Tourism Archives - Page 8 of 18

World Public Premiere Of Historic Royal Tune

Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Oct 152015

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

Food and Fiddle Fortnight 2015 - world premier served up

Perfect accompaniment: Final week of Food and Fiddle Fortnight to serve up world public premiere of historic royal tune

Royal Deeside’s Food and Fiddle Fortnight will reach a crescendo this weekend with a number of musical performances, one of which will be a world public premiere.

On the final day of the two-week festival, members of the pipes and drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) will perform the first public recital of the new pipe tune ‘The Longest Reign’.

The tune, a march, has been composed by Pipe Major of 2 SCOTS Stuart Gillies to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen becoming the longest reigning monarch in British history.

The historic recital of the tune will take place at a free to attend event at Deeside Activity Park near Aboyne on Sunday, 18 October at 2:00pm, and will be one of the final events of Food and Fiddle Fortnight. The pipe band’s performance will also feature a medley of other traditional tunes.

Pipe Major Gillies composed the vibrant tune at the request of 2 SCOTS company commander Major Alastair Colville. ‘The Longest Reign’ marks the date – Wednesday, 09 September 2015 – that Her Majesty surpassed the milestone which her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria had previously held. It was played for her at Balmoral Castle on that date.

The Royal Highland Fusiliers have been on Royal Guard duties on Royal Deeside for the past three months and presented Her Majesty with a copy of tune at the end of her annual summer stay. Sunday’s performance at Deeside Activity Park will be one of the final engagements that the fusiliers will carry out on Royal Deeside before returning to their barracks in Edinburgh next week.

A video of two pipers from the band performing the tune high on the hills above Ballater has been viewed nearly 80,000 times on the regiment’s Facebook page.

Organised by Visit Royal Deeside, Food and Fiddle Fortnight is an annual celebration of the area’s culinary and cultural talents and heritage. The two-week festival draws to a close on Sunday evening, by which time more than 60 events will have been held at venues across Deeside and Donside, bringing together local food producers, businesses and musicians.

Highlights of the coming week’s programme include special daytime events and musical evenings at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch. There are live traditional music sessions at the Aberdeen Arms, Tarland, on Tuesday, 13 October and the Deeside Inn, Ballater, on Saturday, 17 October.

For walkers and those keen to learn more about the Cambus O’ May area there is a guided walk led by local historian Ian Murray on Saturday, 17 October. The walk will be punctuated with live fiddle music from Paul Anderson. Participants will then enjoy more music and a two-course dinner at Ballater’s Riverside Cottage Cafe.

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:

“The Longest Reign is a wonderful piece of music and a fantastic way to commemorate Her Majesty’s achievement. It is very fitting that the world public premiere of the tune will take place on Royal Deeside, an area held in great affection by The Queen and her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, the length of whose reign she surpassed.

“There are a number of great events still ahead this week which will appeal to all ages, especially with the school holidays starting. We are very pleased that 2 SCOTS have agreed to perform for us on Sunday afternoon at Deeside Activity Park. It is a fitting way to help bring the 2015 Food and Fiddle Fortnight to a close and also mark the end of the battalion’s time on Royal Deeside.”

To inspire visitors to explore the local area even further during 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.

Food and Fiddle Fortnight takes place in venues across Royal Deeside until 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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Whisky Festival Uniting Speyside Distilleries Under One Roof

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information No Responses »

Oct 152015

With thanks to Graeme Forbes, Account Manager, Tricker PR

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has become one of the leading events of its kind over the past 17 years

Speyside’s leading malt whisky producers will unite on their own doorstep for the first time – to launch a brand new ‘dramfest’ organised by the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Brand rivalries will be put to one side when Spirit of Speyside brings distillers from all over the region together under one roof in celebration of the area’s most famed product – malt whisky.

Plans for the first event – to take place in September 2016 – were unveiled at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival AGM on Tuesday.

It will offer an alternative weekend devoted to Speyside whisky in its home and heartland and complementing the internationally-renowned Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival held annually in May.

The September whisky weekend is being introduced to sate the public’s thirst for whisky-themed events in the area that is home to more than half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries.

Elgin has been chosen as the central location for this Speyside showcase, which as well as whisky, will feature other drinks – including local gin and craft beer – along with fine food and produce from the region.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has become one of the leading events of its kind over the past 17 years. It attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world to Speyside during the May Day weekend to savour a selection of more than 400 events, from tastings to ceilidhs, food pairings to comedy.

