Dobbies Garden Centres has a ‘nice list’ of special Christmas events at its Edinburgh store for every member of the family to enjoy this year. Dobbies’ Santa’s Grotto and Quiet Grotto experiences have an exciting North Pole adventure inspired theme, and four-legged friends are also invited to join the fun with Santa Paws.
At Santa’s Grotto, children will experience a North Pole inspired Grotto, before meeting Santa Claus. The 2025 Santa’s Grotto at the Edinburgh store has adventure as its core with activities along the way as children journey through an ice-inspired world, take part in polar games such as snowball basketball and make some reindeer food. Children will then meet Santa to share their Christmas lists and wishes, before receiving a special gift.
This year’s Santa’s Grotto is set to be the best yet and is running from 23 November to 24 December at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store. The event is priced at £14-£16 per child (date dependant). Photographs with Santa are also available during visits, with reduced rates at the time of booking.
Dobbies’ Quiet Grotto takes place on Friday 5 December at the Edinburgh store and will offer a more relaxed and inclusive experience for children with additional needs. These sessions ensure no queuing on the day, a reduced number of people in the grotto area, twinkling lights are removed and grotto music is turned off.
Prior to visiting, Quiet Grotto customers will also be emailed a photo of the specific grotto they will be visiting to help prepare the children for their experience.
Dobbies was founded in Scotland in 1865, and as the 160th year celebrations wrap up, Dobbies are turning to the future, with every Santa’s Grotto and Quiet Grotto ticket purchased helping to support the The Dumyat Project. planting of up to 3,000 native trees in this beautiful region of Scotland.
This year, families are encouraged to include their four-legged friends in the Christmas fun. Santa Paws, an experience specifically designed for dogs, is back and bigger than ever with increased capacity to meet demand at the Edinburgh store. At Santa Paws, dogs will get the chance to meet Santa and his elves, take part in a sniff-ari activity, capture a special memory with Santa Claus, before receiving a special gift.
Santa Paws is running from 29 November to 24 December, with tickets from £10.50.
Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson is looking forward to welcoming families to this year’s grotto experiences at the Edinburgh store. She said: “We are thrilled to unveil our 2025 North Pole adventure-themed Santa’s Grotto to families this year.
“Children will embark on a magical journey, take part in a variety of fun and interactive activities, and finish their visit by meeting Santa and receiving a special gift.
“Our Quiet Grotto experience is also a great chance for families and children with additional needs to enjoy the fun at Santa’s Grotto, and Santa Paws will be the perfect way to include your dog in the Christmas family memories.”
Customers are encouraged to book in advance for Dobbies’ Christmas events to avoid disappointment.
Tickets for all events and experiences at the Edinburgh store are on sale now with an option to make a donation during your purchase to Dobbies’ National Charity Partner, Alzheimer’s Research UK or to the Dog’s Trust when booking tickets for Santa Paws.
To learn more about the Christmas events and make a booking, visit:
UK Government to launch a consultation on Liberty Protection Safeguards to improve safeguarding for vulnerable people
Protections for people lacking mental capacity to be strengthened through major changes planned by the government to improve safeguarding
Changes expected to address deep-rooted issues within the system by reducing the need for intrusive processes, providing better support for families, carers and health professionals
Comes as Supreme Court reviews what counts as a deprivation of liberty in a case put forward by Northern Ireland
Vulnerable people lacking the mental capacity to make decisions about their care are expected to benefit from major changes to safeguarding and protections, following a consultation announced by the UK government today.
The proposed Liberty Protection Safeguards aim to deliver improved protection and an easier and improved system to allow carers, psychologists, social workers and families to provide care to vulnerable people in circumstances that amount to a deprivation of liberty.
The current Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards system is bureaucratic and complex, leading to poor understanding and application of the law by professionals, unacceptable distress for families and a backlog of 123,790 individuals, putting pressure on the social care system.
The implementation of these new safeguards is expected to streamline processes and reduce the backlog of applications – focusing on those most vulnerable.
A consultation on the Liberty Protection Safeguards will be launched in the first half of next year, seeking the views of those affected such as families, carers and practitioners including social workers, nurses, psychologists and occupational therapists. It will be jointly run by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice.
This delivers on calls from organisations including the Care Quality Commission, Mencap and Mind for the implementation of new Liberty Protection Safeguards to replace the outdated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
For example, under the current system:
A lady in the advanced stages of dementia, who for over three years has had no concept of place, person or time and cannot walk, talk or chew, is required to have an assessment every year.
