Latest news with #FalkirkSheriffCourt
Scotsman
08-08-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Ballantine Castings: Over 40 jobs axed as one of Scotland's last foundries linked to Edinburgh Castle wound up
The foundry had been involved in projects for London's Big Ben clock and Edinburgh Castle. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. 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... More than 40 jobs have been lost as one of Scotland's last foundries has been wound up and placed in the hands of liquidators after 200 years in business. Ballantine Castings, in Links Road, Bo'ness, presented a petition to Falkirk Sheriff Court on July 25 so the firm could be wound up and an interim liquidator appointed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The court subsequently appointed Graeme Bain, of Glasgow-based accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael, as liquidator on July 28. Ballantine Castings in Bo'ness played a pivotal role in repairing London's Elizabeth Tower, the home of Big Ben (Picture: Lisa Ferguson, National World) Founded in the early 1820s, the iron foundry became formally established in 1856 and has been in continuous production ever since. The foundry has been owned and run by the Ballantine family for seven generations and has made some of the country's most iconic ironwork – including the famous replica cannons at Edinburgh Castle. Ballantine's website states: 'With a continual investment programme in place, a highly trained and skilled workforce and the adoption of new technologies, we can assure that we will be making high-quality, high integrity architectural, engineering and construction castings for many years to come.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Back in 2021 the foundry played a crucial role in restoring the home of London's world famous Big Ben clock. Workers used traditional methods of cast ironwork to create integral elements of the Elizabeth Tower, which was undergoing a conservation project at that time, and remade more than 400 cast iron tiles for the roof. The intricate decorative shields, which adorn the tower, were also remade in Bo'ness, including the brightly coloured thistle shield that represents Scotland. At the time, Gavin Ballantine, Ballantine Castings director, said: 'Over the years we've been fortunate enough to work on many prestigious projects. however, the works undertaken on the Elizabeth Tower will last long in the memory. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "It's been an honour to play our part in the restoration of such a complex, iconic national structure.' A few years before it helped restore Big Ben's home, Ballantine Castings was commissioned to cast steel totem poles to illustrate the history of Forth Valley. Selected by the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) to create 11 'markers', the firm's work now helps visitors find unique heritage sites around the Inner Forth estuary. The long-established business blamed an increase in energy costs for its demise. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Johnston Carmichael spokesperson said: 'The business, which specialised in supplying the architectural, engineering and construction and drainage sectors, had been increasingly reliant on support from its parent company amid increasing energy costs. "It ceased trading shortly prior to Graeme's appointment. with the unfortunate loss of 44 jobs. 'The provisional liquidator has appointed Hilco Valuation Services to assist in dealing with the disposal of the company's assets. "The company's trading site in Bo'ness will also be subject to a marketing and disposal process in due course.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Graeme Bain added: 'Ballantine Castings is a historic Scottish business with a long track record of supplying metalwork services to a range of large-scale projects across the UK and overseas. 'Our immediate priority is to assist employees, who have been impacted by the business ceasing to trade, in making claims for sums due to them.
Scotsman
23-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
New home, new dispute with your lawyer… how to avoid buyer's regret
Patrick Campbell Corcoran on helping a new home purchase go smoothly Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. 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... Buying a new home is one of the most stressful events a person can go through. Being part of a court action is also up there in terms of potentially difficult experiences. Imagine, then, the stress of buying a new home, and a problem arising resulting in you having to sue your conveyancing lawyers. This was the situation which resulted in a recent decision of Falkirk Sheriff Court (which the writer is not involved in). The decision related to the purchase of a new home located adjacent to a greenfield site and presumably commanding relaxing views in a quiet setting. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To the shock of the purchasers, they discovered after moving in that there was a proposal to build a housing development on the greenfield site. Doubtless that shock increased when the purchasers then discovered that prior to the purchase, their own solicitors knew of this proposed development but did not tell them. The purchasers sued their solicitors for negligence, arguing that if they had known of the development, they would not have purchased. Take time to look at all the documents that form part of the contract, warns Patrick Campbell Corcoran The purchasers' solicitors failed to pass on information contained in the Property Enquiry Certificate. The Property Enquiry Certificate pulls together information from council records, particularly planning and building standards documents. The most recently reported decision focused on the solicitors' attempt to have the claim dismissed without going to an evidential hearing, which was unsuccessful. As far as can be seen from public court records, the dispute in Falkirk Sheriff Court rumbles on. While the vast majority of home purchases in Scotland go through smoothly, that court action highlights that problems can and do arise – and when they do the issues can be serious. Aside from planning issues, other disputes that have arisen in the past relating to how solicitors have acted have included not checking the seller's title properly and a dispute arising about boundaries and access, and disputes about the lack of any building warrants for substantial works. Many people will view the start of the summer as time for a fresh start and this might involve buying a new home. Before you do so, here are a few practical tips (before you conclude the contract to purchase): Have a detailed look at all the documents that form part of the contract, and the documents that your lawyer has sent to you; Don't be afraid to ask for a detailed discussion with your lawyer to run through things, even if there is pressure to 'do the deal' near the entry date. If you don't understand something, ask; Make sure any finance being provided to assist with the purchase of the property has been confirmed and will be available when required; Don't send money to anyone unless you have spoken to your lawyer via a telephone number you are certain is correct. Email interception by fraudsters is alarmingly frequent, and if your deposit goes missing the day before purchase, it won't help the stress levels. Check your insurance policies to see if you have legal expenses insurance. Many household policies have this tucked away. If in doubt, speak to an insurance expert and see if it is worth getting a stand-alone legal expenses policy (in case something goes wrong with a purchase).
