Tourism Archives - Page 7 of 18

Whisky Festival Reveals Plans For New Festival

Aberdeenshire, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Mar 242016

With thanks to Leanne Carter, Account Manager, Tricker PR.

Plans for a brand new festival that will bring Speyside’s whisky producers together under one roof for the first time were highlighted at a major tourism conference on Wednesday.
Organisers of the world-class Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival outlined their proposals for the event to delegates attending the Moray Speyside Tourism Summit.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri (pictured) said the three-day event taking place in the area’s capital town of Elgin from September 9 – 11 would deliver a boost to tourism businesses, bringing more visitors into the area at a time when the traditional summer season is drawing to a close.

The new event will feature up to 28 different whisky distillers from the region, along with local beers and gin and a wide range of food producers. There will also be a whisky retail shop organised by renowned specialist outlet, The Whisky Shop Dufftown.

Visitors will buy a ticket to attend one of four different sessions over the course of the weekend. Entry to each session will be limited to just 300 people, and demand is expected to be high when tickets go on sale later this year.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri told delegates at the conference,

“This is a brand new weekend for Moray Speyside and we are hoping to attract a new, younger audience that will be different to the audience we attract to the May festival.

“We are looking to draw in people from Inverness, Aberdeen and the rest of Scotland and the UK, and while there might be an international audience, it will have more of a local focus in the initial years.

“It’s a unique event that will drive tourism to the region, and one that will add to the local events calendar and whisky events calendar.”

Although different whisky brands have been working together as part of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for almost two decades, all of the activities for the that event tend to take place in their own distilleries.

This will be the first time that the area’s distillers will come together on their own doorstep under one roof. Elgin Town Hall has been selected as the location because it is the central point in Moray Speyside with good transport connections for road and rail, delegates at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre in Elgin were told.

Organisers believe the smaller, centrally located event will appeal to those who want to enjoy and learn more about Speyside’s whisky but do not want to plan a five-day itinerary for a major event like the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

It comprises over 400 different events from distillery tours and tastings and from ceilidhs to comedy, and events are staged everywhere from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place from April 28 to May 2.

Commenting on what the new event will offer, Pery told the conference,

“There will be world class whiskies, local gin and craft beers and of course a range of food producers. But the main thing will be the chance to meet Speyside’s whisky stars in one place at the same time.”

Tickets for the September festival are expected to go on sale in June this year and will be available at www.spiritofspeyside.com

Pandemonium As Parrots Track Down Deeside Weekend

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Mar 032016

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

Parrots descend on Deeside ahead of geocaching weekend

If you go down to the woods on Deeside this weekend you could be in for a big surprise. A pandemonium of parrots has appeared, with the birds taking up residence near some of the valley’s best known attractions.
The arrival of exotic birds is adding a splash of colour to some of the region’s walks before spring starts to bloom.

However, local birdwatchers excited by the arrival of tropical avian visitors to Scottish climes at the tail end of winter will be disappointed. The inflatable parrots are unlikely to take flight.

Perched at locations on Royal Deeside, the parrots will help guide locals and visitors taking part in this weekend’s inaugural Going for Gold pirate-themed geocaching weekend. Organised by local tourism body Visit Royal Deeside, the family-friendly event aims to encourage locals and visitors to explore the area’s scenery and attractions by using the award winning Explore Royal Deeside GeoTour as their guide.

The high-tech treasure hunt stretches along the Dee valley from Drumoak to Braemar and features 20 cache boxes hidden near attractions such as Braemar Castle and The Royal Deeside Railway, and on forest walks. Each cache is tracked down using a series of clues and GPS coordinates that are downloaded onto a mobile phone which has its location settings turned on.

The Going for Gold weekend will feature special traditional treasure hunts, children’s competitions, storytelling and face painting. Experts will also be on hand to provide an introduction to geocaching. Saturday’s events will take place at Deeside Activity Park, while World Horse Welfare’s Belwade Farm is the venue for Sunday’s activities. Events on both days will take place between 10am and 2pm, and fancy dress is optional.

On Friday, The Butterworth Gallery at Ballogie is holding a meet the artist event with hot drinks and home bakes between 3pm and 5pm. The venue is an ideal base from which to hunt caches in near Aboyne. Coinciding with the Going for Gold weekend, many Deeside businesses are running special Mother’s Day events and activities.