The assessment involves a GP, social worker, care home staff, admin staff and her advocate, and results in a long, report to determine whether she should be deprived of her liberty and if the care home is the best place for her.
Part of this assessment includes a GP visit who asks her a string of questions, despite this vulnerable individual having no indication of understanding or even awareness of anyone being there and cannot give any response.
This repetitive process is distressing for her family to witness every year and to be told they are depriving their loved one of liberty. Many other people have conditions like this which are unchanging.
Liberty Protection Safeguards will allow for existing assessments to be reused, or for assessments to last for longer than one year. This will reduce the need for intrusive processes, which can be harmful or distressing for individuals and their families, and will allow for better focus on people who most need support and protection.
Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said: “Safeguarding the vulnerable and protecting their rights is our absolute priority of this government – this is about fixing a broken system by hearing directly from those with lived experience and their families.
“There is currently a shameful backlog in the system of unprocessed cases under the current system which means that people’s rights are not being protected. At the same time, we know that many people in the system and their families find these intrusive assessments distressing.
“This is about ensuring we are fully focused on the most vulnerable people in our society and their families – understanding their needs, ending the maze of referrals and paperwork, and delivering the best protections and safeguards possible.”
A 2014 Supreme Court ruling, known as Cheshire West, established an ‘acid test’ which broadened the definition of what it means to be ‘deprived of liberty’ and led to an increase of 300,000 referrals between 2013-14 and 2023-24 – in addition to a backlog of 125,000 cases.
Each case represents an extremely vulnerable person who needs comprehensive care and support and does not have the mental capacity to make decisions about their care alone.
In August, Northern Ireland put forward a challenge to the Supreme Court about the Cheshire West ‘acid test’ and what is considered a ‘deprivation of liberty’. This is a challenge to the current Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, with any ruling having a UK wide impact.
The UK government has been granted permission by the Supreme Court to intervene in this case – as it recognises the issue within the current system and sought to be part of this vital conversation and put forward a UK wide solution.
The responses from this consultation will be used to inform a final Mental Capacity Act (2005) Code of Practice which will be laid in Parliament.
The revised Code of Practice will incorporate changes in case law, legislation, organisational structures, terminology, and good practice since 2007 addressing critical challenges in the existing Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards framework.
The last time the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice and Liberty Protection Safeguards were consulted on was in 2022 which did not lead to any changes.
The Centre, Livingston, one of Scotland largest shopping centres, adds Wingstop and Flying Tiger to its list of 12 new openings, creating over 100 jobs for the local area.
Since the start of the year the shopping centre has welcomed the arrival of a 90-seater Starbucks café, Aunty Anne’s, F.Hinds, XXXTRA and last month, ArrowHeadz first darts store in the country.
Plans for further openings before Christmas include Wingstop’s 4,780 sq.ft. restaurant, the Danish lifestyle brand, Flying Tiger, MINISO, Cake Box and Pizza Dawgz. Marble Buffet is expected to open its 380-seater restaurant next summer, which will be their first site in a Scottish mall.
In addition to new openings, various retailers are also expanding and relocating including JD Sports, which will move from a 9,500 sq ft to a 14,800 sq ft prime location and also Born in Scotland.
Clintons has just relocated and opened a new-look store, which is the first of its kind in Scotland, featuring new furniture, fittings and a refreshed layout, designed to enhance the overall shopping experience.
Retailers which have extended their lease include Lush, Las Iguanas, Foot Locker, Smiggle, Krispy Kreme, Deichmann, Menkind, The Celtic Shop and Subway.
The new arrivals will add to the extensive range of over 150 stores and restaurants at the shopping centre, which spans over 1 million sq. ft. and attracts 14.8 million visitors a year from around the country.
These include M&S, Flannels, River Island, H&M, Primark, wagamama and Nando’s.
Owners of The Centre, Livingston, LCP UK, part of M Core, one of Europe’s leading, privately owned commercial property development and management companies, have also recently announced major expansion plans into the leisure sector with the opening of Hollywood Bowl in 2026, featuring 22 lanes, an arcade and a bar and diner.
Simon Eatough, Director at LCP UK, part of M Core and Asset Manager of The Centre, Livingston, said: “This is a really exciting time for us at The Centre, Livingston as we welcome 12 new retailers to our existing, wide mix of great places to shop and dine out, and create over 100 new jobs for the local area.