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Woman, 21, charged after fatal crash where three men died on Scots road
She is due to appear at Falkirk Sheriff Court at a later date NICKED Woman, 21, charged after fatal crash where three men died on Scots road Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN has been charged after three men died in a fatal crash in Falkirk. The 21-year-old was arrested and charged in connection with the alleged incident on Moss Road near Dunmore. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Cops confirmed a 21-year-old woman was arrested and charged in connection with the crash Credit: Alamy Connor Page, 21, Reece Williams, 23, and Lewis Soden, 24, lost their lives following the alleged incident. They were travelling in a white Ford Focus which came off the road around 6.15pm on July 26. Connor, Reece and Lewis were all passengers in the vehicle. The female driver of a white Ford Focus has since been arrested and charged in connection with a road traffic offence. She is due to appear at Falkirk Sheriff Court at a later date. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. We previously told how the grieving families paid tribute to the three men. A statement from Reece's relatives read: "Reece will forever be a much-loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. "There will not be a day where we don't hold space to remember Reece and the memories that we made together. "We'd like to express our thanks to the emergency services, witnesses and to everyone who has sent their condolences." Light plane crashes near Boston leaving one person dead and second fighting for their life as feds launch probe Lewis' family said: "Lewis has and will forever be a much-loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, and friend to many. "There will not be a day where Lewis won't be missed and where we won't hold room in our hearts to remember him and the memories that we all made together. "We would also like to express our thanks to all the emergency services, witnesses and to everyone who has sent their condolences."
Edinburgh Live
30-05-2025
- Edinburgh Live
'Fantasist' conned Edinburgh hotel into buying 'Queen's favourite tea' - but it was all fake
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A convicted "conman" who bragged that his home-grown Scottish tea was the Queen's "favourite" tricked a five-star hotel in Edinburgh into buying and serving the fake beverage. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard how Thomas Robinson, 55, lied to Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel and the Dorchester Hotel in London by claiming his tea had been grown on farmland in Perthshire, reports The Mirror. Jurors heard how the tea had in fact been imported, repackaged and resold at massively inflated prices. Not only that but he also defrauded genuine Scottish tea growers by selling them plants that he claimed were grown in Scotland. It took jurors just six hours to find Mr Robinson guilty of defrauding tea growers, hotels and tea companies of almost £553,000 following a three-week trial. The tea, which traded as The Wee Tea Plantation, had a variety of names such as Scottish Antlers Tea, Highland Green, Sliver Needles and Dalreoch White. He rented out a former sheep farm in Scotland and even claimed he had a "special biodegradable polymer" that would make tea plants grow quickly. The court heard it looked like a black bin liner. Mr Robinson, who was also known as Thomas O'Brien or Tam O' Braan, created the "CV of a fantasist", according to prosecutors. He claimed he was a multi-millionaire, a bomb disposal expert and that he had invented the 'bag for life'. The fantasist boasted that the tea he had supplied to the Dorchester was "the Queen's favourite". (Image: James Chapelard / SWNS) Mr Robinson's fake claims that "our Scottish-grown teas come from gardens in our farming heartland in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway" was even reprinted on the Balmoral Hotel's Palm Court luxury tea menu. Mr Robinson also claimed to have given a presentation on his methods to the Royal Horticultural Society. The court heard how he had purchased over a tonne of tea grown abroad and had it delivered to an address in Glasgow, using a different company name. Mr Robinson falsely claimed his tea plants had been grown from cuttings and seeds at Dalreoch Farm, at Amulree in Perthshire. He scammed a dozen genuine tea growers in Scotland and one from Jersey between 2015 and 2016 by supplying them with 22,000 plants at £12.50 each. The scammer was actually importing tea plants at €3 each from a horticulturalist in Italy. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Mr Robinson had denied the crimes, claiming paperwork for his defence had been destroyed in a flood and his electronic records had been lost. He told jurors he was "proud" of his work, saying: "I wanted to leave something that would stand in the history of tea." Mr Robinson was eventually investigated in 2017 by Perth and Kinross Council which checked to see if he had a food processing licence. Ian Cowie, Senior Investigator at the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, worked closely on the case after fraud concerns were raised within the food industry. He told The Mirror: "Concerns were raised by individuals within the food industry regarding the legitimacy of Mr Robinson's claims, which was subject to initial examination by environmental health officers of Perth & Kinross Council and Fife Council, who attended businesses premises in their respective areas and ultimately reported their suspicions to FSS that fraud may be involved. "With the assistance of both local authorities, FSS made initial enquiries, and then led on a full criminal investigation after discrepancies in supply sources, product provenance and business representations were identified. "Food fraud is often complex and deliberately concealed. In this case, Mr Robinson proved to be the consummate conman. He is highly articulate and operated in plain sight by courting media attention from press agencies across the UK and Europe to create the