Alongside the activities, golden tickets will be hidden in six of the cache boxes, with prizes on offer for the first six people to discover the tickets and register their finds on the Explore Royal Deeside Facebook page.

Supporting the GeoTour is the Deeside passport, which allows geocachers to collect code words and stamps to potentially claim limited edition silver or gold geocoins. Code words can be collected at each of the 20 caches and stamps are available from 27 participating businesses, with one stamp being given for every £10 spent.

To help geocachers complete their passports, for this weekend only, all of the partner businesses are offering two stamps for every £10 spent. Until the end of March, anybody who completes all 40 boxes in their passport will receive a silver geocoin in addition to the gold geocoin.

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

“The parrots have certainly received one or two funny looks since they started to pop up. Some of the birds will act as an extra clue for people hunting the caches in what is set to be a fun-filled weekend.

“Going for Gold is designed to inspire locals and visitors to get out and explore Royal Deeside. For those geocachers aiming to claim a gold geocoin, many of the GeoTour’s 27 partner businesses are offering two stamps per £10 spent. This is great incentive to get the Deeside passport filled up.”

Jo Robinson, VisitScotland regional director, said:

“This innovative Royal Deeside-dedicated GeoTour is a great draw for visitors as well as locals, as it’s suitable for all ages. As the only one in Scotland and one of only two in the UK, it fits perfectly into Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, which will shine a spotlight on the country’s achievements in these fields through a wide ranging variety of new and existing activity to boost tourism in every corner of Scotland.

“Geocaching itself is a hugely popular pastime, with over two million active geocachers and 15 million geocaches worldwide. With more than 1,700 caches in a 30-mile radius of Aboyne, this GeoTour offers huge potential to attract visitors who can then go on to explore the region even further, including the outstanding scenery, wildlife, towns and villages, outdoor activities and quality food and drink.

“Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides a shop window for business activity. Without tourism, many remote communities would not be sustainable and business sectors like drinks, retail or construction would be severely impacted.”

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 or at www.facebook.com/ExploreRoyalDeeideGeocaching.

First Competition Win For Lucky Lesley

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Feb 292016

Lesley Mitchell (centre right) defies the odds to drive off the top prize in a UK wide draw organised by hotel group Village Hotels.

With thanks to Esther Green, Tricker PR.

Lesley Mitchell has never won a prize in a competition before. So when her name was selected to win a Mini Cooper in a UK wide draw that attracted tens of thousands of entries she simply could not believe it – and little wonder. Statistics show she had a greater chance of scoring a hole in one at golf or being injured by a firework than winning the brand new motor.

Lesley’s ticket was selected from more than 100,000 entries to the Village Hotel Club’s promotion to win a dream car.

The chance of winning a striking Mini One 1.2 Petrol attracted a massive swell of interest from revellers at each of the hotel group’s 28 hotels across the UK, from Aberdeen to Bournemouth, Edinburgh to Cardiff, and Glasgow to Blackpool.

When Village Hotels called Lesley by phone to break the fantastic news that she had won the car – worth £14,000 – she thought it was a workmate playing a prank. She and her colleagues had entered the draw while enjoying their office Christmas lunch at the Village Hotel in Westhill, Aberdeenshire, but none of them expected to be among the prize winners.

“When I got the call saying I had won I just automatically assumed it was some kind of hoax,” explains Lesley.

“We all entered the draw but never in a million years did I expect to win – I thought this can’t be right.

“It was a total shock as I have never won anything before, but after several conversations and emails from Lynn Fraser at the Village Hotel Group I realised it was true, it was a lovely surprise. To have won dinner, or a weekend break, would have been really nice but to win the Mini is the icing on the cake.”

The Mini prize looks set to bring maximum benefits for Lesley, who lives in Insch, Aberdeenshire, and is company secretary and office administrator for a chemical business in Bucksburn.

“Many years ago, in my youth, I had a Mini and this will be a lovely run-around,” Lesley continued.

“I’m calling this my ‘Mini Me’ and it will be my weekend car.