“The new openings allow us to strengthen our commitment to revitalising our offering at the shopping centre and provide something for everyone who visits us.
“We will continue to add even more new global brands to our portfolio to ensure we remain firmly on the Scottish map as the number one shopping centre to visit, with further announcements coming soon.”
Holyrood’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is seeking views on a Bill which would mean cosmetic treatments such as fillers, Botox, chemical peels and microneedling would be subject to greater regulation.
The Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill is seeking to regulate the provision of certain non-surgical procedures, where a non-surgical procedure is defined as a procedure that pierces or penetrates an individual’s skin.
If passed, it would mean the treatments identified by the Bill would have to be administered by a registered healthcare professional, in a registered healthcare setting.
The Bill would make it illegal for under-18s to receive these treatments.
The Bill would also introduce enforcement powers for authorities and would give Scottish Ministers powers to impose further restrictions or to change the list of procedures covered by the Bill, through regulations.
Some of the procedures covered by the Bill include:
Ablative laser treatment e.g. laser skin resurfacing
Cellulite subcision e.g. cellulite dimple removal or Cellfina®
Chemical peel e.g. skin peel or facial peel
Dermal microcoring e.g. Ellacor® Treatment, removal of tiny cores of skin using hollow needles.
Intravenous procedure e.g. IV drip therapy, beauty IV drips
Microneedling e.g. skin needling, Dermapen® microneedling
Thread Lift e.g. PDO (Polydioxanone), PLLA (Poly-L-Lactic Acid), cat or fox eye thread lift
Speaking as the call for views was launched, Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said:“Our Committee is aware that the use and administering of non-surgical procedures for cosmetic purposes has grown hugely in popularity over the last few years.
“But we are also aware of concerns that there may be risks when those providing treatments aren’t suitably trained to do so.
“This Scottish Government Bill proposes to strengthen the regulation of who can receive and administer these treatments, and where these can be carried out.
“We are seeking the views of business owners on how this could impact their business. We’re keen to hear the experiences of individuals who receive these treatments, whether positive or negative, on how the changes proposed could impact them.
“We are also keen to gather the views of health professionals and organisations on whether they support the proposals in the Bill. So please get in touch.”
Government reports the urgent need for more Work Experience opportunities
Reports also indicate that those from privileged backgrounds are 2.5 times more likely to build a career in creative occupations than their working-class peers.
Discover! Creative Careers (DCC) aims to reach 10,000 young people across Scotland in its new partnership with Into Film Scotland.
28 Years Later screening & Talk with Drone Operator, Robbie Jones (Edinburgh + Glasgow)
Grow screening & Q&A with Director John McPhail + Actor Sanjeev Kohli (Falkirk)
Game Design workshop with DYW Live & Skills Development Scotland
Discover Creative Careers Week Scotland runs from 10 to 14 November to coincide with Scottish Careers Week.
Into Film Scotland, part of Into Film the UK’s leading charity for film in education and the community, have announced a series of upcoming events as part of Discover! Creative Careers Week Scotland taking place from 10 to 14 November to coincide with Scottish Careers Week.
This announcement comes as recent reports from Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Career Development Institute indicate an urgent need for more Work Experience opportunities for young people and that those form privileged backgrounds are 2.5 times more likely to build a career in creative occupations than their working-class peers.
Upcoming events include Creative Catalyst at Perth Creative Exchange on Thursday 13th November. The session will be an opportunity to explore and experiment with expressive mark-making, materials and processes. This is for young people based in Perth and Kinross, developing their art portfolio to apply to further or higher education or with an interest in a creative career.
There will also be screenings in Edinburgh and Glasgow of recent hits 28 Years Later followed by a talk from the film’s Drone Operator Robbie Jones as well as a screening in Falkirk of new Scottish film Grow with Q&A fromDirector John McPhail & Actor Sanjeev Kohli. The programme of events across the week also includes a Game Design workshop from DYW Live & Skills Development Scotland which is one of DCC’s year-round activities.
Into Film will also run a special online webinar for parents and carers during Discover! Creative Careers Week in collaboration with Developing the Young Workforce and delivered during Skills Development Scotland’s Scottish Careers Week.
New opportunities are being added weekly, future offers to include games, museums and galleries, animation, fashion and textiles, heritage, film and tv, libraries and archives, visual art, and music.
Employers in the creative industries in Scotland can register their interest to participate in the programme here. Schools and educators can find out more and access the main Teacher and Careers Leaders hub here.
