Guidance maps out full reopening of Scottish campuses.
New guidance has been published to help Scotland’s colleges and universities prepare for a safe and phased return to campus.
The guidance has been developed in partnership with colleges, universities, the Scottish Funding Council, trades unions and student bodies.
Institutions are planning for a phased return with a blended model of remote and limited on-campus learning in Phase 3 of the Scottish Government’s route map.
Essential preparations can already take place, while on-campus university research and home moves for student accommodation can resume from 29 June, 2020.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland’s colleges and universities are working hard to ensure the safest possible environment for staff and students returning to campus.
“This guidance will support institutions to do that by setting out clear expectations and practical approaches to public health and health and safety, including physical distancing.
“Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Scotland’s colleges and universities have been at the forefront of supporting the country, most visibly in supporting the NHS and social care sectors.
“That has included thousands of students joining the health and social care workforce, the contribution of staff, equipment and resources to COVID-19 testing capacity, and the refocusing of existing research capacity to address the pandemic across medical, engineering and other disciplines – as well as community efforts to support the most vulnerable members of society.
“The flexibility colleges and universities have shown so far has demonstrated that they are well-equipped to provide a safe environment for staff and students while supporting their students in their studies and ensuring the highest quality of learning and teaching.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Monday 29 June:
Good afternoon everyone and thank you for joining us. Before I move on to today’s update on Covid, I want to say just a few words about Friday’s knife attack in the city of Glasgow.
During the briefing on Friday, I commented on what an exceptional job our police service was doing in enforcing proportionately and sensitively the lockdown restrictions.
But Friday afternoon reminded us of another side of the police’s duties – it reminded us that in order to protect all of us, the public, our police officers so often run towards danger, despite the risk to themselves.
Now we are considering what further lessons need to be learned from what happened on Friday – Aileen Campbell, the Communities Secretary, is discussing the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in a phone call with the UK Government later today.
But for the moment, I simply want to take this opportunity to thank all of the police officers involved in dealing with Friday’s attack – they showed outstanding courage, dedication and professionalism. And through that undoubtedly avoided a very serious situation indeed becoming even worse.
I also want to praise our medical services, including of course the Scottish Ambulance Service, for providing such effective care so quickly to those affected by the attack.
And my thoughts are very much with Constable David Whyte (above), and with everyone harmed in Friday’s incident. I hope all six people injured make a full and speedy recovery – my best wishes go to them and to their loved ones.
Now, let me start the Covid part of the briefing by providing my usual update on the most recent statistics.
I can report today, that an additional 5 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,241 confirmed cases.
A total of 740 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 38 fewer than yesterday overall, and there has been no change since yesterday in the number of confirmed cases in hospital.
A total of 10 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid and that is 3 fewer than yesterday.
Since 5 March, a total of 4,051 patients who had tested positive for the virus and required hospital treatment have now been able to leave hospital.
And in the past 24 hours, I’m pleased to report that no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, therefore remains at 2,482.
This is the fourth day in a row when no deaths of patients confirmed through a test have been recorded in Scotland.
Now of course two of these days have been weekends, and we know that registration can be artificially low at weekends and we may see more deaths registered later this week.
But there is no doubt that these recent figures demonstrate beyond any doubt how much progress Scotland has made in tackling Covid. That is down to the efforts and sacrifices of everyone across the country and I want again to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you for that.
Our challenge now, and it is a big challenge, and it will again depend on the efforts of all of us – is to continue that progress, while at the same time reopening more of our economy, restarting more of our public services, and seeing more of our family and friends.
And of course – the tally of total deaths that I have reported is a constant reminder, and should continue to be a constant reminder, of the human toll of this virus and why our efforts to contain, control and hopefully eliminate it are so important.
Everyone who has died due to this illness was a unique and irreplaceable individual, whose loss right now is a source of grief to many. I want again today to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one as a result of COVID-19.
And again let me express my thanks to our health and our care workers and indeed to all our key workers – the progress we have made to date is in no small part due to your dedication. The entire country is grateful to you for everything you have done, and indeed, everything you continue to do.
