation ‘it was going to sort everything out’.

“I don’t think we should over-estimate what the public sector can and will do. When you look back over the last 20-30 years, have they really made the difference? The differences have been made, I think, when the private sector comes together and really decides it is going to do something. The public sector then has a role to play in supporting that, not the other way around.”

“One of the things we learned around the G8 summit in Gleneagles was that the event generated a belief in Scotland in the wider business tourism market that Scotland can run pretty serious events. We got a lot of business out of that. When you can run something as complex as a major political summit, you can run a corporate event. Scotland benefited and it put us in a different league,” he said.

He said the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and the Scottish referendum have all done a similar amount for Scotland in terms of reputation. “The perception of what was happening in Scotland was very positive: a mature country having this kind of debate and process. It was handled very well.”

One of his other frustrations about Scotland is that it doesn’t sell itself well enough on the global stage.

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“We don’t do selling. WE DO NOT SELL,” he repeats. “Not just this industry, but the country. In 25 years running Gleneagles I can count on one hand the number of people who came to me and said, ‘what do I need to do to get your business?’ If we don’t sell, nothing happens. Nothing happens in business unless we sell. It’s not VisitScotland, or Scottish Enterprise or some other body’s job to sell it for us, we’ve got to sell.”

What would he like to see repeated? His clarion call remains about raising standards to the highest level.

One of the things we learned around the G8 summit was that the event generated a belief in Scotland in the wider business tourism market...

“One thing that Steven Leckie, [of Creiff Hydro] and Peter Taylor [of the Townhouse Collection] and others remember was Scottish Enterprise’s masterclass series on tourism. We’ve come a long way since those masterclass days, but we still need to disseminate the message about quality and skills. We had some very good speakers from around the world and a lot of people benefited from this and took it back to their businesses. There are a lot of new subjects that could be tackled for the next few years.”

He says if the whole industry was working together with Scottish Enterprise, to learn and disseminate that would be worthwhile.”

“I feel there is something around a new series of master classes and making them freely available to people across the industry. It doesn’t need to be physical – it can all be online too.”

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Looking at the Edinburgh Festival and the Fringe, which enjoyed international stature as the world’s biggest festival, he said others were looking enviously at the festivals and plotting how to take this crown from Scotland.

“We can’t be complacent about the festivals in Edinburgh. We have to appreciate that other cities and locations want something like this – and are prepared to go for it. It’s the same with all of our events strategies. When we created EventScotland it was on the back of Sydney and we got an Australian to come across and run it. We need to keep on the front foot.”

Speaking of improving skills, one of Lederer’s many achievements has been his involvement with the International Leadership School, at Strathclyde University Business School. This is executive postgraduate education in hospitality and tourism leadership involving Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, founded in 1893 and one of the oldest hospitality schools in the world. Over two years, the participants take 12 modules, six in Glasgow, and three each in New York at Cornell and in Switzerland. This is already attracting industry leaders in Scotland.

Peter Lederer is not going away though.

He will still be on the scene, speaking out about Scotland. Looking back on our 2001 interview, he spoke about the role Scots can play themselves.

“I think the Scots have to be more demanding of their own country in hotels, bars, cafes and caravan parks. It is amazing that you can go around the world and find people who are proud to be Scots but not proud of Scotland.

Why don’t we complain when we get awful service? Complaint is seen as something negative. I worked for 12 years in North America and it can be done constructively rather than a demolition job or a fight.” He says it should not be confrontational but a polite request.

To be fair, Scotland has come a long, long way since then. Standards have improved massively and increasingly we all understand what tourism means to our economy. Nevertheless, Peter Lederer is spot-on, if you’re unhappy with service, then be polite and raise the issue.

After all, it’s in everyone’s interest. n

SPECIAL REPORT | SPRING 15

INSIGHT

SPRING 15

TOP TEN WAYS TO BUILD AN AWESOME SCOTTISH BRAND SPECIAL REPORT | SPRING 15

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TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

SPRING 15

INSIGHT

Liz Taylor is one of Scotland’s leading brand builders, having worked with top food companies and some of the most exclusive whisky brands over the past 25 years. She shares her expertise with BQ2 DEFINE. The first step in building an awesome Scottish brand is to define what you have, what it offers and its potential. Conducting a brand audit and posing some honest, challenging questions allows you to evaluate your asset. Brands are ten a penny but exceptional brands are much rarer. Understand what makes (or could make) your brand stand out from everyone else, what makes (or could make) your brand memorable, what drives your consumers to purchase and to stay loyal.