REPORTS FINDINGS
A paper on Work Based Learning the Career Development Institute highlighted the importance of events such as these providing practical, in-person experience.
For reference, this importance was also emphasised in the Gatsby Good Career Guidance (used in other UK nations but not Scotland), which includes in its framework that ‘by the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful experiences of workplaces’ and also points out that ‘these encounters could be in person or a combination of in-person and virtual, where appropriate.’
Therefore, although virtual opportunities are one way for pupils to gain experience, these should be part of a mix of methods that should include in-person experiences too.
Research from by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport after the Covid-19 pandemic (conducted in 2022 and updated in 2025) [2] alsofound that employers from the creative industries are more likely to cite ‘lack of work experience the company demands’ as a reason for their difficulties in filling hard-to-fill roles – 18.6% vs. 12.6% for overall employers.
They also found that employers cited that ‘applicants lack the required skills’ as their top reason – 44.5% vs. 31.1% for overall employers.
This paints a worrying picture of the skills and experience gaps for the creative industries. The paper also highlights that those from privileged backgrounds are 2.5 times more likely to end up in creative occupations than their working-class peers.
In a recent State of the Nations research report by Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and produced by Work Advance, on the skills mismatch in the creative industries, findings included structural issues in the mismatch between the skills that people currently have and what the industry needs and how best to take them through education and training.
The report concludes that 65% of ‘hard-to-fill’ vacancies in the creative industries are attributable to skills shortages, compared with just 41% of ‘hard-to-fill’ vacancies across all sectors.
Skills shortages are most pronounced for higher-skilled roles, with 78% of creative industries employers experiencing such deficiencies (in the three highest occupations), compared with 31% across all industries.
Creative industries employers are more likely to report having to delay developing new products or services because of the skills shortages they face.
Skills gaps caused by the introduction of new technology (including but not limited to AI) and the development of new products and services are a particular challenge for creative businesses.
The report talks about the need to ensure that young people develop the skills they need to fill these roles and that these skills need to be agile and flexible to enable flourishing in multiple roles or parts of the sector (and outside of it). They are also informed by the reality of the nature of the sector and opportunity differences based on geography.
The report also discusses the need to increase diversity the sector and recognise the need to broaden out access and opportunities for young people, regardless of their background. The report highlights that if this is not addressed, the socio-economic diversity gap will only worsen and there will be even fewer stories made by people who we need to hear from.
In September after a competitive tender process, Into Film was awarded the contract to implement the Discover! Creative Careers programme in Scotland across 2025 – 2026. Working in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), Discover! Creative Careers in Scotland has an ambition to reach at least 10,000 young people across 2025-2026.
Into Film Scotland is part of Into Film, the UK’s leading charity for film in education and the community. They provide screen industry careers information and advice, support young filmmakers, and bring the power of moving image storytelling into classroom teaching and youth provision across Scotland.
Clare Gibson, Discover Creative Careers Lead, Scotland has said: “We are thrilled to be launching this year’s programme for Discover! Creative Careers Scotland, for the week of the 10-14 November and beyond.
“The creative industry in Scotland is an exciting and interesting sector to work in, and we are delighted that we can work with employers and partners to offer a range of activities and events that can support young people to consider a career in the creative industries.
“We have new opportunities being added weekly; and you can expect to see future offers to include games, museums and galleries, animation, fashion and textiles, heritage, film and tv, libraries and archives, visual art, and music.
“Discover! Creative Careers Week Scotland is just the beginning, – the programme is running until March 2026, and there is much more to come!”
To keep up to date with all things Discover! In Scotland, you can visit the website to register your interest and search the opportunity finder for activity in Scotland:
Open at Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW
Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm
51 hours of Post Office service per week
Branch now open on Saturday afternoons
Experienced postmasters
Dr Scott Arthur MP for Edinburgh South West “cut the ribbon” (17/10) to mark the official opening of Wester Hailes Post Office at its new location – Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW.
Experienced postmasters are father and son, Mohammed and Aamir Arshad have run Plaza News, a hardware and convenience store, since 2016. Previously they ran Whitecraig Post Office and off-licence store in Musselburgh for six years.
Dr Scott Arthur MP said: “I want to thank Mohammed and Aamir Arshad for taking on Wester Hailes Post Office inside their well-established store, close to the previous branch, meaning customers are already familiar with the shopping centre, parking and bus routes.