I have two key points I want to briefly update on today. The first relates to public finances and the economy – and I am joined today by Kate Forbes, the Finance Secretary.
Today – and I will return to this briefly at the end of my remarks – we are seeing the reopening of significant parts of our economy. And later this afternoon, I will be discussing how we continue that restart safely and sustainably, at one of the Scottish Government’s regular meetings with the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
In addition, the Scottish Government has published a paper today, which puts forward some hopefully constructive proposals for how the UK as a whole can and needs to stimulate economic growth in a way that is both fair and sustainable.
The paper proposes an £80 billion stimulus programme – roughly comparable in ambition to the one Germany has recently adopted – and it has a particular focus on investment in low carbon and digital infrastructure. Our proposals would also provide an employment guarantee for young people.
We are also suggesting a temporary cut in VAT to boost consumption – with especially low rates for our hospitality and tourism sectors because they have been particularly hard hit and are likely to be hit for even longer than some other parts of our economy.
And alongside those UK-wide proposals, we propose that Scotland should gain greater financial powers – for example over borrowing – so that we can shape our own response to the economic implications of the pandemic.
The economic crisis caused by COVID-19 is undoubtedly the most serious of our lifetimes. The Scottish Government’s proposals are therefore ambitious, but also practical, and sustainable – and we believe they would benefit not just Scotland but the whole of the UK.
Central to them is the strong belief that the austerity mistake of the post financial crash period must not be repeated and that debt must be managed over a longer time period. We hope that these proposals will be considered seriously – and we will of course happily discuss the details of them with the UK Government.
The second issue I want to talk about is the issue of air bridges.
The UK Government made its announcement on what are called air bridges – which allow travel to and from certain countries without quarantine restrictions – unfortunately without any prior consultation at all with the Scottish Government.
As a result, we are still considering our response and our own proposals. The Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf, was part of a four-way phone discussion with Michael Gove and the other devolved administrations earlier today.
This is an issue on which we have tried very hard to work closely with the UK Government and other devolved administrations. And we can and do of course see the benefits of adopting a consistent approach across all parts of the UK.
However, we also know that quarantine measures – albeit perhaps on a more targeted basis in future – may become more important in Scotland, rather than less, as our infection rates fall, since then the relative impact of new cases from outside Scotland potentially become greater.
And of course the prospect of cases coming in from elsewhere poses a risk, not just to health but also to our economy.
We therefore want to take a bit of time to consider the public health impact of the UK Government’s proposals as well as the data and evidence underpinning them, which hopefully we will see before too long, and we will make a further announcement once we have had the opportunity to do so.
The final point I want to make relates once again to our key public health measures.
As I said earlier on, today sees a significant resumption of activity in key public services and in our economy. Optometry services for example are now resuming and, from today, women who had a cervical cancer screening scheduled before that service was paused can contact their GP to arrange a new appointment.
In terms of the economy many factories, warehouses and laboratories can now reopen, the construction sector can move to the next phase of its reopening plan, house moves can also resume.
And of course, most non-essential retail premises are able to reopen from today with appropriate physical distancing measures in place.
We’re also recommending that everyone should wear a face covering in a shop, unless for example you have a medical condition which makes that difficult.
But I would strongly urge everyone else to wear a face covering. It is a way in which you can protect other people, you’re less likely to transmit the virus to them if you are waiting one, and everyone else who is wearing a face covering is, in turn, helping to protect you.
I know that wearing face coverings takes some getting used to but please get into the habit of it now because it does add to the protections we want to confer on each other, and it is one measure that helps us to reduce the risk of the transmission of COVID-19.
This gradual reopening of our economy and our public services is of course very welcome and it has been very hard-earned by everybody across the country.
And of course the figures I’ve just reported demonstrate once again just how much progress we have made in recent weeks, but please don’t think because of this that life should be completely back to normal, or that the risk of COVID has somehow disappeared. It has not disappeared, the virus has not gone away.