Aim to stand apart from the competition and be clear on your points of difference.

KNOWLEDGE. Be forensic about the market in which your brand operates. Plenty of market intelligence is available which can provide the landscape, indicate trends and provide useful information – this applies as much to markets outside the United Kingdom. Government bodies, trade associations, competitors and industry bodies can provide useful sources of information through desk research without spending too much money. Taking time to plan with detailed understanding of the economic conditions as well as the shape of the market place should be part of the early grounding, whether a new brand or one more established.

INSIGHT. Tailored qualitative research to your brand is a valuable investment in developing and shaping your brand’s future. A well thought through brief and carefully targeted research often unearths the most unexpected, valuable information. Often brand owners forget to use their existing consumers and customers to gain feedback on their brand.

This should provide a rich seam of material from which further developments might stem as well as a sense check for future plans.

PROTECT. For many brands, protecting the intellectual asset is often one of the last considerations. It should be one of the first.

Ensure that you protect your brand and that you own the appropriate trade- marks.

TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

Specialist advice from a trade-mark or IP specialist (or very good company secretary) can save costly mistakes or worse, legal action, at a later stage.

INVEST. Building a brand requires investment, in cash, resources and time. Brand development can be successful even on a very limited budget and does not always require deep pockets. It does require time spent on planning and research, creative thinking and decisive implementation. Make friends with the finance team!

INNOVATE. With an ever-changing landscape, your brand must be able to evolve and change. Innovation is not just about the tangible product or service that your

have emotional relationships with brands.

Use this to your advantage.

COMPETITORS. Keep them close. Scrutinise them. Understand what they are doing and, more importantly, why they are doing it. Learn from both their successes and, perhaps even more importantly, from their mistakes.

CONSISTENCY. Once you have clarified or defined your brand, it is important that an awesome brand behaves in a consistent way – how it looks, what it sounds like, the messages and communication that surround the brand.

Building on the engagement theme, there is nothing more disconcerting than a brand which does not live up to its initial promise and it is the fastest way of

Treat your brand like a small child.

Listen to its needs, nourish and care for it tenderly. You will have to guide it carefully, understand its nature, its characteristics but take pleasure in it and guard it in the best way that you can brand might be, but the way in which it is consumed, delivered or even in the sector in which you operate. Often innovation is a footnote but successful brands come from organisations which tend to understand and embrace innovation as part of their culture and everyday operation.

ENGAGE. Building an awesome brand is much like any relationship – it has to be worked at!

More than ever, opportunities exist to form strong relationships using social media tools, investing in excellent customer service and using the valuable insights gleaned to further develop your brand. Consumers

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losing consumers and customers NURTURE. Treat your brand like a small child. Listen to its needs, nourish and care for it tenderly. Your brand is a valuable asset; you may be its guardian, tending it for now and for the next generation. You will have to guide it carefully, understand its nature, its characteristics but take pleasure in it and guard it in the best way that you can.

It will reward you in ways that you might have never expected! n Liz Taylor is director of Taylormade Marketing, based in Glasgow.

SPECIAL REPORT | SPRING 15

EVENTS

SPRING 15

BQ’s business events diary gives you lots of time to forward plan. If you wish to add your event to the list send it to editor@bq-scotland.co.uk and please put ‘BQ events page’ in the subject heading

APRIL 4-5 Springfest Scotland, organised by Loch Lomond Shores to celebrate the season of spring in the stunning landscape of the Loch Lomond National Park.

4-19 Edinburgh International Science Festival: Gastrofest. This is the second year of the Gastrofest, which will take in innovative events exploring the role of science in our culinary experience.

16 Scotch Whisky Training School, Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH1 2NE. Established in 2001, this is a monthly full-day course for whisky lovers, with a chance to blend your own whisky.

18 -19 William Hill Scottish Cup Competition (Semi-Final). Hampden Park in Glasgow will host the football semi-Finals.

19 Loch Lomond Shores Farmers’ Market, Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. Local food and drink on the banks of Scotland’s most scenic landscape.