“I moved house last year and had the perfect Christmas in my new home, and then to find out I had won a car was just lovely. “

Lynn Fraser from Village Hotels said:

“It was wonderful to break the news to Lesley that her ticket had been picked at random as the winner of our nationwide draw which attracted over 100,000 entries from customers at our hotels the length and breadth of Britain.

“It’s not every day you hear that you have won a prize, let alone won a Mini, so it’s hardly surprising that Lesley was rather taken aback by her good news and that it took some time to sink in.

“It’s a wonderful car and everyone at Village Hotels hopes Lesley really enjoys her new driving experience.”

Village Hotels has 28 hotels located in towns and cities across the UK, boasting modern and friendly accommodation and excellent facilities. For more information, visit https://www.village-hotels.co.uk/

Deeside Springs Event To Attract Treasure Hunters

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Feb 252016

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

Geocaching at Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire

A family at Drum Castle tracking down a cache on the Explore Royal Deeside GeoTour.

A high-tech, pirate-themed treasure hunting weekend on Royal Deeside next month will herald the start of meteorological spring and illustrate that the area is open for business. Organised by Visit Royal Deeside, the area’s first geocaching weekend will take place from Friday, 04 to Sunday, 06 March and will be based around the award winning Explore Royal Deeside GeoTour.

Titled Going for Gold, the family-friendly event aims to encourage locals and visitors to explore the area’s scenery and attractions by way of the high-tech treasure hunt.

Launched nine months ago, the Explore Royal Deeside GeoTour is Scotland’s only official GeoTour – a modern day version of a traditional treasure hunt. The initiative features 20 cache boxes hidden along the Dee valley that can be tracked down using GPS coordinates and a series of clues downloaded onto a mobile phone.

The Going for Gold weekend will have a pirate theme and feature special traditional treasure hunts, children’s competitions, storytelling and face painting. Saturday’s events will take place at Deeside Activity Park, while World Horse Welfare’s Belwade Farm is the venue for Sunday’s activities. Events on both days will take place between 10am and 2pm, and fancy dress is optional.

Alongside the activities, golden tickets will be hidden in three of the cache boxes, with prizes on offer for the first three people to discover the tickets and register their finds on the Explore Royal Deeside Facebook page.

Bonus stamps will be on offer over the weekend to help geocachers fill their Deeside passport which supports the GeoTour. The passport allows geocachers to collect stamps to potentially win limited edition silver or gold geocoins. Passport stamps can be collected at each of the 20 caches and from any of the 27 participating businesses, with one stamp being given for every £10 spent.

Local tourism body Visit Royal Deeside has created the event to encourage individuals and families to visit Deeside’s many attractions and local businesses, giving the area’s tourism industry a boost before the season starts in earnest in late March.

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

“The GeoTour has proven to be very popular since it was established last year and it has inspired many families to take up geocaching as a way of exploring the local area. Royal Deeside is a stunning place at any time of the year with lots of sights to see and the GeoTour lets visitors explore some fantastic places that they may not normally experience.

“The weekend is set to be fun filled, with lots of activities to keep all of the family entertained. That is the beauty of geocaching, it is something that people of all ages can enjoy. Going for Gold is designed to spur geocachers on to tracking down as many caches as possible with the aim of collecting enough passport stamps to secure a gold geocoin.

“Geocaching continues to grow in popularity around the world. For those who have never been geocaching and are thinking about taking it up, experienced geocachers will be on hand at the two weekend events to teach the basics.

“With the days lengthening and people eager to get out and explore as spring arrives, it really is an ideal time to visit Royal Deeside and give the area’s economy a boost by supporting some of the local businesses.”

There are over 2.5million active geocachers around the world. The Royal Deeside GeoTour aims to attract visitors from throughout the UK and overseas to the area. Throughout Deeside there are a number of smaller trails that are linked into the official Deeside GeoTour, including ones at Braemar Castle, Belwade Farm and Scolty Hill.

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 or at www.facebook.com/ExploreRoyalDeeideGeocaching.

New Ticket Sales Record For Whisky Festival Events

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Feb 042016

You’ll find whisky galore here….X marks the spot for the nation’s treasure.

With thanks to Account Director, Tricker PR

New ticket sales record set as Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival events go on sale to whisky-loving public

Ticket sales for the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival have set new records, with over 2,700 tickets valued at almost £75,000 being bought within the first hour of their launch this week.

