Drink Archives - Page 4 of 6

Royal Deeside Tunes Up For Food And Fiddle Fortnight

Oct 012015

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates

Perfect accompaniment: Royal Deeside serving up third Food and Fiddle Fortnight next month

Royal Deeside will again provide the scenic backdrop as the area serves up another helping of its annual Food and Fiddle Fortnight, which begins this Friday.

Taking place in venues throughout the Aberdeenshire valley, the initiative brings together local food producers, businesses and musicians to showcase the area’s culinary and musical talents.

The celebration of food and music has been organised by Visit Royal Deeside and runs from Friday, 02 until Sunday, 18 October.

Now in its third year, the two-week festival is expected to draw visitors from across Scotland keen to experience the area at the start of one of its most spectacular seasons. A programme of around 60 events has been put together to cater for all musical and gastronomic tastes. Additional events are still being added to the festival’s programme.

The cultural and culinary celebration includes food demonstrations, farmers markets, live music sessions, special afternoon teas, exhibitions and concerts. Many of the area’s cafes, restaurants and inns are also creating special menus for the festival to showcase the breadth and depth of produce available locally.

As Royal Deeside begins to display its autumnal colours, visitors can explore its farmland, forestry and moorland aboard a Land Rover Safari organised by Glen Tanar Estate on Sunday, 04 October, which includes a venison barbecue lunch.

Those wishing to discover the area on foot can join local historian Ian Murray on a guided walk on Saturday, 17 October. Acclaimed local fiddler Paul Anderson will provide live fiddle music along the route, before participants enjoy more music and a two-course dinner at Ballater’s Riverside Cottage Cafe. The venue will also host an opera dinner on Saturday, 10 October.

For foodies, Glendavan House at Dinnet is serving up a Highland hamper and bagpipe breakfast on Saturday, 03 October, while on the Tuesdays and Wednesdays of the festival Cambus O’ May Cheese will open its factory doors and allow visitors to see its award-winning artisan cheeses being made.

Wark Farm at Cushnie, an organic farm butchery and meat retailer, will be holding food and farm experience days on Sunday, 04 and Monday, 05 October. The sessions will include a farm walk followed by an informal lunch of meat reared on the farm and vegetables grown in its kitchen garden. Visitors will also get the chance to learn some butchery skills during an afternoon demonstration.

Art and food will combine throughout the festival. On the opening night, Friday, 02 October, the renowned Butterworth Gallery will host an artistic taste evening. The event will feature local produce including local cheeses from Cambus O’ May Cheese and beers from Deeside Brewery. Meanwhile, on Thursday, 08 October, the 230 ceramic fish exhibits from the much-admired River of Fish installation, created by the Heckleburn Quines, will be auctioned off at Banchory’s Woodend Barn.

Festival highlights include two concerts featuring some of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians.

Celebrating the Hairst takes place on Thursday, October 08, in Tarland’s MacRobert Hall, with renowned local musicians, fiddler Paul Anderson and singer Shona Donaldson, performing a lively programme of traditional tunes and bothy ballads to mark harvest time.

The fortnight-long celebration will draw to a close with a concert performed by the Rua Macmillan Duo at the Woodend Barn, Banchory, on Sunday, 18 October. Award winning Scottish fiddler Rua Macmillan will be joined by pianist Suzanne Houston, with the duo performing a range of music from across Scotland and further afield.

Moira Gash, Visit Royal Deeside project co-ordinator, said:

“Royal Deeside is an area steeped in a rich musical and culinary heritage and the next two weeks will showcase the best of this. The 2015 festival programme features a diverse range of events, with things to appeal to people of all ages, interests and musical tastes. Local businesses have fully supported the Food and Fiddle Fortnight once again and have created some fantastic events.

“As Royal Deeside becomes carpeted in its autumnal shades of gold, russet and ochre, the area really is a stunning place to visit. A great way for all the family to discover more about it is to use the Explore Royal Deeside GeoTour to complement any of the Food and Fiddle Fortnight events. The GeoTour is Scotland’s only official geocaching tour and is a fantastic way to get active and hunt out some of Deeside’s attractions.”

