Festival to boost Glasgow coffee shops

GLASGOW Coffee Festival is taking to the streets to promote local businesses. The festival, which has been running for six years, was due to take place in May, but was postponed due to the lockdown. Plans to run the festival indoors next month have now also had to be changed to fit in with Scottish…

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Leith market’s Oktoberfest starts today

THE first of three Oktoberfest weekends gets underway today at Pitt Street Market in Leith “Pittöberfest” features Barney’s Beer, Bellfield, Campervan, Edinburgh Beer Factory, New Barns, and Pilot. Barnacles & Bones and Ròst are among the street food vendors taking part in the festival. Barney’s Beer boss Andrew Barnett said: “While the cancellation of beer…

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Foraging for rosehips and crab apples helps care homes

EAST Lothian residents are being asked to forage for rosehips and crab apples to help residents in care homes. Tom Chisholm and Rupert Waites, who founded drinks company Buck & Birch, have launched a foraging campaign called “Restoring Vital Connections”. They want people to bring them rosehips and crab apples, which they will make into…

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Fizz Feast organiser unveils ‘Fizz Friday’ online tastings

THE annual Fizz Feast wine and food festival may not be taking place in Edinburgh this autumn but organiser Diana Thompson has created an online “bonanza of bubbles” to take its place. Thompson, who runs Wine Events Scotland, has organised five “Fizz Friday” tastings on video conferencing platform Zoom. They begin on 30 October and…

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Alcohol-free ‘spirits’ up 30%

SALES of alcohol-free “spirits” in the UK are up 30% year-on-year, according to market research firm Neilsen. Shoppers have spent £5.4 million buying 171,000 litres of alcohol-free “spirits” in supermarkets so far this year, analysts said. Many alcohol-free “spirits” use herbs, berries, roots and botanicals to create flavours similar to gin, prompting their use in…

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We all scream for ice cream…

TWO Scottish ice cream companies are bringng a sweet splash of sunshine to the autumn. Mackie’s is going to give one fan a lifetime’s supply of ice cream, while Spar is stocking a further nine flavours made by Equi’s. The winner of Mackie’s “Simple Pleasures” draw will be named on Monday. They will get two-litre…

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Outdoor venue for Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival

ORGANISERS have moved Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival from The Biscuit Factory to The Corn Exchange’s outside venue. The event, which is due to take place on 9 and 10 October, will feature Scottish breweries including Fierce, Vault City, 71 Brewing, and new kid on the block Newbarns. Foreign breweries sending beer to the festival include…

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NHS heroes enjoy weekend hotel stays

MORE than 380 health service workers and their families stayed at Crerar Hotels’ seven venues for free last weekend as part of the “Scottish Hospitality for NHS Heroes” initiative. Paddy Crerar, the company’s founder and chairman, took some guests on boat trips, while others tucked into locally-sourced food and drink. The chain spent more than…

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‘Drive through’ afternoon teas are here to stay

A HOTEL that launched “drive through” afternoon teas during the coronavirus lockdown has decided to keep running them because they proved so popular. The Stair Arms Hotel at Pathhead in Midlothian transformed an old shipping container into a hatch from which to serve its teas. Customers can order their afternoon tea over the phone and…

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Butchers shine with ‘diamond awards’

THREE Scottish butchers’ shops have been presented with the diamond award at the Scottish Craft Butchers’ Awards. Boghall Butchers in West Lothian won the “best beef burger in Scotland” title, while Marzipan’s Meats in Tayport claimed the “best speciality burger” prize for its sweet chilli cheeseburger, and Thomas Burns & Son in Bo’ness took the…

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