There are still, as I reported today, hundreds of people in Scotland in hospital as a result of the virus, there are still new people becoming infected every day.
And, although those numbers are low, this is a virus that we know is still highly infectious and very dangerous, and it will start to spread rapidly again if we give it the opportunity to do so.
So please, even as we all go out and about more and do more things, do not give it that opportunity to spread. Our public health campaign, FACTS, summarises the key points that all of us need to remember and to abide by.
Firstly, face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops, they are already mandatory on public transport.
Second, avoid crowded places – crowded places are a danger, even if they are outdoors.
Third, clean your hands and hard surfaces that you touch regularly.
Fourth, two-metre distancing remains the advice.
And lastly, self-isolate and immediately book a test if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
If all of us remember these five basic measures, then all of us can help to stay safe ourselves, help to protect others and, ultimately help to save lives.
So please continue to do all of that and to stick with these rules. If you do we can and we will sustain the progress we’ve all made.
My thanks again to everyone who is doing that.
I hope it is becoming clearer with every day that passes what a difference it is all making and why it is important to continue with that discipline.
Thank you very much indeed for listening. I’m going to hand now to the Finance Secretary to say a few words before we move on to questions.
STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT: Last night Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock announced local measures to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Leicester.
Mr Speaker, with permission, I would like to make a statement on local action to tackle coronavirus.
The impact of coronavirus has been deeply felt.
And yet thanks to the extraordinary action that this country has taken, it is now in decline at a national level.
The number of positive new cases is now below 1,000 a day and the number of recorded deaths yesterday is 25.
I am pleased to report there were no deaths in Scotland for the fourth consecutive day and that there is currently nobody in intensive care with coronavirus in Northern Ireland.
So we have been able, carefully, to ease the national restrictions.
And alongside the easing of these national restrictions, we have increasingly taken local action.
In May, we shut Weston Hospital to new admissions after a cluster of cases there.
Earlier this month, we closed 2 GP surgeries in Enfield and a meat processing factory in Kirklees.
And the Welsh Government has closed factories in Anglesey and Wrexham.
We have put in place a system to tie together local and national action, based on insight provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre, working closely with Public Health England and the NHS.
Analysis is based on 3 levels of spread.
Individual cases are identified and managed by NHS Test and Trace.
When many cases are found in 1 setting, be it a care home for instance, a factory, or a hospital, that is classified as a cluster, and that will be dealt with largely by the local Director of Public Health, who has statutory powers to close individual organisations.
When Public Health England or the new JBC identifies clusters that are linked to one another, that is defined as an outbreak and a range of local and national actions may be needed.
Decisions are taken through our Local Action Committee Command structure. It works as follows.
If PHE or the JBC spots a problem that needs attention or the local Director of Public Health reports up a problem through the Regional Health Protection Teams, then the outbreak is assessed at the daily Local Action Committee Bronze meeting.
Issues of concern are raised to the Local Action Committee Silver meeting, which is chaired by the Chief Medical Officer.
And problems requiring ministerial attention are then raised to the Local Action Committee Gold meeting.
Yesterday, I chaired an emergency Local Action Committee Gold meeting specifically to deal with the outbreak in Leicester. Unfortunately, while cases in most parts of the country have fallen since the peak, in Leicester they have continued to rise.
The 7-day infection rate in Leicester is 135 cases per 100,000 people, which is 3 times higher than the next highest city.
Leicester accounts for around 10% of all positive cases in the country over the past week.
And admissions to hospital are between 6 and 10 per day rather than around 1 a day at other trusts.
Over the past fortnight, we have already taken action to protect people in Leicester.
We deployed 4 mobile testing units and extra capacity at the regional test site.
We provided thousands of home testing kits and extra public health capacity to boost the local team.
This afternoon, I held a further meeting with local leaders, with Public Health England, the JBC, the Local Resilience Forum and my clinical advisers, followed by a meeting of the cross-government Covid Operations Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister.
We have agreed further measures to tackle the outbreak in Leicester.
