Union Chain Bridge to Northumberland reopens

THE Union Chain Bridge has reopened to link the Borders to Northumberland once more. Restoration work on the oldest vehicle suspension bridge in the world began in October 2020. Each part of the bridge – which opened in 1820 – was removed, checked, and replaced. Councillor John Greenwell, executive member for roads development and maintenance…

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Why don’t more women play the bagpipes?

THE National Piping Centre today launched a study to find out why more women don’t play the bagpipes. Its six-month “Women in Piping and Drumming: Equality, Inclusivity, and Diversity” project is being run in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The study includes an online survey, which runs until 2 June. Lady Oona Ivory,…

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Lauding the Lowlands’ larder

MORE than 50 food and drink producers from across the Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Arran, and East Lothian took part in “Showcasing the Larder of the Lowlands”, a meet-the-buyer event yesterday in Dumfries. The supplier were able to show their wares to more than 100 local, regional, and national buyers from Scotland and…

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Kestin designs uniforms for Kimpton Charlotte Square hotel

SCOTTISH menswear brand Kestin has designed new unisex uniforms for the front of house staff and concierges at the Kimpton Charlotte Square hotel in Edinburgh. Members of the front of house team have been given a “Vineyard Green Rosyth Shirt Jacket”, which has been described as: “A versatile workwear-inspired overshirt [that] epitomises the label’s utilitarian…

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Charles Rennie Mackintosh trio goes under hammer

THREE items connected to legendary Glasgow designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh will go under the hammer next week. Lyon & Turnbull is selling a bedside cabinet, a watercolour, and an exhibition catalogue in Edinburgh on Wednesday. The bedside cabinet was built for the blue bedroom at Kate Cranston’s Hous’ Hill and is expected to fetch between…

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Loch Ness hosts world’s first rewilding centre

DUNDREGGAN, the world’s first rewilding centre, opens tomorrow at Glenmoriston near Loch Ness. The site will act as a visitors’ centre for the 10,000-acre Dundreggan estate, where conservation charity Trees for Life is restoring the Caledonian forest to help wildlife. The centre includes a café, a space for events, and 40 bedrooms. Steve Micklewright, Trees…

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House of Dun displays pupils’ art

ART by 159 pupils from three local primary schools is going on show at House of Dun near Montrose. The National Trust for Scotland, which runs the historic property, will exhibit the pictures from Earth Day on 22 April until 21 May. The exhibition features 100 birds imagined by pupils from Borrowfield, Lochside, and Southesk…

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Highland Book Prize shortleet unveiled

FOUR authors have made it onto the shortleet for the Highland Book Prize. A longlist of 12 was whittled down to Companion Piece by Ali Smith, Confessions of a Highland Art Dealer by Tony Davidson, Crann-Fìge by Duncan Gillies, and WAH! Things I Never Told My Mother by Cynthia Rogerson. The winner of the competition…

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Veterans with sight loss given taste of hills

VETERANS who have lost part of their sight are being given the chance to continue their passion for hillwalking thanks to virtual reality (VR). Jason Turnbull, who works at charity Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead centre in Paisley, has been shooting 360-degree photographs during his walks on Scotland’s hills. He then shows the images to the…

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St Kilda viewpoint planned for North Uist

PLANS for a St Kilda viewpoint centre on North Uist have been unveiled. Sealladh Hiort is part of Slighe Hiort – the St Kilda trail – which will consist of three centres in the Outer Hebrides that will give visitors information about the remote islands. The exhibition at the centre will be designed by Mather…

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