Just 10 minutes after the website went live on Tuesday (February 2) transactions reached the same level that took an hour to achieve in 2015, while the same amount of sales in an hour took 24 hours on last year’s opening day.

Over 60 events in the packed programme taking place in whisky’s spiritual home from April 28 to May 2 have already sold out, and many more have limited availability. The events attracts thousands of visitors to Speyside to raise a glass to Scotland’s national drink.

Visitors from the UK, Europe and North America have been the driving force behind the sales, with whisky lovers from as far afield as Bahrain, Australia, Japan and India also snapping up tickets on the opening day.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri says the phenomenal demand has taken everyone surprise, and there seems no sign of sales slowing down.

She adds,

“We have had ticket sales from a total of 22 different countries and in the first 24 hours of going live we had reached a sales value of over £91,000.

“I think this just goes to show how eagerly anticipated the Festival is this year. We have garnered a fantastic reputation for putting on a world class event, and people are making sure they get in early to get tickets for the activities they really want.

“As with previous years, the exclusive distillery tours have sold out first. The real whisky aficionados are always looking for very special experiences that are only available at the time of the Festival, so tours of distilleries not normally open to the public, such as Strathmill and Dalmunach, were snapped up within minutes.

“However, with 467 different events on the programme from whisky tasting and blending experiences and from heritage walks to traditional ceilidhs, there are still plenty of tickets available.

“The beauty of the Spirit of Speyside Festival is that it is small enough to be incredibly friendly and welcoming, but big enough so that there is something for everyone. But we’d urge anyone thinking about coming to book their events soon as tickets are selling very quickly indeed.”

The Festival is taking part in Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, and many of the events are focused on the theme. There will be the chance to enjoy drams against the background of stunning architecture, and visitors will learn about the innovation born in the region which is home to the world’s best-loved whiskies.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, says,

“The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is always a massively popular event with visitors from around the world and we are delighted to see so many people eager to take advantage of the opportunity to sample this unique aspect of Scotland’s history and culture in 2016.

“Much more than simply whisky tasting, the Festival celebrates Scotland’s national drink with an exciting and innovative programme of events, and we’re confident that the hugely encouraging sales over these first 24 hours will be maintained ahead of the Festival over the coming months.”

Along with helping whisky fans organise their itineraries and finalising details of the Festival, organisers are balancing that with planning their new mini-festival in the autumn.

It takes place from September 9 to 11 at Elgin Town Hall, and will bring many of the region’s whisky producers together under one roof on their own doorstep from September 9 to 11. Tickets for that event are due to go on sale after the main Festival in May.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com The Festival is also active on Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.

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Glen Tanar Estate Duo Branch Out Into Retirement

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Nov 262015

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

With a combined service of more than 60 years, two forestry workers from Glen Tanar Estate have branched out into retirement.
Head forester Mike Fifield and forestry worker Davey Goodfellow have reflected on healthy and happy times working in one of Scotland’s most stunning natural landscapes, in the heart of Royal Deeside.

Mr Fifield (65) can hardly recall being unwell since taking up his job at Glen Tanar 30 years ago and says:

“It’s obviously a very healthy job as I think I’ve only ever had a couple of days off sick. It’s kept me fit and very active and I’d have hated being in an office all these years.”

Meanwhile having spent more than half his working life at Glen Tanar, Mr Goodfellow (68) says he couldn’t have found a better place to work.

He even worked on three years beyond his retirement, helping out as a ghillie on the beats of the famous River Dee. Being a keen angler himself he particularly enjoyed meeting other people that share in interest in fishing.

“I’ve been here for 32 years and I have plenty of happy memories,” says Mr Goodfellow.

“If I had to do it all again I’d have no regrets about coming back to work at Glen Tanar.”

As well as tree planting and felling operations, dealing with storm damage and keeping roads open in the winter when normal forestry duties could not be undertaken due to heavy snowfalls is among the forestry team’s duties.

Conservation has become an increasing role, with almost half of Glen Tanar’s forestry area falling within the National Nature Reserve.

Working with partners including the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage, the estate has successfully blended different land to deliver benefits – contributing to the latest thinking in habitat management.

Davey Goodfellow with Michael Bruce.