”This Post Office fits in well with the store design. The layout is spacious and accessible, and with Mohammed and Aamir’s experience running a previous Post Office, they’ve hit the ground running.”
Wester Hailes Post Office had been directly managed by Post Office. As part of Post Office’s wider commitment to deliver a “New Deal for Postmasters” with increased remuneration, the Post Office is franchising all remaining 108 Directly Managed Branches which will create a long-term, sustainable future for post offices across the UK.
This branch in Wester Hailes is the first of the 108 to relocate. It remains within the same shopping centre. There is a car park at the shopping center with dedicated disabled parking bays on upper level where the new branch is located.
Wester Hailes Post Office has two open plan serving positions, neatly added to the line of retail counters. The store has wide aisles, designed to make it easier for people with mobility scooters, wheelchairs, walking frames, pushchairs or prams to manoeuvre.
Postmaster Aamir Arshad said: “Our existing customers were really pleased that we were taking on Wester Hailes Post Office under one roof. We have had lots of people saying that they are very grateful that the branch is here and we have also had thank you cards.
“People are happy with the spacious layout in the aisles, so there is room for someone in a wheelchair and a pushchair to pass side by side.
“We are also seeing lots of new customers who we had not seen before, who have also been impressed with our existing retail offer in our hardware and convenience store, so those sales have increased too.
“We are giving everyone a warm welcome. People are surprised to hear about my previous experience of running a branch. I was only young when I started with my Dad. Now my 20-year-old brother Adam, has just joined us too, so he is about my age when I started. He’s taken to it really well.
“Extra staff are also being Post Office trained ready for the really busy Christmas period.”
Opening hours are: Monday – Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm. This is an extra 5 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service a week including Saturday afternoon and earlier opening on a Tuesday morning, making it more convenient for customers to visit.
The same range of Post Office services are available, including an internal ATM. Customers have the choice of Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DPD and Evri services to buy in branch, drop offs and collections. It’s very easy for people to do their personal and business banking, bill payment and a full range of currencies on demand.
There is passport check and send, vehicle tax ID verification services and Western Union international money transfers.
From Strathaven to the Isle of Skye, 46 employers fined over £400,000 for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage.
Across the UK, around £6 million put back into the pockets of working people as Government delivers the biggest overhaul of workers’ rights in a generation, as part of its Plan for Change.
Enforcement of workers’ rights is set to be beefed up through new Fair Work Agency which will shield workers from employers who flout the law.
46 employers who failed to pay the minimum wage have been named (Friday 17 October) as the Government takes direct action to Make Work Pay.
Around 700 workers in Scotland have been repaid by their employers, including well-known high street brands, with employers receiving fines totalling over £400,000 for breaking the rules.
This strong enforcement doesn’t just protect workers; it protects those businesses who do right by their staff from being undercut. By taking swift action against these employers, the Government is sending a clear message that it will not tolerate those who short-change their workers, regardless of their size or sector.
Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said:“This government is taking direct action to ensure workers get every penny they’ve earned, and to put an end to bad businesses undercutting good ones.
“We are proud to have delivered a strong minimum wage and enforcing it thoroughly is crucial in our mission to put pounds back in your pocket.
“I know this news will be welcomed by brilliant businesses across the country, those who know that happy well-paid staff are at the heart of building a successful company.
“With our new Fair Work Agency and the coming Employment Rights Bill, this government is keeping our promise to Britain to make work pay again”
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said:“Every Scottish worker deserves the pay they are entitled to. Our government is delivering real change for working people – boosting the minimum wage for 200,000 of Scotland’s lowest-paid workers and taking action against employers who break the rules.
“We are bringing in the biggest upgrade to workers rights in a generation and we will not tolerate employers who short-change their staff.”
This action comes as the Government introduces the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights and enforcement for a generation through its Plan to Make Work Pay, which is set to directly benefit around 15 million, or half of all UK, workers.
As well as ensuring hard work is properly rewarded with fair treatment and decent pay, from April 2026 the Employment Rights Bill will also establish a new Fair Work Agency with more powers to tackle employers underpaying workers and failing to pay holiday and sick pay.
Today’s announcement follows significant increases to National Minimum Wage rates earlier this year. From April, millions got a pay rise with those on the National Living Wage who work full-time seeing their families supported by an extra £1,400 per year.
· If workers suspect they are being underpaid, they can visit gov.uk/checkyourpay to find out more about what they can do.