To inspire visitors to explore the local area even further during the Food and Fiddle Fortnight, Visit Royal Deeside has put together an A to Z of things to do and places to visit. The list highlights some of the more unusual activities on offer, including lessons in tractor driving, gliding and driving a train on part of the old Deeside line.

Moira added:

“Royal Deeside has a huge amount to offer visitors. Our A to Z aims to highlight some of the more unusual and quirky activities and places to visit, while also reminding visitors about some of the iconic sites and attractions that the area has to offer. We hope it will give some inspiration to those visiting Royal Deeside in the months ahead.”

The Food and Fiddle Fortnight takes place in venues across Royal Deeside between Friday, 02 and Sunday, 18 October. A full programme is available at www.visitroyaldeeside.com or by searching for Food and Fiddle Fortnight on Facebook.

Visit Royal Deeside is the destination management organisation established in 2005 to promote Royal Deeside, Donside and the eastern Cairngorms. The organisation works with over 100 locals businesses to enhance the quality and variety of visitor products and services, providing effective training and support where necessary.

It aims to grow tourism in the area for the benefit of locals and ensure visitors have the best possible experience to encourage return visits and recommendations to family and friends. More information is available at www.visitroyaldeeside.com.

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Chefs And Musicians Food And Music Day At Tarland

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information No Responses »

Sep 252015

With thanks to Annie McKee.

The finale of this exciting Food and Music Day will be a concert with world-renowned, local folk superstars, Old Blind Dogs.

Tarland is well-placed for local produce and a thriving music scene, which will both be showcased in our second Tarland Food and Music Day. This festival will be held on Saturday 26th September (with events kicking off on Friday 25th September), at venues throughout the village, including the wonderful two year-old community garden (recently featured on the Beechgrove Garden).

A weekend of fantastic music is planned, with performances all around the village.

World-renowned local fiddler Paul Anderson will kick off the activities on Friday 25th September with a guided local walk, featuring musical interludes and local heritage tales (2-5pm, advanced booking required by emailing: tarlandfoodandmusicday@gmail.com).

Paul will also feature in the exciting evening concert with popular Perthshire fiddler, Patsy Reid and friends, including the pianist Andy Thorburn, Shooglenifty guitarist Ewan MacPherson, and drummer Signy Jakobsdóttir (£12/£10 MacRobert Hall, doors open from 7.30pm; Deeside Brewery bar). Local musicians are invited to join Patsy and friends for workshops in the Upper Hall on Saturday morning (10-12; £5 per hour).

The Food and Music Day itself will open with the established food and local produce market in the MacRobert Hall (10am – 12 midday, free entry), featuring Crannach Bakery, Mortlach Game, Deeside Brewery, Cambus o’ May Cheese, Wark Farm, Tarland Community Garden produce and much more. Morning teas and cakes will be ably provided by Cromar Senior Citizens Association.

An exciting game cookery demonstration will be provided by award-winning Chef Raj from India on the Green, Ballater, sponsored by the Scottish Natural Heritage initiative, ‘Scotland’s Natural Larder’ (2.30-4pm; free entry). Lunch will be provided by H.M. Sheridan Butchers, firing up the barbeque at Tarland Primary School, with India on the Green providing curry, rice and pakora lunch boxes in the MacRobert Hall (12 midday – 2pm).

Visitors can learn to put the ‘oomph’ back into their day with a talk by Torphins-based nutritionist, Dr. Chris Fenn (£3, Upper MacRobert Hall, 1 – 2pm).

Tarland Community Garden will be open within ‘Scotland’s Gardens’ scheme, including music by singer/songwriter Megan Albon, plus talks by James Reid from Tap O’ Noth Permaculture and Yvonne Davidson from Tarland Bee Group (£3, 2-5pm).

Aberdeen’s-own African drumming group ‘Drummin Aboot’ will be holding workshops in Tarland Primary School for both children and adults (4-6pm, £5 per hour), preceding a performance in the MacRobert Hall (6.15-6.45, free entry) – not to be missed!

