Rare desk seal belonging to Sir Walter Scott sold for £14,000

A rare desk seal belonging to Sir Walter Scott has sold for nearly £14,000. The finely carved hand seal, set in lapis lazuli, gold and amethyst stones, is believed to date from his knighthood in 1820 and bears the writer’s family armorial.  It was sold for £13,860 by auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull. The figure achieved…

Read More

Letterbox vase maker Potr seals Bloom & Wild deal

A SCOTTISH couple who designed a vase that can fit through a letterbox has won a contract from one of Europe’s biggest online flower delivery companies. Potr, which was founded by former Dyson engineer Andrew Flynn and marketing expert Eilidh Cunningham, has signed the deal with Wild & Bloom. Cunningham and Flynn contacted Wild &…

Read More

Shetland sanctuary completes its new seal rescue unit

Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary has finished its new seal rescue unit, which will offer a better chance for rescued seals to make a full recovery from their injuries or illnesses. Supported by World Animal Protection, the improvements to this unit included energy efficient heat lamps and insulation features, all of which enables a stable environment for…

Read More

Innovation key to lockdown success for family farm

A family farm in Aberdeenshire ended the year on a high, celebrating a rise in sales boosted by local shoppers over the festive period and into the new year. Thorneybank Farm Shop near Inverurie, which made headlines in 2019 after being the first shop in the UK to install digital vending machines selling fresh produce,…

Read More

Lidl combines Burns Night and ‘veganuary’

LIDL has become the first supermarket to release its own haggis, neeps, and tatties ready meal that’s been certified as vegan. The German discounter’s dish got the seal of approval from The Vegetarian Society. Its own-brand McKinlay’s vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties meal is available across all 104 of the chain’s stores in Scotland. News…

Read More

Coffee roaster’s green credentials

A GLASGOW coffee roaster hopes to be named as a supplier to the United Nations’ climate change conference after joining the B Corp ethical accreditation scheme. Dear Green has its sights set on winning a contract for the COP26 conference, which takes place in Glasgow in November. “If this doesn’t put Dear Green on the…

Read More

Why I’m so pleased the Simpsons broke their promise

Peter Ranscombe toasts a Scottish and Northern Irish couple triumphing with their English wines. “WE PROMISED we would never make an English still wine,” laughed Charles Simpson as he addressed his guests in the basement at Trade Soho, the private members’ club in London where he and his wife, Ruth, launched their range of four……

Read More

1968 Glenlivet available at £6800 a bottle

Reservations are now open for a 50 year old single cask whisky from the Glenlivet distillery. Edinburgh-based whisky broker and award-winning independent bottler Cask 88 has sourced a special dram. It comes from one of the casks chosen by Scotch whisky legend Abe Rosenberg, who is well-known for importing whisky to the United States in…

Read More

Baby pine martins pose a challenge to rescue centre

TV viewers can find out more about the country’s wildlife when they go inside the Scottish SPCA’s wildlife rescue centre. Born to Be Wild is shown on the BBC Scotland channel on Mondays, and in the next episode, assistant manager Jonny has his hands full when a bunch of baby pine martens are brought in…

Read More