First, in addition to the mobile testing units that I mentioned earlier, we will send further testing capability, including opening a walk-in centre.
Anyone in Leicester with symptoms must come forward for a test.
Second, we will give extra funding to Leicester and Leicestershire councils to support them to enhance their communications and ensure those communications are translated into all locally relevant languages.
Third, through the councils, we will ensure support is available for those who have to self-isolate.
Fourth, we will work with the workplaces that have seen clusters of cases to implement more stringently the COVID-secure workplaces.
Given the growing outbreak in Leicester, we cannot recommend that the easing of the national lockdown, set to take place on the 4 July, happens in Leicester.
Having taken clinical advice on the actions necessary, and discussed them with the local team in Leicester and Leicestershire, we have made some difficult but important decisions.
We have decided that from tomorrow non-essential retail will have to close.
And, as children have been particularly impacted by this outbreak, schools will also need to close from Thursday, staying open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers as they did throughout
Unfortunately, the clinical advice is that the relaxation of shielding measures due on the 6 July cannot now take place in Leicester.
We recommend to people in Leicester, stay at home as much as you can and we recommend against all but essential travel to, from and within Leicester.
We will monitor closely adherence to social distancing rules and will take further steps if that is what’s necessary.
The more people following the rules, the faster we will get control of this virus and get Leicester back to normal.
We will keep all of these local measures under review and we will not keep them in place any longer than is necessary.
We will review whether we can release any measures in 2 weeks’ time.
These Leicester-specific measures will apply not just to the city of Leicester, but also to the surrounding conurbation, including for example, Oadby, Birstall and Glenfield.
I know that this is a worrying time for people living in Leicester and I want you to know that you have our full support.
We do not take these decisions lightly, but with the interests of the people of Leicester in our hearts.
I want everyone in Leicester to know that we have taken every one of these decisions to protect them from this terrible virus. We must control this virus. We must keep people safe.
These actions are also profoundly in the national interest too because it’s in everyone’s interests that we control the virus as locally as possible.
Local action like this is an important tool in our armoury to deal with outbreaks while we get the country back on its feet.
Mr Speaker, we said that we do whatever it takes to defeat this virus.
And we said that local action would be an increasingly important part of our plan.
The virus thrives on social contact, and we know that reducing social contact controls its spread.
So precise and targeted actions like these will give the virus nowhere to hide and help us defeat this invisible killer.
It is with regret that Leith Theatre announces that, in light of the widespread disruption to cultural life caused by Covid-19, it has made the difficult decision to remain closed to the public until next Spring.
In a building already suffering the effects of years of neglect, and after weeks of scenario planning and calculating financial risk, it must, like so many other theatres and venues across the country, stay shut to remain a viable business in the longer term.
The colder months of the year are much more challenging in this still establishing business, with a quieter programme and with some parts of the theatre still without heating. The Spring and Summer programmes have been lost, and the current landscape is all so uncertain.
With so many unknowns, to risk re-opening to what would be reduced and socially distant audiences, is a risk simply too high to take and one that could potentially sound the death knell for this unique venue which sits proudly in the heart of Leith.
It is a decision that has not been taken lightly, but one which recognizes that temporary closure is necessary to protect the building and business for the future.
Most of the staff at Leith Theatre were furloughed as part of the Government Support scheme since the Theatre closed its doors in March. This longer term closure does mean that staff employment is affected and the theatre is in touch with its small team to discuss what that means directly.
However, the closure also brings an opportunity for Leith Theatre; it is with huge thanks to its funders; the Architectural Heritage Fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and most recently, Theatres At Risk, that it is able to conserve its limited resources and invest this time in prioritising its strategic next steps and planning for refreshed doors opening once more.
Lynn Morrison, Exec Director of Leith Theatre Trust, said: “The sector is facing incredible challenges and for our small dedicated staff team who have worked tirelessly to bring this venue to back to its feet, it is the hardest thing to see the building closed and the Leith family unable to return.
“We have to use this opportunity to build a stronger platform for the venue’s future. We are a Theatre at Risk and a business start-up, and we have major refurbishment and construction needs.