Glen Tanar forms a substantial part of the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland’s largest national park. Land uses are balanced through careful management to ensure a long term future for all rare wildlife and plants, and this approach to conservation has won Glen Tanar many awards, including the Green Butterfly Award and certification by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

Among Glen Tanar’s many woodland residents include red deer, roe deer, the occasional capercaillie, grouse, brown hare, and black cock.

Mr Fifield and Mr Goodfellow were bid a fond farewell at a gathering at Glen Tanar Estate when owners Mr and Mrs Bruce presented them with long service certificates from the Scottish Lands and Estates.

Mr Bruce says:

“We greatly appreciate the sterling service that Mike and Davey have given, both giving more than 30 years of their working life to Glen Tanar.

“Their knowledge, skills and experience have been a great asset in the running and management of the estate and we wish them well as they embark on retirement.”

While Mr Goodfellow will continue to live at Glen Tanar, Mr Fifield and his wife Ann are moving to Alloa, near Stirling, to be nearer family – and other people!

Mr Fifield adds: “Our nearest neighbour was a quarter of a mile away and we were completely surrounded by trees so this is going to be a complete change!”

Glen Tanar Estate offers a wealth of activities and attractions from fishing and walking to adventuring on estate safaris. Glen Tanar Estate’s grand ballroom is available to hire for functions, including corporate events, weddings and conferences and the estate has a number of self-catering holiday cottages.

For more information on Glen Tanar Estate, visit www.glentanar.co.uk or contact 01339 886451.

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Hornblower’s Cullen Skink Crowned Best In The World

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information No Responses »

Nov 262015

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

A north-east chef and restaurant owner’s Cullen Skink with a twist has been crowned as the best in the world.

Alex Grahame, co-owner of Hornblower’s seafood restaurant and takeaway in Gourdon, scooped the title after impressing judges with his own unique take on the traditional dish at yesterday’s (Sunday, November 22) Cullen Skink World Championships at the Cullen Bay Hotel.

Coming out on top in a five-way cook-off, Alex’s recipe, entitled ‘The Bon Accord’, was praised for its texture, flavour, colour and appearance with a unique French twist – a dash of Noilly Prat – helping convince judges it was a winner.

Alex’s recipe is influenced by his own French cooking training and his wife Ruth’s Aberdonian heritage, with the addition of the Noilly Prat paying homage to the area of France that the pair were married in.

The popular competition is in its second year and is organised by the Cullen Bay Hotel and the Cullen Voluntary Tourist Initiative. A traditional Cullen Skink competition was also held on the day.

Alex Grahame said:

“To have my take on Cullen Skink recognised in this way is a fantastic feeling and I’m thrilled to have been crowned as a world champion; I never once imagined when I started cooking that I’d be able to say something like that!

“The competition itself was an intense, full-on hour as there is so much to do in such a tight time frame. The other five versions of Cullen Skink looked fantastic, with some unique recipes being used so I’m delighted to have come out top.

“Cullen Skink is an important dish here in Scotland and it is loved by many throughout the world so there is always pressure when cooking it. We’ve had it on the menu at Hornblower’s for some time now, so I’ve had plenty practice; it’s always been a favourite with our loyal customer base.

“From a personal point of view, the competition itself was a fantastic event and I can’t stress enough just how great it has been to be involved with. This sort of competition is exactly what the food scene here in the north-east needs and it has been a perfect way of shining the spotlight on one of the nation’s most-loved and revered dishes.”

For more information on Hornblower’s seafood restaurant and takeaway, please visit its dedicated social media channels or www.gourdonview.wordpress.com

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Dunnottar Continues To Enthrall

Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Nov 162015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Dunnottar Castle, the spectacular medieval ruin in Aberdeenshire, continues to enthral audiences around the globe after an array of Hollywood film appearances. In 1990 the castle played a starring role in the film ‘Hamlet‘ featuring Mel Gibson.
More recently it provided inspiration for the castle in Disney Pixar’s ‘Brave’ and this December Dunnottar will feature in ‘Victor Frankenstein’, a remake of the horror classic Frankenstein, starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe.

Last year Dunnottar was awarded seventh place out of over 200 entrants in a competition to find the 8th Wonder of the World, an incredible accomplishment for the small team of staff who are all passionate about showcasing Dunnottar to the world.