Many events are sold out within hours of tickets going on sale and accommodation in the region reaches capacity. Festival organisers could see scope to introduce a second – but distinctive – event to its annual calendar, which will allow people to celebrate Scotland’s national drink in its spiritual home without the need to plan a five-day itinerary.

The event will be held from September 9-11, 2016 at Elgin Town Hall, drawing visitors after the summer season and helping provide an economic boost for the area.

As well as tastings, cocktail making, a food court, and masterclasses will be part of the offering. Distilleries, businesses and partners will be encouraged to develop themes to add to the visitor experience.

Festival chairman James Campbell says,

“Our annual whisky festival has grown in size and stature to become one of the leading events of its kind in the world.

“We are now creating a brand new weekend event with the big difference that the distilleries will be together, under one roof, and that’s something that doesn’t normally happen on their home territory.

“We’ve chosen Elgin for the venue because it is central, with good transport links, and we’ll be encouraging businesses and other partners to get involved too. Further announcements on what people can expect from the new event, including its official title, will be made in the coming weeks and months.

“This is a great opportunity for distilleries and food and drink producers of Speyside to showcase their products and share what they do.

“While the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has an international audience, and overseas visitors may be among the contingent, we expect our September event to have a particular appeal to the home market, including people from the local area.

“We look forward to developing our plans and helping keep one of Scotland’s most famous whisky producing regions well and truly on the map, inspiring more visitors to develop their interest and knowledge of our national tipple.”

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s position as a major tourism attraction in Scotland was underlined again this year when it attracted 26,389 visits to events from a record 34 different countries.

The 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – and its traditional musical arm the Spirit of Speyside Sessions – takes place from April 28 to May 2. For further information about the event visit www.spiritofspeyside.com with tickets on sale from January 2015.

The Festival is also active on social media – https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter.

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Royal Deeside Tunes Up For Food And Fiddle Fortnight

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

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.

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.

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Exclusive Stonehaven Hogmanay Package Unveiled

Aberdeenshire, Articles 2 Responses »

Sep 282015

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

Stonehaven Fireballs - credit pic Paul Mitchell

Stonehaven Fireballs – Photo credit: Paul Mitchell

Legendary Scottish pop group Deacon Blue will headline Stonehaven’s Open Air in the Square this Hogmanay.
But those travelling to the event won’t need a ship called Dignity to see the top pop act: the Aberdeen Altens Hotel has unveiled an exclusive travel and accommodation package to allow revellers to party the night away without any stress.

The Stonehaven Package includes a delicious three-course buffet meal, transport to and from Stonehaven, entry into the event, and traditional stovies on return.

Tickets are available from just £159.00 per person, for a two-night stay arriving on December 30 or 31.

With additional acts still to be announced, Stonehaven’s Hogmanay celebrations are set to rival those of major cities, building upon previous years which have seen Simple Minds and the Human League visit the picturesque coastal town in the north east of Scotland.

The town will also once again host the iconic Fireballs Ceremony to bring in the bells, during which dozens of locals will take to the streets to swing homemade fireballs through the air in an amazing and unforgettable display.

Built from a wire cage attached to a chain and filled with combustible material, the swingers spin and twirl the flaming balls to ward off the evil spirits of the past year as they parade through the town.

Kris Manship, general manager of The Aberdeen Altens Hotel, says,

“Deacon Blue are undoubtedly one of Scotland’s greatest musical exports, so to have them playing at the Hogmanay celebrations in Stonehaven is a real coup.

“Fans will be travelling from all across the country to spend the night dancing to anthems like Dignity and Real Gone Kid, and witness the incredible spectacle of the fireballs, and as the official hotel partner we will be able to provide them with an easy way to attend on the night.

“Our Stonehaven Hogmanay packages have been extremely popular in recent years, with many guests commenting that it takes all the pressure out of the evening, allowing them to relax and have fun at New Year. We look forward to welcoming many more to The Aberdeen Altens Hotel this year.”

For those wishing to spend an evening in the city itself, the Aberdeen Altens Hotel will also offer a special package for a New Year’s Gala Hogmanay Ball. Guests will be able to dance the night away to the incredible sounds of Velvet Five, as well as enjoying a welcome drink on arrival, sumptuous five course meal and traditional stovies served throughout the night. At just £90.00 per guest (or from £125.00 including bed and breakfast), it’s the perfect way to bring in the New Year with friends.