“Our committed funding and Government COVID support has granted us this time to review our future business development. We hope we can also explore future fundraising possibilities and consider if further building regeneration works are possible.
“We cannot wait to welcome everyone back through our doors but in the meantime we will keep supporting the community in any way we can”
Since shutdown, Leith Theatre has continued to provide a community lifeline, acting as a collection point for the North East Edinburgh Foodbank, collecting stationery for pupils in partnership with a local primary school and also pipelining fabric and materials for making masks for an Edinburgh craft collective. The doors were also re-opened to support NHS blood banks.
Leith Theatre has already seen periods of closure in its rich history and one day this temporary shutting will join the rest as mere notes in its timeline.
CAMRA’s Cheers for Choice campaign calls on pub companies to allow landlords to sell local beers from small and independent breweries.
Every pub across Scotland should be allowed to stock and sell beer and cider from small, local and independent brewers and cider producers, to help them recover post lockdown.
That’s the message from CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, as they launch their new ‘Cheers for Choice’ campaign this week.
As pubs prepare for reopening next month, CAMRA’s members across Scotland are signing petitions to pub company bosses urging them to allow all landlords to stock local brews.
Current beer ties mean that most pub tenants are restricted in what they can sell in their pubs and are often banned from putting on the products they know their customers want to drink.
The campaign wants pub companies’ beer tie arrangements to be relaxed as pubs reopen following the coronavirus lockdown, so that all parts of the industry can pull together and support each other.
A recent survey of 21,000 beer drinkers and pub goers across the UK carried out by CAMRA found that 68% of people are less likely to go to a pub if it isn’t selling local and independent beer and cider.
MSPs are also being urged to support the Tied Pubs Bill being put forward in the Scottish Parliament by Labour MSP Neil Bibby. The legislation would give tied pub tenants protections in law, including a right to be able to sell guest beers in their pubs.
Commenting, CAMRA Director for Scotland Sarah Crawford said:“Relaxing restrictions for tied pub tenants is the right thing to do – making sure all parts of the industry, no matter how small, are supported in the recovery from COVID-19 and are able to thrive in the weeks and months ahead.
“Allowing small and independent brewers and cider producers are able to sell into all pubs will also improve consumer choice and allow pub goers to support local brewing businesses.
“It also makes business sense, with 68% of pub-goers saying they would be less likely to go back to a pub if it doesn’t have a range of brews from small and independent producers.
“That’s why we are encouraging pub companies to relax restrictions on what beers can be sold when pubs reopen, as well as urging all MSPs to vote in favour of the Tied Pubs Bill later in the year so all landlords can have a legal right to serve guest beers from local and independent breweries.”
Labour MSP for the West of Scotland Neil Bibby MSP said:“I agree with CAMRA that restrictions on tied pubs should be relaxed to help brewers into the sector and allow more consumer choice for pub-goers.
“This is a critical time for pubs and brewers in Scotland. They need all the help they can get. One way the Scottish Parliament can help is through tied pub reform. It’s time to stop the big PubCos extracting profits from Scotland and support Scottish publicans who want to invest in their businesses and provide more choice to customers.”
A charity’s support for blind and partially sighted people affected by the coronavirus lockdown has received a £11,500 boost from the Scottish Government’s Wellbeing Fund.
One of East Lothian’s best-loved events of the year has become the latest to be cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Poppyscotland’s Sportive cycling event sees almost 1,000 riders take to the roads of East Lothian and the Borders in September, with many helping to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the leading Armed Forces charity. However, organisers have taken the agonising decision to cancel the 2020 Sportive.
Gordon Michie, the Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: “This has been a really difficult decision and one we have not taken lightly, but we feel it is the right course of action.
“There are several key reasons why we have taken this decision, including the ongoing uncertainty regarding mass participation events and when they can safely start again.
“It is imperative that we ensure the safety of our participants, suppliers and volunteers, and we concluded that it would be difficult to keep feeding stations and other facilities at the event clean and managed according to government guidelines.