· Workers can also call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or visit their website for free, impartial and confidential advice or complain to HMRC at Pay and work rights helpline and complaints
· The minimum wage law applies to all parts of the UK.
· HMRC consider all complaints from workers, so workers are being reminded to check their pay with advice available through the Check your pay website
· National Living Wage and National Minimum wage rates:
2024 rate
2025 rate
National Living Wage (21 and over)
£11.44
£12.21
18 to 20
£8.60
£10.00
Under 18
£6.40
£7.55
Apprentice
£6.40
£7.55
Educational bulletin
We are committed to educating employers and have released an educational bulletin today to increase awareness of National Minimum Wage legislation and inform companies on how to make sure they’re paying workers correctly.
List of employers:
Crieff Hydro Limited, Crieff, PH7, failed to pay £33,992.50 to 131 workers.
J. Puddleducks Childcare Limited , Aberdeen, AB21, failed to pay £30,057.05 to 62 workers.
Mr James D Oakden & Mrs Frances I Hay Smith, Cupar, KY14, failed to pay £28,379.95 to 7 workers.
Stena Line PTE Ltd, Glasgow, G3, failed to pay £20,585.44 to 11 workers.
Seada Uaine Ltd, Isle of Jura, PA60, failed to pay £11,190.12 to 18 workers.
Little Me Nursery Limited, Glasgow, G20, failed to pay £7,841.61 to 15 workers.
Windscreen Services (argyll) Ltd, Oban, PA34, failed to pay £7,191.37 to 3 workers.
David Bryson & Sons Limited, Prestwick, KA9, failed to pay £6,766.94 to 25 workers.
Rompers Private Nursery Limited, Montrose, DD10, failed to pay £6,311.47 to 5 workers.
Peebles Hydro Limited, Peebles, EH45, failed to pay £4,328.91 to 28 workers.
J S K Retail (GLW) Ltd, Alloa, FK10, failed to pay £4,007.92 to 1 worker.
K & P Cooper Ltd, Annan, DG12, failed to pay £3,920.18 to 1 worker.
Ballathie House Hotel Company Limited, Stanley, PH1, failed to pay £3,445.15 to 33 workers.
Wright Hardware Limited, Prestwick, KA9, failed to pay £3,279.84 to 77 workers.
Mr James D Oakden & Mrs Sarah Oakden, Cupar, KY14, failed to pay £3,191.72 to 2 workers.
Driveline Holdings Limited, Grangemouth, FK3, failed to pay £3,055.00 to 3 workers.
Mackay Hotel Company Ltd, Wick, KW1, failed to pay £3,051.03 to 3 workers.
The Daisychain Nursery Kirkcaldy Ltd., Kirkcaldy, KY1, failed to pay £2,825.67 to 14 workers.
ABY Autos Ltd, Hamilton, ML3, failed to pay £2,630.57 to 1 worker.
Ms Anne Myles, Miss Stacey Myles & Miss Teri Devine, Dundee, DD4, failed to pay £2,511.75 to 5 workers.
Sinclair Nursery Limited, Glasgow, G42, failed to pay £2,501.34 to 2 workers.
Gemmell Hammond Limited, Arbroath, DD11, failed to pay £2,422.76 to 1 worker.
Spring Engineering Services Limited, Livingston, EH54, failed to pay £2,222.96 to 3 workers.
Cinemaattic Productions CIC, Edinburgh, EH8, failed to pay £2,029.46 to 2 workers.
Mr Edward Phillips, Coatbridge, ML5, failed to pay £2,019.00 to 2 workers.
Kingswellies Nursery Limited, Aberdeen, AB15, failed to pay £1,928.05 to 4 workers.
MacPhails Coaches Limited, Shotts, ML7, failed to pay £1,879.85 to 12 workers.
Thistle Alterations Ltd, Aberdeen, AB10, failed to pay £1,874.47 to 2 workers.
Seaforth Hotels Limited, Helensburgh, G84, failed to pay £1,807.14 to 5 workers.
MJM Builders Limited, Glasgow, G68, failed to pay £1,773.07 to 1 worker.
The Three Chimneys (Scotland) Limited, Isle of Skye, IV55, failed to pay £1,527.83 to 7 workers.
Mrs Anna K Bednarz, Isle Of Skye, IV49, failed to pay £1,520.00 to 1 worker.
Enchanted Forest Nursery Limited , Bishopton, PA7, failed to pay £1,482.59 to 4 workers.