The finale of this exciting Food and Music Day will be a concert with world-renowned, local folk superstars, Old Blind Dogs.

With a current line up featuring Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar and vocals), Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals), Ali Hutton (Border pipes, whistles, vocals) and Donald Hay (drums, percussion), the Tarland audience is sure to be in for a musical feast.

Ticket price includes hearty soup supper from Tillypronie-based chef Carol Eagles, and Deeside Brewery will be on hand with their tasty craft beers and ales (£15/£12; doors open 7pm, concert at 8pm).

The full programme of events can be found at www.tarland.org.uk (following links to the Food and Music Day) and all tickets can be booked by emailing tarlandfoodandmusicday@gmail.com or bought in person from Tarland Spar and Paper Shop and Strachans, Aboyne, at the Tarland Local Produce Market and on-the-door.

Please note that advanced booking is required for the music workshops and strongly advised for all concerts! The Tarland Development Group looks forward to welcoming you to the feasting and music-making on 26th September!

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Gin Distillation To Commence In Aberdeen City Centre

Aberdeen City, Featured No Responses »

Sep 072015

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus Mix.

A trio of trade professionals have become the first to start distilling in Aberdeen city centre for 100 years.
Founders Ben Iravani, Josh Rennie and up and coming UK bartender Alex Lawrence, have spent the past few years fine-tuning their gin – undertaking hundreds of small scale distillations in order to perfect their method and recipe.

They have been working closely with the UK’s oldest distillers G&J in a collaboration to bring a premium gin to the market this autumn.

The result is the flagship Porter’s Gin, an aromatic and flavoursome spirit which the trio hope will take off in the booming UK gin scene. This quintessential British drink has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, with 70% of all gin produced in the UK now coming from Scotland.

Their juniper-based spirit, which features refreshing aromatic and citrus notes, has been named after Professor Andrew Porter of Aberdeen University, who sourced cold-distillation equipment which allowed the team to extract light refreshing flavours from botanicals. This is an innovative approach to gin distillation with the vast majority of distillers favouring traditional, but less controlled, methods.

Ben, managing director at Monkey Bars Aberdeen, said:

“Gin is enjoying an incredible renaissance worldwide and is now the drink of choice for many. This is down to a number of reasons, including the role of gin in the rise of classic cocktail culture. The gin market has almost become saturated over the past few years, but the good brands are finding their way to the top.

“We are confident that we have created a unique and delicious flavour profile in our gin which will work in both classic cocktails and also stand out in the traditional GnT.”

Alex Lawrence, whose cocktails and palate have won him numerous accolades both nationally and globally, said:

“It has been an amazing opportunity to be part of a team focused on creating a modern gin with classic potential. Looking at it from a bartending point of view has aided us in creating a versatile but bold product and I’m excited for the future as I genuinely believe in the liquid we have created. We want to add a fresh twist to the market with a genuine and honest product.

“It is incredibly exciting to be a part of the gin movement and to have researched, created and now produced a flavoursome, top-end product. People are now more aware of the provenance of drinks and supporting locally made products. This is something we kept firmly in mind while creating Porter’s Gin, which we are delighted to now be bringing to the market.”

The knowledgeable team have a rectifier’s license which enables them to distil part of Porter’s gin within their award winning cocktail bar Orchid, while the more traditional part is distilled in partnership with G&J distillers in Warrington, the world’s oldest gin distillery. Orchid and Ninety-Nine Bar and Kitchen in Aberdeen are owned by Monkey Bars Ltd and the group plan to sell Porter’s within their cocktail bars this autumn, followed by a launch in London.

While Porter’s is the only gin currently being produced in the Granite City, this was not always the case. Aberdeen was once home to a number of distilleries and breweries, among them the Devanha Distillery.

More than a century later, Ben and his colleagues hope local gin fans will embrace their creation and kickstart a new era for distilling in Aberdeen.