To book your Hogmanay celebrations at the Aberdeen Altens Hotel, call 0871 376 9002 or email aberdeenaltenschristmas@thehotelcollection.co.uk

For more information, visit http://www.thehotelcollection.co.uk/hotels/aberdeen-altens-hotel/christmas-new-year/new-years-celebration/

The Aberdeen Altens Hotel is part of The Hotel Collection, which has two other venues in the city – The Aberdeen Skyway 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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Nessie In National Dream Award Challenge

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Sep 182015

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

Loch Ness Marathon selfie with Nessie story. Tricker PR

Tricker PR’s Nessie Selfie campaign hit the headlines across the globe, offering £50,000 to anyone who is photobombed by the iconic loch beastie.

A low budget PR campaign to promote the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon – with a fund for props of just £5.99 – will go head to head with global brand giants Sky Atlantic, PG Tips, The Discovery Channel, Acer Computers and Eurostar Trains in the national Dream Awards.

Nessie will be involved in a six-way challenge with animatronic polar bears and sharks – and a knitted monkey that scaled The Shard in London – at the Grosvenor Hotel in London in a bid to be recognised as one of UK’s most remarkable marketing campaigns.

The big idea and creative concept behind the Nessie Selfie campaign has been nominated in the Best PR Event or Stunt category for Aberdeen PR agency Tricker PR.

The stunt involved offering a £50k cash prize for any marathon runners who could have the race day selfie photobombed by the internationally renowned prehistoric sea monster … and World Hide and Seek Champion since 565 AD.

“In times of trouble and consternation, we have a little mantra in the Tricker PR office – WWKKD,” says Managing Director Beverley Tricker.

“It’s not a code word to crack out bizarrely coloured alcopops. It’s an acronym for the question, What Would Kim Kardashian Do? Faced with the challenge of dreaming up a way to get global coverage for the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, we looked to Kimye for inspiration and once again found the answer in her sage advice. Take a selfie, of course!

“We made a splash with our headline-grabbing stunt, generating coverage in consumer press, television shows and running magazines across the continents. In the digital world alone, the story was seen by 2.13m people and shared on social media 4.19K times. Even Nessie herself sent us a Tweet to say she’ll be there for the right price so who knows what will happen on race day?

“Our team estimate that their budget was considerably less than those of the competitor campaigns which included the PG Tips monkey scaling The Shard for Comic Relief, sharks in the boating pond in Finsbury Park and a moving polar bear on the Tube.

“But even with little budget for major ‘stuntery’ and scant allowance for props for a photo, we’re now in the finals of a national award against global giants. Who’d have thought the wee beastie in the loch could still command such global reverence?

“And more to the point, who would have thought that we’d be sitting slack-jawed by the conversation we had with a US-based journalist who obviously thought Nessie (whisper it) was real! Total circulation of the media coverage exceeded 4 million and it received international coverage in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa.”

Tricker PR’s trophy cabinet already holds more than 30 industry awards for their creative campaigns such as the ‘Save Our Dram’ campaign which sought the validation of the ‘dram’ as an official measure for whisky to promote the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, and the introduction of Venison Ice Cream for the Royal Deeside Venison Festival. Tricker PR also works for a host of business to business clients including Clark IT, Hall Morrice and Aberdeen Asset Management.

More about Tricker PR can be found at www.trickerpr.com, by calling 01224 646491 or by emailing pr@trickerpr.com. Like Tricker PR on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TrickerPR1 and follow @trickertweets on Twitter.

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Hotel Reception Manager Secures Prestigious Scholarship

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Sep 102015

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

Aberdeen, Tuesday 10th March 2015 Thistle Altens Hotel Aberdeen (Picture by Michal Wachucik/Newsline Media Ltd)

Gabor Petia (33), reception manager at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel.

A reception manager at one of Aberdeen’s top hotels has recently returned from a prestigious scholarship in Switzerland.

Gabor Petia (33), reception manager at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel, attended a week-long course on leadership in the workplace as part of the Hospitality Industry Training (HIT) Scotland Scholarship at the École Hotelière Lausanne in Switzerland.

Originally from Hungary, Gabor was one of just 14 scholars selected for the week long programme that focused on leadership and management in the hospitality sector.

Gabor explains,

“The whole HIT Scotland experience was incredible and I was honoured to be a part of it.

“I met a number of inspiring individuals and there was a great sense of camaraderie throughout the week. In the evenings we were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company, like a sort of working holiday.”

Throughout the scholarship, Gabor learned a number of skills that will help him become a more effective manager in his post at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel, including how to motivate his team to perform to the best of their abilities.

He says,

“The most important thing I learned on the scholarship was that being a manager and being a leader are two very different things. A manager is focusing on tasks and schedules, but a leader’s main focus is people.

