UK's biggest hotel brand plans new landmark city destination
Plans have been lodged for the Capital House Premier Inn which is expected to generate an additional £8.1 million per year in visitor expenditure through the external spending of more than 56,000 guests.
Read the full story here
Future hope amid Isle of Harris Scotch whisky distillery redundancies
There is fresh hope for the future. (Image: Getty Images) The executive chairman of an island Scotch whisky distillery which is cutting jobs to "safeguard the future' of the business has voiced hopes that the workforce can eventually grow again.
Isle of Harris Distillery, which produces The Hearach single malt Scotch whisky and Isle of Harris gin, last week announced plans for redundancies among its workforce of 45 as it cuts production and moves from two shifts to one shift a day.
Speaking to The Herald in the wake of the job cuts announcement, executive chairman and chief financial officer Ron MacEachran said: 'At this point, we are doing this very regrettably but very much with the intent that, when circumstances change, the business will again be able to move forward and build on the foundations that have been created.'
Asked if the workforce could rise again in future, Mr MacEachran replied: 'It is too early to say but one would hope that if the business was back on a growth journey that would mean more employment.'
Read Ian McConnell's exclusive story here
BUSINESS INSIGHT 📈
Wetherspoon basks in the spring sunshine
The City responded positively. (Image: PA) JD Wetherspoon declared today that its pubs have capitalised on the spring sunshine while reiterating the impact of fresh hikes in labour costs on the bottom line.
The hospitality giant, which has around 800 pubs across the UK, said like-for-like sales had increased by 5.6% in the 13 weeks to April 27 and 5.1% in the year-to-date.
Total sales for the year to date were up by 5% in the quarter and by 4.2% in the year-to-date, the company said.
While sales have been increasing, costs have also been rising at Wetherspoon, which reiterated that the rise in employer national insurance contributions and national living wage will add around £1.2 million per week to its wage bill.
Read Scott Wright's analysis here
AROUND THE GREENS ⛳
American Golf drives forward with increasing diversity
This article appears as part of Kristy Dorsey's Around the Greens series
Inside one of the stores. (Image: American Golf) Despite its name, American Golf was founded in the UK in 1978 by brothers Robert and Howard Bilton, who were inspired by sports shops they had visited while in the US.
Following a succession of ownership changes before going into administration in 2018, the business is now owned by International Leisure Group with financial backing from Leeds-based private equity group Endless.
The sport's post-Covid boom encouraged American Golf to overstretch its resources, with the business recording a loss in 2023. A subsequent restructuring has left the UK's largest golf retailer "well-placed" for growth according to chief executive Nigel Oddy, who was brought in by Endless in April 2023.
The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 will close to submissions on today, Sunday May 11, but until then every club and course in the country is invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact kristy.dorsey@newsquest.co.uk.
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