Employee ownership boom and not a 'white elephant' after all
Brian observes that the number of employee-owned businesses is growing at a rate of around 45 a year in Scotland.
And he notes that Scottish employee-owned businesses and worker cooperatives currently have a combined turnover of £1.47 billion and employ 7,593 people.
Elsewhere in this month's edition, Colin Cardwell reports on the resurgent Maxim Park business park on the M8 – once dubbed a 'white elephant' by critics.
I interview Matt Chapman, managing director of brand design agency Contagious, who declares that launching the business with a newborn at home 'was both terrifying and exhilarating'.
He also observes: 'In the UK, Brexit has gutted parts of the hospitality workforce – especially skilled bar staff – which affects on-the-ground brand advocacy.'
Kim McAllister profiles UTROV, a Glenrothes-bases subsea company which has pivoted from salvaging items from the ocean floor to servicing the offshore renewables boom.
Mairi Spowage, director of the University of Strathclyde's Fraser of Allander Institute, writes that 'reform of our public services is desperately needed to ensure they are sustainable, and innovation in delivery should be part of this', as she considers the broader question of productivity in Scotland.
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Economist Stephen Boyd, director of IPPR Scotland, concludes that 'pretending that we can muddle through the great challenges of the 21st century on current levels of taxation is irresponsible and very wrong'.
Fashion entrepreneur Antoinette Fionda-Douglas writes about the risk of underfunding female entrepreneurs.
She concludes: 'It's time we stopped asking women to do more with less and started giving them what they truly need: funding, and the real, hands-on support that must come with it. That's how we change the future, by backing ambition with action, not just intention.'
Solicitor Austin Lafferty meanwhile contemplates the issues and pitfalls when expanding a small but successful business.
The Herald's business writers share their expert perspectives on a raft of business and economic developments as they reflect on what they have been writing about during the last month.
Scott Wright meanwhile takes a look at who has had a good month, and who has not.
Tech entrepreneur Ian Ritchie, and business and life coach Ed Haddon offer their insights in their regular columns.
I hope you enjoy the broad range of content in this month's edition, and find it insightful and valuable.
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The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
Economic uncertainty blamed for ‘lacklustre' retail performance last month
Analysists have blamed rising economic uncertainty for a 'lacklustre' July that saw Scottish retail sales fall in real terms compared with the same month last year. According to figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and KPMG, total sales in Scotland rose 0.1% last month compared with July 2024, when they had decreased by 0.9%. However when adjusted for inflation this represents a year-on-year fall of 0.5%. Food sales in Scotland were down 1.4% compared with July 2024, when they had decreased by just 0.3%. This was despite a strong opening to the month when hot weather led to a 'boost' in spending on barbecues and summer meals. Non-food sales on the other hand rose by 1.4% compared with the same period last year, with analysists saying phones and some furniture and toy ranges performed well. Adjusted for the effects of online sales, non-food sales increased 1.6% on July 2024, when they had decreased by 1.5%. Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the SRC, said: 'July was a lacklustre month for Scottish retailers as sales again disappointed. 'When adjusted for inflation retail sales in Scotland fell by 0.5%. That's a slight improvement on June's figures, but demonstrates shoppers continue to cut back on shopping as economic uncertainty continues to rise. 'Within the general disappointment there were some bright spots. Food sales shone in the opening half of the month as Scots took advantage of the warm weather to cook barbeque and summer meals. 'Phone sales did well, as did some toys and furniture ranges. Against that televisions continue to disappoint, with few households investing in high-end entertainment despite the summer plethora of sporting events. 'Fashion ranges performed poorly, albeit the likelihood is shoppers did their summer wardrobe shopping earlier in the year when the sunshine emerged. 'The harsh truth is Scots are holding back spending as worries about the economy grow. 'That is leaving shops in the lurch – facing higher costs as a consequence of last year's UK Government budget without the growth needed to pay those bills. 'With little sight the economic weather will brighten, many retailers, especially those on the high street, face increasingly unpalatable choices in the coming months.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, described the current trading environment as 'challenging' for retailers. 'The UK's fifth warmest July on Met Office record brought a boost to home appliance and food and drink sales,' she said. 'But rising inflation was also a driver of the latter and monthly non-food sales are only growing at around 1% on average at present. 'With employment costs having risen and inflation both a business and consumer side pressure, it remains a challenging trading environment for many retailers. 'While the majority of consumers that KPMG surveys are confident in their ability to balance their monthly household budgets, big ticket purchases are more considered in the context of rising essential costs and ongoing caution about the economy and labour market. 'Holidays are the priority for many this summer but those heading away have had to account for a higher cost of travel. 'Consequently, spending in some areas of the retail sector remains subdued and competition for consumer spend will remain fierce.' The figures were published in the SRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for July.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Former Paisley MP Willie Gallacher's death marked by bookshop display tribute