23-26 Paisley Beer & Food Festival. The festival will turn Paisley’s historic centre into a hive of activity, offering visitors the chance to experience large selection of artisan beer and ale complemented by specialist food.

MAY TBC Create: Eat: Whisky 2015, is a multi-sensory whisky tasting offering a fully immersive experience that uses lighting, food, aroma and other environmental factors to enhance the whisky experience.

3 Loch Lomond Shores Farmers’ Market, Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. Local produce on the banks of Scotland’s most scenic landscape.

23-25 Whisky Stramash. This event challenges traditional ideas of whisky drinking with madcap, boutique experiences and installations that entertain and educate visitors.

29-31 Gardening Scotland. The national gardening and outdoor living show at the Royal Highland Showground with over 400 exhibitors.

The ideal place to find advice, inspiration and the essentials for all kinds of gardening.

29-31 University of Aberdeen May Festival. Three days and over 100 events involving food, drink, science, music and literature.

30 William Hill Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park. The funding will give Hampden Park the chance to introduce a new catering offering, focused on introducing food that is local and sustainable and offering healthy choices.

JUNE 5-15 Glasgow Science Festival: From Creel to Meal. The themes of ‘Future of Food’ and ‘Sustainable Shores’ will celebrate the Year of Food and Drink.

7 Loch Lomond Shores Farmers’ Market, Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. Food and drink on the banks of Scotland’s most scenic landscape.

5-6 Children’s Food Festival. Over two days in the Highlands of Scotland, the festival provide a fun and educational programme including live music, livestock demonstrations, skills workshops and family activities to inspire.

6: Food Town Day. This will celebrate food and drink from the Dumfries & Galloway region through artisan producer stalls, cooking demonstrations from local chefs and street entertainment, piping and Highland dancing.

11-14 Borders Book Festival. One of the UK’s most prestigious and respected literary events.

6 Scotch Whisky Training School, Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH1 2NE. Established in 2001, this is a monthly full-day course for whisky lovers, with a chance to blend your own whisky.

13-14 Glasgow Mela. Since its launch 24 years ago, the two-day extravaganza, based on the traditions and customs of the Indian sub-continent, has grown in popularity.

9 Ayr County Show. One of the largest County shows held in the West of Scotland. The show will highlight the link between ‘Field and Fork’.

17 Scotch Whisky Training School, Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH1 2NE. Established in 2001, this is a monthly full-day course for whisky lovers, with a chance to blend your own whisky.

15 The Still and the Hive. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, will presents The Still and The Hive, a Botanics Lates, adult-only party event on the theme of Scottish whisky and honey.

18-21 Royal Highland Show 2015. More than 100 food and drink exhibitors at the show at the Royal Highland Showground at Ingliston, near Edinburgh.

16-17 Loch Fyne Food Fair. Located next to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar in Argyll, the annual fair is a feast of culinary delights from the west coast of Scotland and beyond.

21 Cake Fest Edinburgh. Held on Midsummer Day, Cakefest will see up to 50 teams of amateur and professional bakers create Edinburgh buildings and locations out of cake.

17 Loch Lomond Shores Farmers’ Market, Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. Food and drink on the banks of Scotland’s most scenic landscape.

21 Loch Lomond Shores Farmers’ Market, Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. Food and drink on the banks of Scotland’s most scenic landscape.

21-24 Orkney Folk Festival. The annual festival takes in musical events across the Orkney Isles, bringing the best of folk music from around the world to the people of Orkney.

22-24 Montrose Music Festival. An annual festival, hosting over 200 gigs across 26 venues within Montrose, MoFest takes in a Youth Festival dedicated to under-18 performers.

23-24 Scotland’s Big Nature Festival. At Levenhall Links, a unique venue on the Musselburgh coast, featuring two areas profiling a great mix of quality, Scottish food and drink through workshops and cooking demonstrations.

23-24 Mhor Whisky Fest bringing together producers including Glengoyne, Deanston and Auchentoshan distilleries on the grounds of Monachyle Mhor Hotel.

SPECIAL REPORT | SPRING 15

The diary is updated daily online at www.bqlive.co.uk Please check with contacts beforehand that arrangements have not changed. Events organisers are also asked to notify us at the above email address of any changes or cancellations as soon as they are known.

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TAKING SCOTLAND TO THE WORLD

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