Ben added:

“The best gins are those that have been created with a focus on exceptional flavour, and we have achieved this with Porter’s. Aberdeen has a fantastic bar scene and we are looking forward to introducing our brand, before looking to expand throughout the UK.”

Pre-orders for Porter’s Gin will be available soon. For more information please contact info@portersgin.co.uk.

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Spam Fritter Anyone? Unusual Addition To Hotel Menu

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 212015

With thanks to Jennifer Kelly, Tricker PR.

Andrew’s Spitfire Burger

When Andrew Brown, a Merchant Navy engineer from Peterhead, visited the Taste of Grampian Festival at Thainstone centre in June, the last thing he thought he would be crowned was The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel’s very own burger king…and it was all down to a spam fritter.
The Aberdeen hotel was a prominent feature at the local foodie festival, offering samples from its latest aviation themed burger menu.

But what The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel was really looking for was a new invention for the menu, created by imaginative festival goers.

From chocolate to yoghurt, fruit to pigs cheeks; some of the entries could be considered unpalatable. For Andrew (28), his Spitfire creation consisted of an Aberdeen Angus burger, topped with a spam fritter, habenero salsa, Swiss cheese, rocket, chard salad and a hefty spread of chilli mayonnaise. The chefs carefully selected Andrew’s creation because of its creativity and well balanced flavours.

Andrew explains:

“I couldn’t believe it when the hotel called me to say my recipe had won – it was actually my friend who persuaded me to enter, knowing my love of a good burger. I’d never made the recipe but I knew the ingredients would marry up well.

“I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with one of the chefs creating my burger and when I finally got to try it, it was every bit as amazing as I’d imagined. The key is in the name though with a definite kick coming from the chilli.

“It’s definitely the most unusual competition I’ve entered and to have my dish on the menu is quite an accolade, even if I do have to put up with my friends calling me the burger king from now on!”

And it would appear that Andrew is not alone in his tastes as the burger has become a huge success since it has been on the menu.

Alison Christie, general manager at The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel, says:

“Guest feedback and input is hugely valuable to us. We strive to ensure that every visitor experience is a positive one; an ongoing achievement reflected in our recent Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence award.

“We know that the Taste of Grampian Festival attracts keen foodies from the area and decided what better way to develop a new, creative menu item? Thirty people entered the competition and although there were some unusual ingredients, the majority were superb.

“We added Andrew’s Spitfire to the menu at the start of July, giving summer visitors an option to try something unique during their visit. The competition has been such a success that we may look to do it again in the future.”

The Spitfire burger will remain on the menu until the end of August and is priced at £14.

The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel is part of The Hotel Collection, which has two other venues in the city – The Aberdeen Altens Hotel and The Caledonian Hotel. There are 446 bedrooms across the three venues, and each has conferencing and banqueting facilities. The Aberdeen Altens Hotel also has a health and leisure club. Further information is available at www.thehotelcollection.co.uk/aberdeen

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Hornblower’s Becomes 100% Scottish Sourced

Aberdeen City, Featured, News No Responses »

Aug 132015

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

Hornblower’s was opened in 2010 by Alex and Ruth Grahame, and specialises in locally-sourced seasonal food with an emphasis on seafood, .

An award-winning Aberdeenshire fish restaurant and takeaway has become 100% Scottish sourced for all its produce after a new deal was struck that guarantees the serving of Scottish poultry in the north-east.

For over two years, Alex Grahame, who owns Hornblower’s in Gourdon with his wife Ruth, has been campaigning to find a reliable and certified Scottish supplier for poultry.

The restaurant is committed to 100% Scottish sourcing, receiving daily deliveries of fish from either Gourdon or Peterhead harbour, fresh meat from The Store and even salt for its chips from the Hebridean Sea Salt company.

Despite this, affordable high welfare Scottish chicken was always missing from the Gourdon menu as a result of the country’s leading suppliers being tied in with exclusive supermarket deals. This shortage of chicken available for independent restaurants has meant that Hornblower’s has had to source its poultry from further afield.