“I often meet with individuals in the industry who work in hospitality just to pay the bills and have absolutely no passion. I believe that the hospitality industry has no place for this attitude as it has an immediate impact on the level of service.

“The experience reaffirmed my belief that it’s not a mistake to aim for perfection. Striving towards a 100% success rate can bring out the best in a team and encourage teamwork.

“Luckily, our reception team already performs very well, but there’s always room for improvement. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences so that we continue to focus on the guests, their individual needs, and ways in which to give them a unique experience.”

Gabor also realised that sometimes the biggest hindrance in any professional’s work is their own outlook, and that it can be important to step back and re-evaluate one’s priorities in the workplace.

He says,

“The daily pressure at work can mean we sometimes forget the bigger picture. We can focus so much on resolving the issues directly in front of us that it can hold us back from delivering the level of service we are capable of.

“Getting away from daily routines and receiving professional tutoring in how to excel in hospitality is a fantastic experience, and a real motivator to perform well. It reminded me why I entered into the hospitality industry in the first place.”

Gabor, who has worked at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel since 2011, has long been a valued member of the team. General manager, Alison Christie says,

“Since Gabor returned from his HIT Scotland Scholarship he has been re-energised and really focused on improving the customer experience, putting into place his learnings as soon as he stepped back through the door.

“Being awarded a scholarship is a really fantastic achievement, and we were thrilled that Gabor was selected earlier this year. He is a credit to the hotel, and we look forward to working with him for many more years to come.”

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/region/hotels-in-scotland/

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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.

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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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Highly Sprung Artist Suffers For Her Art

Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Jul 302015

Edinburgh based artist, Julia Douglas reveals blood shed behind creating ‘clothes peg dress’ on show at Drum Castle. With thanks to Esther Green, Tricker PR.

Highly Sprung by Julia Douglas is very much at home in the new exhibition space at Drum Castle. Pic: Newsline Media Ltd.

Castles have throughout history been places of bloody carnage and battles. Now an artist whose work is on show at a Scottish castle has revealed her own blood shed over creating the installation.

Julia Douglas’ Highly Sprung, a dress made out of 12,500 clothes pegs, is part of an exhibition of contemporary art in a newly created art gallery in Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Creating the installation was a real labour of love for Julia, who spent long days over two months working on the project, the theme of which has become her signature style.

After breaking the pegs to separate the wood from the metal springs, she then linked the springs together to create the shape of the dress. It was an intricate but successful process and remarkably no glue, support or fastenings were needed to keep the dress structure in place.

Julia says:

“It was a very repetitive process, akin to knitting, but also just like housework, a job that you do over and over again. The process made my fingers bleed.”

But the blood shed was worth it as 15 years after its creation and Highly Sprung remains one of Julia’s personal favourites.

“All of my work revolves around the home and relationships we have with objects around the home; how they tell a story about the owners and their life,” she explains.

“Highly Sprung is very much part of that theme, in fact this was the first one I did and I have continued with that theme ever since.”

Julia feels the homely setting of a country castle provides the ideal backdrop for the ‘Human Presence’ themed exhibition.

Around 20 key works from the permanent collection of Aberdeen Art Gallery have been loaned to the castle while the gallery undergoes a major refurbishment. Other works include Gallowgate Lard by Ken Currie, Restraining Coat 2 by Julie Roberts.

Julia says:

“I am absolutely delighted that Highly Sprung has been hung in this selected exhibition.

“I feel proud to have my work sit alongside prestigious artists like Alison Watt, Ken Currie, Gavin Turk and Julie Roberts, whose works I particularly admire.

“I feel that the domestic interior at Drum Castle, with its fireplaces, wooden panels and skirting boards, is an ideal location for an exhibition exploring human presence and hope that this different setting for the work will attract new viewers as well as inspire regular gallery goers.”

The Edinburgh-based textile and mixed media visual artist plans to take time out from her busy schedule to visit the exhibition at Drum soon.

Julia’s commitments include organising the Society of Scottish Artists’ Annual Exhibition of which she is co-ordinator. She also has plans to move to South West France and set up an artists’ retreat called Studio Faire and as a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland she will be creating new work for their upcoming annual exhibition.

Drum Castle is hosting the specially curated collection of modern art on loan from Aberdeen Art Gallery until March 2017. It is open Thursday-Monday from 11am-4 pm last entry and from October on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-4pm last entry. Situated on the A93, Drum Castle is 10 miles west of Aberdeen.

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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