Book shop’s fundraiser to stay open raises £48,000+

A Scottish bookshop which faced closure last week is on the brink of a bright future after the support of hundreds of people, including Scots writers Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre. Pre-loved publications shop Guid Reads, on Stirling Street, Alva, in Clackmannanshire, feared the worst after its landlord announced his imminent retiral. In a panic,…

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Climate positive spirits are cutting carbon footprint

Arbikie Distillery has announced a partnership between its world-first climate positive Nàdar spirits range and ecoSPIRITS. Founded in 2018, and now used by almost 700 leading bars, restaurants, and hotels worldwide, ecoSPIRITS is the world’s first closed-loop distribution technology for premium spirits. By nearly eliminating packaging waste in the premium spirits supply chain, ecoSPIRITS provides…

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Stirling Highland Games launches virtual programme

Traditional heavyweight competitions, a pipe band and cookery demonstrations are among the online events showcased at Stirling Highland Games this month. Organisers have unveiled an exciting programme of virtual activities to entertain families, food-lovers, history buffs and Highland Games competition fans from home and abroad on Saturday August 21. Spectators can watch competitors take part…

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Military treasures are preserved at Stirling Castle

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum at Stirling Castle has offered a sneak peak of its multi-million-pound renovation ahead of reopening to the public this week. The museum embarked on a lengthy transformation project in September 2018 to ensure its historic military legacy was preserved for future generations. Now, for the first time in almost…

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New walking tour app helps Glasgow get back on its feet

From the latest graffiti murals to historic female icons that shaped Glasgow, visitors will be able to explore the Dear Green Place with the help of the new Glasgow Walking Tours app. Launched this week, the self-guided walking tours are a fun way to explore our city and stay active. Developed to support the city’s…

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Cold Town glory: Reconnecting beer to pubs

Peter Ranscombe visits Edinburgh’s Cold Town brewery to hear how head brewer Ed Evans takes inspiration from pubgoers. WHAT inspires brewers? For some, it’s the hops, and the arrival of more and more varieties from around the world. For others, it’s the malt, and the challenge of balancing the depth with the freshness. For Ed…

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Line-up revealed for store’s Scottish Spirits Festival

Aldi has revealed the line-up for its in-store Scottish Spirits Festival, featuring a host of craft beverages from across Scotland. After being selected as part of Aldi’s Next Top Product search, Bothy Trading’s new Hipflask Sloe Bramble Gin Liqueur (£9.99, 20cl) will be available to pick up in store from this Thursday, May 20. Hand…

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A Tomb with a View offers a fascinating insight

While the more superstitious among us avoid graveyards or simply hold our breath while passing them, Peter Ross finds them curiously comforting. He whiled away the hours in the Old Town cemetery in Stirling as a boy. The Glasgow-based writer, one of Scotland’s finest essayists, admits that deciphering old gravestones was one of the ways…

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Huge sales rise thanks to virtual drinks events

A Scots distillery has seen online sales increase by 250% over the past year, thanks to the success of their virtual drinks experiences. When COVID hit in March 2020, the Stirling Distillery tour, shop and gin school were all temporarily closed, so the business had to rethink its approach and fast. Founders June and Cameron…

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Bumblebee trust asks people to Bee the Change

The Stirling-based Bumblebee Conversation Trust is on a mission to help everyone Bee the Change in their local area, with a new campaign asking people across the UK to take simple, quick micro-actions to make their postcode more bumblebee-friendly. Bumblebees are familiar and much-loved insects that pollinate our crops and wildflowers. But bumblebees are in…

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