Crinan Hotel (Argyll) Limited (The), Crinan, PA31, failed to pay £1,317.86 to 24 workers.
Bar Aldo Limited, Alloa, FK10, failed to pay £1,268.63 to 11 workers.
Abby Cleaning (Scotland) Ltd, Glasgow, G22, failed to pay £1,002.80 to 49 workers.
Orchard Grove Nurseries Limited, Paisley, PA1, failed to pay £834.33 to 1 worker.
Pace & Bene Limited, Kilwinning, KA13, failed to pay £814.59 to 1 worker.
Crofthead Holiday Park Limited, Ayr, KA6, failed to pay £763.43 to 1 worker.
Mr Alexander Stuart, Mrs Freda Thomson Stuart, Mrs Emma Jane Stuart, Mr Grant Reid, Dunning, PH2, failed to pay £741.43 to 1 worker.
Event Evolution Limited, Port Glasgow, PA14, failed to pay £686.67 to 4 workers.
The Rissco Collection Limited, Strathaven, ML10, failed to pay £680.25 to 25 workers.
Ubiquitous Chip Ltd, Dunbar, EH42, failed to pay £675.13 to 47 workers.
Mackie’s Limited, Rothienorman, AB51, failed to pay £568.13 to 2 workers.
New Inn Hotel Limited, Ellon, AB41, failed to pay £538.71 to 15 workers.
Mazaj Dundee Limited, Dundee, DD1, failed to pay £529.65 to 16 workers.
A design by Leonardo da Vinci for a fantastical dragon costume is one of more than 80 drawings by 57 different artists that are now on display as part ofthe widest-ranging exhibition of Italian Renaissance drawings for over half a century in Scotland.
Drawings by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Titian and more are among 45 works going on display in Scotland for the first time as part of Drawing the Italian Renaissance at The King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Following a critically acclaimed showing in London, the exhibition explores the variety and range of drawings in this period, from preparatory studies for paintings and altarpieces to designs for sculpture and elaborate drawings which were made as gifts.
Drawings were often discarded after they had served their purpose, with only a small proportion surviving, but the works on display have been carefully preserved in the Royal Collection for centuries, allowing them to be enjoyed almost as vividly as when they were created.
Lauren Porter, curator of the exhibition, said ‘This is a remarkable opportunity to share so many of the Italian Renaissance drawings from the Royal Collection, with over half being shown in Scotland for the first time.
“As works on paper cannot be permanently displayed for conservation reasons, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity for visitors to view these drawings up close, giving a unique insight into the minds of the great artists who made them.’
Reflecting the continued importance of drawing today, the Gallery is hosting its first artist residency, in collaboration with Edinburgh College of Art.
Edinburgh-based artists Phoebe Leach and Dette Allmark, both alumni of the School, will respond to the masterpieces on display by drawing in the Gallery throughout the exhibition. Their creations will form a changing display for visitors, who are encouraged to take inspiration and try drawing themselves, with materials freely available.
A highlight work on display is an example of one of Leonardo’s anatomical studies drawn from a real-life dissection. The double-sided drawing which shows the muscles of a man was created in c.1510–11 and shows his detailed, personal notes in his left-handed ‘mirror-writing’.
Perhaps lesser known are the anatomical studies of Michelangelo, who reportedly conducted human dissections as a young man.
On display for the first time in Scotland is his study of a male torso in pen and ink, which was likely drawn from a wax model made by the artist, which shows his ongoing interest in human anatomy later in life. This can also be seen in his highly finished black chalk drawing of the resurrected Christ, with the artist capturing the energy of the muscular figure rising from his tomb.
Other striking figure studies on display include two works by Raphael: a vigorous drawing of Hercules slaying the many-headed Hydra, and a red chalk study of The Three Graces that was – unusually for the period – drawn from a nude female model.
Scenes from mythology were common subjects for Italian Renaissance artists and are well-represented in the exhibition. They include drawings by lesser-known artists including Paolo Farinati’s design for a fresco showing the goddesses of fruit and agriculture.
The drawing, which has not been on display before in Scotland, is inscribed with instructions for the artist’s assistants on the height of the figures, telling them they should be around three-feet-high but to ‘do it as you fancy when you are on the scaffolding.’
Other highlights on display include a drawing attributed to the Venetian artist Titian of an ostrich, believed to have been drawn from life, and Leonardo’s design for a dragon costume, which appears to house two men, in the manner of a pantomime horse.