But now, thanks to help from supplier Braehead Foods and Richard Lochhead MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and environment, an understanding has been formed that will see a proportion of red tractor assured poultry from Blairgowrie made available by 2 Sisters Food Group in Glasgow. This will allow restaurants like Hornblower’s to dish up the nation’s chicken to its customers.

Alex Grahame said:

“This announcement is fantastic news for us and really signals an end to over two years of frustration in terms of countless attempts at trying to source affordable, Scottish, high-welfare chickens.

“The power of the supermarkets is really there for all to see and I’d like to thank Braehead Foods and Richard Lochhead for their role in lobbying this campaign. To have a guarantee of Scottish poultry for inclusion in our dishes is really a victory for every independent restaurant in the country and highlights that change can happen for the greater good.

“We’re delighted to now be in a position to add Scottish poultry to our menu and I’m sure our customers will be delighted to hear that the final piece in our sourcing puzzle has been placed. As a restaurant that is committed to 100% Scottish sourcing, from our local fish to our Scottish drinks and even our ice-cream, to finally get over the line with our promise is a great feeling and one that we’ll look to continue to enhance with the addition of new produce in the near future.”

Richard Lochhead MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and environment, said:

“Hornblower’s in Gourdon is a great example of serving up Scotland’s fantastic larder on menus. We land the best seafood and shellfish in the world in Scotland, especially in the north-east, and Hornblower’s offers this alongside great Scottish beef and now top quality Scottish chicken too.

“It’s great to see Hornblower’s get behind Scottish producers: people want to know the story behind the food they eat especially in this important showcase year of food and drink.

“As Scotland takes its steps towards becoming a Good Food Nation, I would encourage as many retailers and hotels and restaurants to follow the lead of places, like Hornblower’s, that are helping Scotland’s growing reputation as the ‘Land of Food and Drink’.

“We have, with VisitScotland, created the ‘Taste our Best’ accreditation scheme which is going from strength to strength. ‘Taste our Best’ is a great way of helping customers find restaurants offering authentic Scottish provenance. I would be delighted if all hotels and restaurants across Scotland followed suit.”

Craig Stevenson, managing director of Braehead Foods, said:

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers a fantastic range of Scottish produce, our aim first and foremost is always to source Scottish produce where possible. Braehead Foods work with a vast range of Scottish producers and are proud to promote Scottish produce, not only across the UK and Europe, but across the world.”

Hornblower’s in Gourdon, which specialises in locally-sourced seasonal food with an emphasis on seafood, was opened in 2010 by Alex and Ruth Grahame.

Renowned for its fresh produce, the restaurant and takeaway has built up a reputation for showcasing the best that Scotland has to offer from both sea and field. Committed to 100% Scottish sourcing for all of its fish and meat, the restaurant receives daily fresh deliveries of fish from either Gourdon or Peterhead harbour.

It has also received critical acclaim, most recently scooping the 2015 Best Chippy Chips in Scotland award from the National Potato Council. It was also awarded with a VisitScotland Thistle Award for best informal dining experience in the north-east and Tayside in 2014.

The restaurant has also announced plans to take over the lease for the site of the former Jimmy Chungs and TC Fish restaurant at Aberdeen Beach.

The proposal, which has been submitted for planning permission includes a two-storey 16,000 sq ft restaurant facing the sea front with terraces on the first floor and a heated outdoor sitting area on the ground floor. A 650 sq ft takeaway, a 2,500 sq ft ice cream parlour along with two other restaurants, including The Pier Bistro is also part of the plans.

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Beach Restaurant Development Gets Green Light

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Jul 242015

Hornblower's Pic from fb page httpswww.facebook.comhornblowerstimeline (1)

Pic courtesy of Hornblower’s on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/hornblowers/timeline

With thanks to Phil Moar, Citrus Mix.

Plans for a new Aberdeen Beach restaurant development have been given the green light.
The blueprint for the esplanade site of the former Jimmy Chungs and TC Fish restaurant was submitted late last year by award-winning restaurant and takeaway Hornblower’s, in partnership with site owner Rossnow Leisure and TCD Architects.