Abbey Books in the town produced the showcase in memory of one of Paisley's most famous politicians. A Paisley bookshop has honoured the passing of one of Paisley's most famous MPs by creating a display. Abbey Books, in Wellmeadow Street, marked the 60th anniversary of the death of Willie Gallacher by designing a window display dedicated to the Buddie. Taking up room in the shop, the display on Thursday not only contained copies of the politician's own books but a whole raft of left-wing reads including works by Lenin and Stalin. Gallacher was believed to be the first Paisley author to be published by Penguin – a multi-national publishing company – with a book titled 'The Case for Communism', published in 1949. The book was so well received, it became the first in a series produced by Gallacher. A second book, 'Rise Like Lions', was published by Lawrence and Wishart in 1951. And not only has Abbey Books got hold of copies of both books, they are both signed by Gallacher; a rare distinction at a time when book signing was far from the norm. Brian Hannan, manager of the Paisley book store, told the Paisley Daily Express: 'It's something of an honour to even hold these books in my hand. He is one of the most famous figures to emerge from Paisley and a significant politician in his time. 'I realised no one else was remembering a man that was one of the most famous people to come out of Paisley. He was instrumental in pushing for the 40-hour week and wanted to improve the working life for people. 'Initially, I was just going to put books in the window but I thought a bigger display was more fitting given the historical figure of the politician.' Born in Paisley on Christmas Day, 1881, he was the son of a baker. After his father died when he was seven, it was left to his washerwoman mother to keep the family together. In the 1920s, Gallacher became an influential figure when he became known a Scottish trade unionist, activist and communist. He was one of the leading figures of the shop stewards' movement in wartime Glasgow, as well as being a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. In 1925, he was imprisoned for his political beliefs after being convicted under the Incitement to Mutiny Act 1797. He lived in a two-room council house in 68 Rowan Street and, famously, never had a phone. Gallacher was regularly contacted via the nearest public telephone booth bearing the number THO 3255 – with calls said to have come from all over the world. He died in August 12, 1965 aged 83.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Labour didn't create North Sea energy jobs crisis but we're spending hundreds of millions of pounds to fix it
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The clock is ticking for Scotland's energy sector. For too long, the story has been one of managed decline and strategic missteps, setting bold climate targets without aligning it with a necessary green industrial strategy, leaving proud communities exposed and uncertain. Securing a fair energy transition is a political and moral imperative. We now stand at a pivotal moment. The transition to renewable energy must avoid the economic devastation wrought by deindustrialisation, which continues to scar many corners of our nation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Falkirk, the former mining villages of the Braes remain fiercely proud of their industrial heritage. The recent ceremony to grant the Sir William Wallace Grand Lodge Free Colliers of Falkirk the freedom of the town speaks volumes. The Pinkie March through the villages of Falkirk's Braes demonstrates the kind of working-class solidarity that should guide us through the challenges facing the North Sea energy sector | Scott Louden Scars left by lost industry How the Free Colliers came together to defend their rights and those of their communities, and now the 'Pinkie March' that takes place every first Saturday of August, show a legacy of working-class solidarity that should guide us through the challenges we face today. But the scars left by lost industry run deep across my area: fuel poverty, declining services, and acute long-term unemployment have plagued my constituency for too long. Comparisons with the announcement in 2023 that Petroineos was moving to close the Grangemouth oil refinery, and the non-existent action from the UK Tory government or Scottish Government prior to last year's election are neither exaggerated nor isolated. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Alongside the mounting uncertainty for North Sea oil and gas workers, these are symptoms of a wider failure – decades of delay, poor planning, and governments in Edinburgh and Westminster too often unwilling or unable to steer a course through change. Between 2013 and 2023, employment supported by the UK's oil and gas sector halved. This was not unforeseeable in a declining basin. And, as ever, it is the workers – not the shareholders – who have borne the brunt. There are, however, signs of a long-overdue shift. The UK Labour government has recognised the urgency of the energy transition. 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