Their dedication appears to have paid off, as footfall to the castle more than doubled from 35,000 in 2009 to just under 89,000 in 2014.

These recent achievements for the team have resulted in Dunnottar Castle being shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA). The Best Visitor Attraction award celebrates Scottish attractions which are dedicated to providing excellent customer service to visitors.

Jim Wands, Custodian of Dunnottar Castle who recently took over from Wendy Sylvester, says,

“The ACSTA nomination continues an extremely successful few years for the team at Dunnottar. It is a fantastic feeling to receive recognition for all our hard work and commitment towards improving the castle and the overall visitor experience.

“We want visitors to enjoy the magnificence of Dunnottar as much as we do, so visitor satisfaction, the preservation of the castle and its environment are our main priorities. We have people visiting daily from all corners of the globe and we aim to provide them with the best memories of the North-east of Scotland.

“The castle now has a prominent social media presence which has created a loyal and interactive following from around the world. We have also received a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for three consecutive years. I firmly believe these achievements have been made possible by the dedication and persistence of the staff at Dunnottar.”

As well as working exceptionally hard to enhance the overall experience for both domestic and foreign visitors, the team of staff at Dunnottar Castle works very closely with local businesses and attractions in their local town of Stonehaven.

Jim explains,

“We have built strong connections within Stonehaven as we realise the mutually beneficial roles we both play in attracting visitors to the area. We have helped to support and implement projects such as information boards, granting land for projects and regular donations to local charities via our wishing well fund. With each other’s help, businesses in Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle have continued to flourish together, bringing in a larger number of visitors each year.”

Dunnottar Castle was once considered significant enough to house the Scottish crown jewels, or the ‘Honours of Scotland’, during Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland in the 17th century. The Honours were smuggled out of the castle during a siege by Cromwell’s army. For 11 years they were buried in nearby Kinneff Church, until they were finally returned back to Edinburgh Castle.

Dunnottar Castle is nominated for the Best Visitor Attraction in the 2015 Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards and will be up against Macduff Marine Aquarium and Drum Castle.

The winners of each category will be announced at an award ceremony on Friday November 27, 2015 at Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, and the winners will then go on to represent the region at the national Thistle Awards.

For more information about the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, visit www.acsta.co.uk

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Hornblower’s Owner In Cullen Skink World Championships

Aberdeen City, Featured, News No Responses »

Nov 162015

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

A north-east chef and restaurant owner will battle it out this month to have his Cullen Skink crowned as the best in the world.

Alex Grahame, co-owner of Hornblower’s seafood restaurant and takeaway in Gourdon, has been shortlisted for the final of the Cullen Skink World Championships which will take place at the Cullen Bay Hotel on Sunday, November 22.

A finalist in the Cullen Skink with a twist competition, Alex will attempt to wow judges using his own unique recipe at the event organised by the Cullen Bay Hotel and the Cullen Voluntary Tourist Initiative.

Entitled ‘The Bon Accord’, Alex’s recipe is influenced by his French cooking training and is an ode to his wife Ruth’s Aberdonian heritage. His recipe also includes a unique, French twist, which pays homage to the area of France that the pair were married in.

Six finalists will take part in the live cook-off with dishes of the Scottish soup judged on texture, flavour, colour and appearance. A traditional Cullen Skink competition will also be held at the event.

Cullen Skink is one of Scotland’s most traditional starter dishes and is a thick, creamy soup regularly made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. As the name suggests, its origins are located in the north-east town of Cullen but its popularity has grown in recent years and is currently enjoyed in countries all across the world.

Alex Grahame, co-owner of Hornblower’s seafood restaurant and takeaway, said:

“Being a seafood restaurant, Cullen Skink has made regular appearances on the Hornblower’s menu for a number of years now and I’m delighted to have made the final six for the upcoming World Championship cook-off.

“Cullen Skink is one of Scotland’s signature dishes and it is important to do it justice every time it is made. Every dish that we serve at Hornblower’s is done so with love, care and attention to detail and our Cullen Skink is no different.

“My recipe follows aspects of the traditional Cullen Skink recipe but I’ve got a few things up my sleeve that will hopefully help it to stand out and make it a bit different to the norm, including haddock smoked in the traditional way here in Gourdon. Competitions like these are great for shining the spotlight on the north-east’s burgeoning food and drinks industry and I’m looking forward representing Hornblower’s at what is shaping up to be a fantastic event.”