The site has lain disused since the start of 2014 but has now been granted the required planning permission to be transformed into a bistro-style restaurant and takeaway along with a 1950s-style ice cream parlour.

The 250 seater, 16,000 sq ft restaurant will occupy two floors and will also include various terracing and heated outdoor seating areas, providing unrivalled sea views. It will be accompanied by a neighbouring 650 sq ft takeaway and 2,500 sq ft ice cream parlour.

The restaurant, takeaway and ice cream parlour will be operated by Hornblower’s, with two other restaurants, including The Pier Bistro, also forming part of the complex.

The planning approval follows the recent decision made by Hornblower’s owners Ruth and Alex Grahame to make their current Gourdon premises available for lease. Hornblower’s has operated from the coastal village since 2011, with its locally sourced dishes and its stunning, picturesque setting proving popular with locals and visitors from throughout the world.

Owner Ruth Grahame is delighted that plans for the Aberdeen Beach development have been given the go-ahead.

She said:

“Today’s announcement is the result of months and months of hard work so we’re thrilled that our plans for Aberdeen Beach have been given the green light.

“When the site came on the market, it immediately grasped our imagination. In terms of location, size and the stunning view out across the sea, it really did tick so many boxes for us and we’re delighted to now be in the position to forge ahead with transforming our dream into a reality.

“Many of the things we’re known for through our time in Gourdon will be replicated in our new home in Aberdeen. We’ll continue to use the best produce from sea and field and we’re committed to 100% Scottish sourcing; an important part of our business that we will never lose sight of.

“The addition of the ice cream parlour adds another dimension to Hornblower’s and I’m sure will be just as popular as our signature dishes. We think a combination of the beach, fish and chips and ice cream sounds great and we can’t wait to let customers, both old and new, experience what we have to offer.”

Construction work on the site is set to begin later this year.

More info:

Hornblower’s in Gourdon, which specialises in locally-sourced seasonal food with an emphasis on seafood, was opened in 2011 by Alex and Ruth Grahame.

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Dream Job For Food Fans

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Jul 032015

Afternoon tea is an institution at the Caledonian by Thistle hotel in Aberdeen.

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Foodies can have their cake and eat it again and again if they are successful in securing a plum job created by an historic Aberdeen hotel.

The position at The Caledonian by Thistle does not come with a salary, but successful applicants who make it onto the afternoon tea taste test panel will be rewarded with as much tea, sandwiches and cake as their stomachs will allow.

The city centre hotel, which just like afternoon tea dates back to Victorian times, is convening the panel of expert tasters this weekend as part of its efforts to revamp its menu.

Guests have been making suggestions on what should appear on cake stands via social media for several weeks, and chefs will present the shortlisted options on Sunday afternoon (July 5).

A number of guests have already been recruited to join the panel, but hotel manager Jane Bourque says there is room for more people to get involved to ensure they have feedback from tasters with different palates.

Those already selected were asked to join on the basis of the suggestions they made for cakes and sandwich fillings to appear on the new menu.

Jane says:

“Some have been very traditional along the lines of egg and watercress sandwiches, while others have really pushed the boundaries with suggestions like strawberry and tequila jam.

“Our chefs have been listening very carefully and can’t wait for our taste panel to give them feedback after all the different cakes and sandwiches have been tested. We do have some openings left on the panel, and ideally we are looking for someone who has a discerning palate and not just a sweet tooth as they are going to be required to give feedback on both the cakes and the sandwiches.

“Afternoon tea has always been an integral part of our heritage at The Caley – we were serving it long before it became trendy again – and it is a real experience for guests, complete with vintage China and traditional cake stand. We felt that it was important to involve customers in revamping the menu as they are the real experts in what makes a great afternoon tea.”