“By cancelling the event until next year, we have reduced any potential risk to the communities of East Lothian, the Borders and beyond as it is imperative that we maintain the strong relationships that we have built with them over the past seven years.”
However, Mr Michie added: “Yes, this is disappointing news for us all, but we already have the date in the diary for next year’s event with the Sportive returning on Sunday, 26th September 2021. We will be back bigger and better than ever, especially given that next year we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Scottish Poppy Appeal.”
Sgt Frank Parisi, a full-time Reservist with Edinburgh’s very own 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, RAF Reserves, is a member of the Poppyscotland Sportive committee, and has taken part in the event several times over the years.
Like many, Frank is disappointed that this year’s event will not go ahead, but he has a poignant message for Poppyscotland supporters and the wider public: “It was perhaps inevitable that this year’s Poppyscotland Sportive would fall due to the unprecedented pandemic that we are all living through.
“It will be a great miss for avid cyclists such as myself, but I believe it is important that we keep on doing all that we can to support the country’s Armed Forces community during what may be proving a very tough time for many.
“Vulnerable veterans and their families need Poppyscotland’s support more than ever so as well as keeping their registration in place for the 2021 Sportive, I’d encourage everyone to get involved in some of the virtual events such as the Poppy Cycle Challenge to make sure this special charity can continue to provide their life-changing support during these challenging times.”
Participants in the 2020 Poppyscotland Sportive will have their place in the event transferred automatically to next year’s event, but are welcome to a refund. Poppyscotland is also asking riders if they would consider doing a ‘virtual Sportive’ – known as the “Poppy Cycle Challenge” – as an alternative.
This would have been the seventh consecutive year of the Poppyscotland Sportive, an event that has already raised more than £250,000 for the organisation’s work in supporting veterans and their families across the country.
The Sportive’s lead sponsor is renewable energy firm Fred. Olsen Renewables and the event is also supported by Bramik Foods Ltd, Cirrus Logics and Leith Cycle Co.
Best known for running the iconic Scottish Poppy Appeal, Poppyscotland reaches out to those who have served, those still serving, and their families at times of crisis and need by offering vital, practical advice, assistance and funding. The charity believes that no veteran should live without the prospect of employment, good health and a home, and that we all have part to play in achieving this.
To take part in the 2021 Poppyscotland Sportive, or for more information about the cancellation of this year’s event, please contact Poppyscotland’s Events Team, on 0131 557 2782, or at events@poppyscotland.org.uk, or by visiting www.poppyscotland.org.uk/sportive.
AN AMBITIOUS new restaurant that launched just weeks before lockdown has come back from the brink – after its owner was told it was too new to qualify for grants and the furlough scheme.
Pier Brasserie, the £100K transformation of the former Prezzo site, within Newhaven’s prime former Fishmarket building, launched with much excitement and anticipation in February.
Within weeks it became clear that the spread of Covid-19 was set to devastate the sector along with the dreams of owner Mark Patonyi, one of city’s most esteemed restaurant managers, previously front of house at Martin Wishart’s The Honours, Manager of Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond and general manager of Steak Restaurant at Picardy Place.
Now, Mark, 36, alongside head chef and friend Vladimir Garcik and a team of two, has opened a take away offering, enabling foodies to sample high-quality bistro dishes while taking in the views of Newhaven lighthouse and the bridges, from the harbour.
The father of one, who moved to the UK from Hungary in 2007, said: “It may sound cliché, but 2020 has been an unbelievable rollercoaster of emotions.
“From the highs of our amazing opening – and those initial few weeks which saw us packed out – everything came crashing down.
“It looked like we would never be able to recover – and it has been heart-breaking that we can’t even offer our team the small comfort of furlough, as we’re so new we didn’t receive our PAYE reference number until after the 19 March cut-off date.
“We’re still doing everything we can to appeal that, as it just feels so unfair. As a new business we’ve not had any chance of building up cash reserves.
