Continue reading »]]> A large number of members attended the Annual General Meeting of the Society, held on Sunday, 19 February.

As well as the financial and Chieftain’s reports (click on the link below to see the Chieftain’s Report), the main business of the day was the election of office bearers and general Committee members.

The office-bearers are Brian McMurdo (Chieftain), who has been Honorary Secretary for the past three years; Doris LaValette, the new Vice-Chieftain; Diana Paxman, who retains the Honorary Treasurer role and Darian Ferguson, who takes over as Honorary Secretary.

Among the general members, three are new to the Committee . . . Eoin Kennedy, Michael Haynes and Jeff LaValette . . . and Reggie McNeill, Cameron Dickson and Cheryl Hill were re-elected from the previous Committee.

Former Chieftain, Ken Suttie, also joins the Committee as Immediate Past Chieftain.

Chieftain’s Report 2011

Continue reading »]]> Edinburgh is home to 13 of Scotland’s 20 most expensive streets.

The priciest homes are in Dick Place, in the Grange area of the city, where the average property costs £1.5m.

Aberdeen is another centre for costly homes, with Scotland’s second and third most expensive streets.

They are Rubislaw Den South and Rubislaw Den North, where homes cost an average £1.19m, while two other streets from the city are in 19th and 20th place.

The Glasgow area has two streets in the top 20, though both are under the £1m mark, according to Bank of Scotland research.

Some of the other costliest addresses in Edinburgh are Ann Street, with an average property price of £1.18m, Kinellan Road at £992,000 and Spylaw Bank Road at £984,000.

Glasgow’s most expensive streets are Burnside Road at £974,000 and Bowmore Crescent at £908,000.

Outside Scotland’s three major cities, the most expensive homes are on Queens Crescent in Auchterarder, Perthshire, where the average property on the street costs £1.18m, putting it in fifth place.

The house price data in the report is compiled by the Registers of Scotland based on all postcodes in Scotland.

Continue reading »]]> Scotland’s North Sea oil and gas industry can deliver a £376 billion bonanza over the next 40 years and secure Aberdeen as “one of the global energy capitals” of the future, according to a report published recently.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study, titled Northern Lights: a strategic vision of Aberdeen as a world-class energy capital, said the oil boom was there for the taking, if government and industry leaders can “grasp the many opportunities”.

But it warned that Scotland’s oil capital was at a crossroads and action was needed to ensure this “remarkable golden prize” did not slip away.

The busy port of Aberdeen

The report called for fresh funding and investment, fiscal certainty and targeted incentives.

The study also said greater public and private-sector collaboration was needed, as well as a more co-ordinated approach by industry and education to turn the city into a “global talent magnet”.

The report comes just weeks after BP announced a multi-billion-pound offshore investment in the North Sea and proclaimed that reserves will last until at least 2050.

There is anything between 12 and 24 billion barrels of oil still under UK waters, the report finds, with the fields of the west of Shetland worth up to £376bn alone over the next 40 years.

However, the report also highlighted that renewables were an area of opportunity and urged the industry to move fast to be part of the developing field.

Industry leaders are now calling for investment in the skills needed and a stable tax regime offshore, while the Scottish Government said the North Sea will be a key provider of jobs and revenue for years to come.

Continue reading »]]> A castle on the Isles of Lewis is to be restored to its former glory and turned into a museum.

Lews Castle, on the edge of Stornoway, has been on the buildings at risk register since 2000 and its development has been stalled because of a lack of funding.

Now the council which owns the building, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has submitted planning permission and listed building consent for external repairs to the castle.

The council hopes to turn it into a museum and archive, with the possibility of using it for hospitality.

The castle was built in 1857 as a country house for Sir James Matheson, who had bought the entire island, and in 1923 it was gifted to the people of Stornoway.

Since then it has served as a naval base during the Second World War, a college and council offices, but has been uninhabited since the late 90s.

Continue reading »]]> A new tourism group set up to promote the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond as one of Scotland’s top tourist destinations has, quite literally, taken off.

Love Loch Lomond chairman Graeme Nesbitt and Dr Mike Cantlay, Visit Scotland Chairman, took to the skies above Britain’s largest loch to officially launch LoveLochLomond.com, a new website showcasing visitor attractions, activities and where to stay in the area.

Development of the site, featuring striking imagery and aerial footage from the Loch Lomond seaplane, has been led by the Love Loch Lomond consortium of local businesses.

It is supported by Scottish Enterprise Argyll & Bute, Stirling and West Dumbartonshire Councils, snd the National Park Authority.

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Half fill a large pot with water, place an upside down plate in the bottom of the pot. Bring to the boil and place the cloth in the pot for a few minutes. Lift out with tongs and spread out on the table, then sprinkle it with plain flour and shake off the excess.

Beat the eggs, mix in the syrup, treacle and milk, then gradually mix with the dry ingredients and fruit.

Place the mixture in the centre of the cloth, bring up the edges and tie with string, leaving space for expansion. Hold up with the tied ends and pat the dumpling into a good round shape.

Place the dumpling in the simmering water, which should come about half way up the dumpling and boil for three to four hours. Check the water level regularly and don’t let drop below half the depth of the pudding.

Fill a bowl with cold water, lift the dumpling out of the pot and plunge it into the cold water. Keep submerged for 60 seconds to release the cloth from the pudding skin.

Put into a bowl about the same size as the dumpling, untie the string, open out the cloth, place a serving dish on top and reverse, then peel off the cloth. Dry the dumpling in a medium oven.

Sprinkle the top with castor sugar and serve with custard or cream.

Alternative microwave method:

Grease a large pudding bowl, dust with flour and put in mixture. Cover with a plate, leaving room for expansion and microwave on high for eight minutes.

Leave to rest for 10 minutes and microwave on high for another eight minutes, by which time in should be cooked through. Test with a skewer.

Serve with custard or cream.

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Mash the potatoes until smooth and add a generous pinch of salt and the butter.

Mix in the flour and knead if necessary, but don’t let the mixture become too dry. Roll out thinly and cut into triangles.

Brown on both sides in a frying pan, pricking with a fork to prevent blistering.

Serve hot, spread with butter.

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Preheat oven to 150°C. Mix the oatmeal and put 250 grams, the baking powder, and salt into a bowl, and stir in the melted butter. Slowly add the hot water to make a smooth, firm paste.

Form into a ball and roll the mixture on a table sprinkled with 25 grams of the remaining oatmeal. Ensure the mixture is completely covered with oats and roll out into a circle about ½ centimetre thick. Cut into eight wedges.

Using a fish slice, transfer the wedges onto a baking sheet covered with the remaining oatmeal. Bake in the centre of a fairly hot oven for about 30 minutes without allowing to brown.

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Soften butter at room temperature. Beat together the butter and the sugar, then combine the flours. Turn mixture onto a floured board and knead until firm and smooth.

Cut into portions and shape into rounds (this amount will make four small rounds). Place on greaseproof paper in a baking tin. Prick with a fork and bake in the oven at 180°C.

p.When the cakes begin to colour (from 20 to 30 minutes) lower the heat. Allow to cool in the tin.