Anyone who would like to be considered for the afternoon tea taste panel should contact the hotel by email – Neale.Farman@thistle.co.uk

The Caledonian by Thistle is a four-star hotel in the heart of Aberdeen. It has 83 bedrooms, including deluxe rooms and suites, and has a conferencing facilities and a café bar. For further information, visit www.thistle.com

Helping Hand For Rosie’s Café After Break-In

Aberdeen City, Community No Responses »

Jun 192015

With thanks to Paul Smith, Citrus Mix.

Two businesses have lent a helping hand to a popular Aberdeen social enterprise café after hundreds of pounds were stolen following a recent break-in.

Rosie’s Café on the city’s Rosemount Place was targeted last month (May), with money set aside for a staff day out removed from the premises.

The café, which is part of Rosie’s Social Enterprises and Turning Point Scotland and provides valuable vocational training, support and work experience for people recovering from mental health issues.

Since the incident has occurred, it has been inundated with donations of support. As part of this, hub North Scotland and construction firm Robertson have come together to donate a range of materials alongside six days labour to help secure the premises after the break-in.

Jill Adie, business development manager at hub North Scotland, was delighted the organisation could help the café in its time of need.

She said:

“When we read about what had happened to Rosie’s Café, we were so disappointed and we immediately thought about what we could do to help them. We work quite closely with the team at Robertson through various other construction projects so we spoke to them and arranged for the material and labour to be provided, free of charge, to secure the café after the break-in.

“It really was the least we could do for a charity that provides so much help and support to people in Aberdeen. It’s great to see it up and running again and knowing we’ve helped give them peace of mind is fantastic.”

Patsy Telford, service manager at Rosie’s Social Enterprises, said:

“We’d just like to say a massive thank you to both hub North Scotland and Robertson for donating the materials and labour to secure the café after the break-in.

“We’ve been inundated with donations, both big and small, and every single one has meant the world to everyone associated with the charity. The response has been so heart-warming and we’re delighted that people have taken the time to help us when we needed it the most.”

Hub North Scotland is the delivery partner for various community-based projects across the north of Scotland including the new Alford Community Campus, Wick Community Campus, Brimmond School and Inverness Royal Academy.

Further information can be found at www.hubnorthscotland.co.uk

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City And Shire Tourism Awards – Deadline Approaches

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Jun 052015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

The clock is ticking down on a chance for tourism operators across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to shine in a national awards scheme.
The deadline for entries in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA) is on June 19, and a final call is being sounded for businesses and individuals to come
forward.

All those who win one of the 14 categories up for grabs in ACSTA will automatically be entered into the Scottish Thistle Awards 2016, in which they will go head to head with other contestants from all over Scotland.

ACSTA chairman Iain Watson says the area has a very high quality tourism sector, and local operators should relish the opportunity to help put a national focus on what Aberdeen and the wider region has to offer.

He adds,

“The fact that we are now a regional final for the Scottish Thistle Awards has really piqued the interest of tourism businesses. We have had a steady flow of entries coming in across all categories, and we expect that number to increase as the deadline approaches.

“Entrants can see there are potentially huge benefits to taking part in ACSTA. If they win their category, they will gain national exposure and the opportunity to demonstrate to the whole country the very high standards to which they operate.

“We know that we have a superb tourism offering here in the north east and this is a fantastic opportunity for us to shout about it. I have no doubt that our local winners will go on to achieve great results in the national scheme.”

The awards categories have been updated to tie-in with the Scottish Thistle Awards. There are categories for accommodation providers, eateries, visitor attractions and events, as well as accolades for individuals who go above and beyond to make sure visitors have a memorable experience.

Hospitality Hero is open to anyone who is working on the front line from tourism guides to bus drivers, while the Ambassador and Young Ambassador awards are for those who show a real passion for the tourism industry.

ACSTA is once again being organised by a sub-committee of Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association. The awards ceremony and dinner will take place on November 27, 2015 at the Ardoe House Hotel and Spa.