“Up until a few weeks ago it didn’t seem feasible that we could launch a take-away offering, but it got to the point I couldn’t sit around and wait for my fate any longer.”
He has subsequently launched a carefully selected menu utilising the best local and Scottish produce, including seafood landed in the harbour and meat from Donald Russell butchers. Included in the menu will be ciabattas, fish and chips, burgers, salads and desserts – as well as few options available each day for children.
Mark added: “The menu is an honest reflection of the food we were serving in the restaurant prior to lockdown – and easily enjoyed outside or at home.
“We’ve put in place all safety precautions too and had the team practice everything rigorously to ensure we can do this in the safest possible way. It gives us a chance to safely gear up to a potential part-opening in weeks, depending on how guidelines change.
“I also want to give a huge thanks to those that have offered kind messages during lockdown, knowing the situation we’re in.”
Ahead of the February launch Mark had been at the heart of the £100,000+ transformation of the site, project managing each process to ensure they meet his exceptionally high standards – as well as hand-picking a 15-strong team.
For more information about Pier Brasserie or to get first sight of the new menu when it launches, visit: https://www.pierbrasserie.com/ or follow us on Facebook @pierbrasserie and Instagram @pierbrasserie
British retail heritage brand, Laura Ashley has confirmed that its Edinburgh stores, located on George Street and at Straiton Retail Park, re-open today to commence the closing down sale, with dramatic reductions on fashion.
The stores are ‘COVID secure’ and adhere to a strict policy of social distancing with a limited number of shoppers allowed in-store at any time, as well as regular deep cleaning. Card payments are encouraged.
Laura Ashley began in the 1950s, quickly becoming famous for its unique printed fabrics. Over time, the brand grew to become the household name of today, synonymous with quality fashion, interiors and home furnishings.
Despite the store closures that will follow the ‘everything must go’ sale, the Laura Ashley brand will remain online (www.lauraashley.com) and at retailers nationwide.
The Edinburgh stores will continue to trade until further notice.
A spokesman for Laura Ashley said, “There are some fantastic deals to be found in-store, as everything is now reduced and, with at least 50% off fashion, we expect clothing ranges to sell out fast. We are extremely mindful of the current COVID crisis and customers can be assured that the store will be COVID secure.”
Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee has launched an inquiry into how Scotland can ensure that a green, just and resilient recovery is central in our response to the social and economic challenges of the COVID-19 health crisis.
The inquiry will focus on identifying the principles, opportunities, key actions for change, immediate priorities, leadership and governance needed to underpin an effective green recovery, as well as the potential barriers to implementation.
The Committee has issued a call for views to help inform its inquiry over the coming weeks.
Gillian Martin MSP (above), Convener of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, said: “The global pandemic has been responsible for creating immediate challenges across almost every aspect of modern day living.
“But pre-COVID-19, we already faced the biggest and most immediate challenge of all – Climate Change. We have proven that, as a nation, we can adapt our behaviours and thinking for the greater good, so it makes complete sense that within this mindset, we grab the opportunity to change our habits and thinking to bring us out of this crisis in a green and sustainable way.
“A reframed pathway will help us meet our climate change targets for 2030, 2040 and 2045 at the same time as creating a stronger, cleaner and more resilient economy.”
“If you have views on how we should progress from here, our Committee would love to hear from you. You may be an environmental expert; belong to a third sector organisation or campaign group; local authority or non-departmental public body or be a member of the public. All of your views are important and help us reach the conclusions we take to the Scottish Parliament.”
The Committee would particularly welcome views on the following questions –
Do the principles of sustainable development* (Webpage Annex A) and those proposed by the UK Committee on Climate Change**, provide a comprehensive framework for guiding an effective green recovery in Scotland?
What are the key barriers to delivering a green recovery (within your sector and / or community)?
What key policies, actions and immediate priorities are needed to deliver a green recovery (within your sector and / or community)?
How should the 2021/22 Budget support a green and sustainable recovery and avoid locking in carbon?
What funding is needed to deliver a green and sustainable recovery?
The closing date for responses is Friday 7 August 2020.