Hornblower’s customers will be able to taste Alex’s take on Cullen Skink in the run-up to the final cook-off itself, with free tasters now available from its Gourdon premises.

More information on Hornblower’s

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 recently achieved 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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Who You Gonna Call For Spooky Halloween Retreat?

Aberdeen City, Opinion No Responses »

Oct 292015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Calling all wannabe Ghostbusters: are you brave enough to spend Halloween in a haunted hotel?
Guests at The Caledonian Hotel in Aberdeen are amongst the bravest of the brave, as the building is thought to be the home of a ghostly presence that walks the corridors.

Legend has it that the ghost of Mary Littlejohn, a much-revered restaurant manager from the hotel’s dim and distant past, has been spotted in the hallways of the hotel, which opened on Union Terrace Gardens in the Granite City in 1892.

Hotel staff are more than willing to share their stories of ghostly goings on – and can even point guests intrigued by the paranormal to the spots where they are most likely to encounter some paranormal activity.

Babs Dawson, a member of the housekeeping staff for over 19 years, is the hotel’s unofficial ghost expert.

She says,

“I am one of the longest serving members of staff at The Caledonian, and as long as I have been here there have been whispers of a ghost.

“Everyone who works in the basement office has experienced a supernatural presence. When people are working alone down there, they often hear footsteps in the corridor but when they go to check who it is… no-one is ever there.

“Some members of staff have also mentioned that there is a cool spot on the right hand side of the fourth floor corridor – we think this might have been where Mary lived while working in the hotel.

“The hotel has been open for over 100 years, and I really do believe that there could be an otherworldly presence here. I think even after all these years, Mary is still checking in on us to make sure the hotel is running smoothly!

“Some guests are intrigued and actually want to see the spirit, but I can assure those who have no desire to come face to face with her that she has never been mischievous. She seems to want to ensure our guests have a restful and relaxing stay, just like the rest of us.”

The Caledonian isn’t the only haunted location in Aberdeen city centre, and there are dozens of other spectres that will delight – and terrify – fans of TV shows like Most Haunted.

His Majesty’s Theatre – just a few hundred yards from the hotel – is said to be haunted by not one but two spooks. The most famous is Jake, the spirit of a stagehand who died in a tragic rigging accident during a circus performance at the time of World War II.

Many actors and crew have reported unusual goings-on during performances, with disembodied footsteps heard backstage and props and tools mysteriously vanishing without a trace. There are also rumours of a Grey Lady, who has been spotted gliding through the foyer.

There are other paranormal hotspots close to the hotel too. Halloween ghost hunters might spot the ghost of Friar Charles Gordon – affectionately known as Priest Gordon – near the Castlegate. After 50 years’ service at St Peter’s Chapel, Gordon died in 1855 and was so loved by the city that the citizens lined the streets for his funeral.

They might also catch a glimpse of the ghoulish monks that haunt the historic Green marketplace, or the pale apparition of a dark haired woman dressed in white that hovers in St Nicholas Kirkyard.

And The Caledonian Hotel is not the only member of The Hotel Collection in Aberdeen to house a ghostly presence. Anne McIntosh, duty manager at The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel, has come face to face with one spectre in the dead of night.

Anne says,

“When you’re working the nightshift, you often feel like there’s a presence there with you – but I think that’s part and parcel of working alone at night. There was one time, though, about five years ago that I saw something I really can’t explain.

“I was working on my own at the reception. I left for a second to look at the security monitors and noticed that there was a woman sitting on a seat next to the reception. I went through to speak to her, but she had disappeared. When I went back through to look at the monitors again, she was still sitting there.

“As far as I know, no-one before or since has seen the ghost – but it was pretty terrifying at the time!”

For those looking to jump into their Mystery Machine and head to Aberdeen for a spooky break, rooms at The Caledonian Hotel are available on Halloween from £67.15 per room (based on double occupancy, bed & breakfast). Rooms at The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel are available from £58.65 (based on double occupancy, bed & breakfast).

The Caledonian Hotel and The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel are part of The Hotel Collection, which has one other venue in the city – The Aberdeen Altens 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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