Entries for ACSTA are open now at www.acsta.co.uk and will close on June 19, 2015. The full list of awards categories is:

Tourism – Everyone’s Business
Best Informal Eating Experience
Best Event/Festival
Innovation Award
Friendliest Pub/Bar
Best Visitor Attraction
Most Hospitable B&B Guest House
Best Restaurant Experience
Best Holiday Accommodation
Most Hospitable Hotel
Young Ambassador Award
Ambassador
Best Outdoor/Adventure Experience
Hospitality Hero

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association represents 46 independently operated hotels and conference venues. These hotels provide around 4,000 bedrooms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The Association is committed to improving the quality and standard of hotel services and to furthering the overall standards of excellence and hospitality within the region.

Football Legend Visits Speyside Whisky Festival

Articles, Featured, Information No Responses »

May 072015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Visitors at Speyside Distillery surprised by Michael Owen

A former England footballer has experienced the world-famous Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for himself – with a visit to a distillery that has taken part in the dram-fest for the first time this year.

As a global ambassador for SPEY whisky, Michael Owen called in on its spiritual home, Speyside Distillery, on the closing day of the 2015 festival.

Since retiring from professional football, the star – who played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City – has been the face of SPEY whisky in the Far East.

But while Michael is familiar with the deluxe malt, he is a newcomer to the whisky festival, just like the distillery itself.

It is the first year that the small, boutique distillery, has joined in the five day programme, sharing its secret by opening its doors to a series of exclusive tours hosted by distillery manager Sandy Jamieson.

Michael surprised visitors on Monday (4th May) by dropping in on the celebrations, during which dozens of whisky lovers have been able to get a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the distillery.

He says:

“It was great to be able to visit the distillery and be with my SPEY family as they celebrate being part of the Festival for the first time. There has been a real buzz about the distillery today and I have really enjoyed meeting people who have come from all over the world to visit the Festival.

“You can tell that these people are very passionate about whisky, and it has been a great experience to see them learn more about SPEY and the distillery where it is created.”

Patricia Dillon, Managing Director of Speyside Distillers Co. said:

“Michael has become a familiar Brand Ambassador for SPEY in Asia therefore I am delighted that Michael has joined us during the festival to raise awareness of the SPEY brand among lovers of whisky both in the UK and other parts of the world.”

Nosings and tastings from four specially selected single malt expressions with varying vintage and cask finishes have been led by Sandy, who has a wealth of experience in the whisky industry.

The distillery has also had Aviemore-based Joanna Miller who specialises in print making and screen painting as its artist in residence, and linked up with the nearby Strathspey Steam Railway to offer visitors on-board nosings and tastings served alongside afternoon tea over the festival weekend.

By joining this year’s programme, Speyside Distillery, located near Kingussie and set against the backdrop of the Cairngorm mountain range, has extended the reach of the festival, becoming the most southerly distillery in the region to take part.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky festival chairman James Campbell is delighted that Speyside Distillery has come on board this year and helped expand the mix of events and establish new partnerships.

James says:

“The continued success and appeal of the festival depends upon being innovative, creative and of course having support right across the industry in Speyside.

“We warmly welcome Speyside Distillery as a new partner this year and look forward to these friendships and links thriving in the future.”

John Harvey McDonough, CEO of Speyside Distillery, is confident that the distillery’s connections with the festival will develop and grow.

John says:

“We are thrilled that Michael, a true icon of international football as well as a great family man, is able to visit SPEY while the whisky festival is in full flow.

“We’re very pleased to be part of an internationally renowned festival that does so much to celebrate the industry and its heritage, its people and of course its produce.”

The 16th annual festival drew to a close on Monday, having featured a packed programme of over 400 events, with music, crafts, food activities running alongside a wide range of distillery tours and tastings. Some distilleries, like Speyside, have been open to the public for the first time in their history.

Speyside Distillery, home of the SPEY brand of malt whisky, has been in production since 1990 and is operated by Speyside Distillers Ltd.

While Speyside Distillery is not normally open to the public it may be familiar to the public as it appeared in the BBC television series Monarch of the Glen as Lagganmore Distillery.

For further information about Speyside Distillery, visit www.speysidedistillery.co.uk. Follow Speyside Distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery

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