A series of portrait drawings and head studies show therange of subjects, materials, functions and coloursof Italian Renaissance drawings.
The distorted and tormented face of a grotesque mask sketched by Michelangelo, possibly a design for a sculpture, contrasts with the classical features of Leonardo’s red and black chalk drawing of a curly-haired young man which is displayed nearby, with both works on show for the first time in Scotland.
After almost 120 hours of conservation work by Royal Collection Trust conservators ahead of the London exhibition, Bernardino Campi’s cartoon for an altarpiece of the Virgin and Child is on show for the first time in Scotland.
The cartoon, a large-scale drawing made of four pieces of paper joined together, was originally used to transfer the drawing onto a painting’s surface. The conservation work involved painstakingly removing the drawing from its deteriorating canvas backing and supporting sections where the paperhad become as delicate as lace.
The Italian Renaissance saw the range and purpose of drawing greatly expand, resulting in some of the finest works of art in any medium.
Michelangelo’s meticulous drawing A children’s bacchanal marks a highpoint of Renaissance draughtsmanship and is in perfect condition, allowing us to see Michelangelo’s mastery of the art of drawing.
Following a successful launch in 2024, The King’s Gallery will offer £1 tickets for the exhibition to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits.
Further concessionary rates are available, including discounted tickets for young people, half-price entry for children (with under-fives free), and the option to convert standard tickets bought directly from Royal Collection Trust into a 1-Year Pass for unlimited re-entry for 12 months.
In a boost for our great British boozers, rural pubs across the UK will benefit from new government funding to help them provide extra services for communities
Rural pubs to receive funding to help broaden their services
As part of the Plan for Change, projects include community cafes, village stores and play areas
For every £1 invested in these projects, over £8 social value is generated, new data shows
In a boost for our great British boozers, rural pubs across the UK will benefit from new government funding to help them provide extra services for local communities. Projects will include creating community cafes, village stores, and play areas, and will help pubs bring residents and families together.
The projects have been identified by Pub is The Hub – a non-profit organisation supporting local pubs to diversify their services. Their Social Value Report spotlit more than 40 pub projects currently stuck in limbo due to a lack of funding.
In response, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has committed £440,000 to help Pub is The Hub deliver these projects.
From North Yorkshire to Ceredigion and Cornwall, funding will help support local jobs and opportunities whilst increasing community cohesion as part of the Plan for Change.
Kate Dearden, Minister Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, said: “Rural pubs are hubs of their communities and this government wants to support these vital community assets, creating jobs, supporting local economies and providing residents with a place to socialise and come together.
“That’s why, as part of the Plan for Change, we’re keen to help secure their future with this funding, alongside measures to slash red tape, modernise licensing and to create a fairer business rates system.”
New research by Pub is The Hub shows that for every £1 invested in the provision of new services or activities, there is a return in social value of over £8.
So far, the organisation has supported hundreds of diversification projects and aims to help 1,000 more pubs over the next three years, creating 2,500 jobs and 1,600 services for over one million residents.
John Longden OBE and Chief Executive of Pub is The Hub, said: “We would like to thank the Department for Business and Trade for recognising the important role that pubs and publicans have in rural and deprived areas.
“Publicans with their individual pub businesses have a vital social role in supporting local communities and helping people to overcome social isolation and alleviate feelings of loneliness.
“They have a significant social value that is beyond economic impact. They are crucial in helping to bring people together and inspiring the provision of lost services and amenities.”
To mark the launch of the funding, Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, met with John Longden, Chief Executive of Pub is the Hub, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Chair of the APPG Beer Group, and Molly Davis from the British Institute of Innkeeping to discuss the positive impact funding will have, as well as the Government’s wider support offer for the hospitality industry.
Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King and Co-Chair of the Licensing Taskforce, said: “We are pleased to be long-term supporters of Pub Is The Hub, which works so hard to help pubs with practical advice in extending their community services.
“No one can underestimate the huge social and economic value of pubs. Our pubs are more than bricks and mortar where people eat and drink – they are places where people come together for all occasions and celebrations, they offer local employment and careers for people of all ages and can help in tackling loneliness.
“Additional access to funding and less red tape is some welcome news to help pubs continue to adapt to meet the needs of their local communities.”
Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “British pubs are the beating heart of our communities, and we know people want to see them thrive.
“From bringing forward more funding, to giving communities first dibs to take over beloved bars through our new Community Right to Buy, we’re making sure they are protected for generations to come.”