public illusion that he had succeeded in establishing commercially viable tea plantations in Scotland, through employing innovative techniques and specialist equipment he had invented. "He constructed a convincing story supported by fabricated documentation, false claims of scientific backing and associations with respected institutions, and went so far as claiming his tea had gained prestigious international tea awards proclaiming his to be the best tea in the world, which of course did not exist. Many of his victims were themselves influenced by his strong media footprint and misled by his explanation on what appeared to be a credible and innovative enterprise. "The investigation was particularly complex due to the nature of the fraud, the use of multiple aliases, and the elaborate efforts made by Mr Robinson to appear legitimate. Tracing the origins of the tea, verifying business transactions and unpicking fabricated claims required extensive time and specialist knowledge. We were committed to ensuring that the evidence gathered would stand up to scrutiny in court." Mr Robinson is due to sentenced at a later date, and faces proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Warped lies of frauster who sold Queen's 'favourite' fake tea to famous hotels
Thomas Robinson, 55, lied to the Dorchester Hotel in London and Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel by claiming his tea had been grown on farmland in Perthshire, Scotland, a court heard A convicted "conman" who boasted his home-grown Scottish tea was the Queen's"favourite" tricked five-star hotels into buying and serving the fake beverage. Thomas Robinson, 55, lied to the Dorchester Hotel in London and Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel by claiming his tea had been grown on farmland in Perthshire, Scotland, Falkirk Sheriff Court heard. Jurors heard how the tea had actually been imported, repackaged and resold at staggeringly inflated prices. He also defrauded genuine Scottish tea growers by selling them plants he claimed were grown in Scotland. Jurors took just six hours find Mr Robinson guilty of defrauding tea growers, hotels and tea companies of nearly £553,000 following a three-week trial. The tea, which traded as The Wee Tea Plantation, had a variety of names such as Scottish Antlers Tea, Highland Green, Sliver Needles and Dalreoch White. He rented out a former sheep farm in Scotland and even claimed he had a "special biodegradable polymer" that would make tea plants grow quickly. The court heard it looked like a black bin liner. Mr Robinson, who was also known as Thomas O'Brien or Tam O' Braan, created the "CV of a fantasist", according to prosecutors. He claimed he was a multi-millionaire, a bomb disposal expert and that he had invented the 'bag for life'. The fantasist boasted that the tea he had supplied to London's Dorchester Hotel was "the Queen's favourite". Mr Robinson's fake claims that "our Scottish-grown teas come from gardens in our farming heartland in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway" was even reprinted on the Balmoral Hotel's Palm Court luxury tea menu. Mr Robinson also claimed to have given a presentation on his methods to the Royal Horticultural Society. The court heard how he had purchased over a tonne of tea grown abroad and had it delivered to an address in Glasgow, using a different company name. Mr Robinson falsely claimed his tea plants had been grown from cuttings and seeds at Dalreoch Farm, at Amulree in Perthshire. He scammed a dozen genuine tea growers in Scotland and one from Jersey between 2015 and 2016 by supplying them with 22,000 plants at £12.50 each. The scammer was actually importing tea plants at €3 each from a horticulturalist in Italy. Mr Robinson had denied the crimes, claiming paperwork for his defence had been destroyed in a flood and his electronic records had been lost. He told jurors he was "proud" of his work, saying: "I wanted to leave something that would stand in the history of tea." Mr Robinson was eventually investigated in 2017 by Perth and Kinross Council which checked to see if he had a food processing licence. Ian Cowie, Senior Investigator at the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, worked closely on the case after fraud concerns were raised within the food industry. He told The Mirror: "Concerns were raised by individuals within the food industry regarding the legitimacy of Mr Robinson's claims, which was subject to initial examination by environmental health officers of Perth & Kinross Council and Fife Council, who attended businesses premises in their respective areas and ultimately reported their suspicions to FSS that fraud may be involved. "With the assistance of both local authorities, FSS made initial enquiries, and then led on a full criminal investigation after discrepancies in supply sources, product provenance and business representations were identified. "Food fraud is often complex and deliberately concealed. In this case, Mr Robinson proved to be the consummate conman. He is highly articulate and operated in plain sight by courting media attention from press agencies across the UK and Europe to create the public illusion that he had succeeded in establishing commercially viable tea plantations in Scotland, through employing innovative techniques and specialist equipment he had invented. "He constructed a convincing story supported by fabricated documentation, false claims of scientific backing and associations with respected institutions, and went so far as claiming his tea had gained prestigious international tea awards proclaiming his to be the best tea in the world, which of course did not exist. Many of his victims were themselves influenced by his strong media footprint and misled by his explanation on what appeared to be a credible and innovative enterprise. "The investigation was particularly complex due to the nature of the fraud, the use of multiple aliases, and the elaborate efforts made by Mr Robinson to appear legitimate. Tracing the origins of the tea, verifying business transactions and unpicking fabricated claims required extensive time and specialist knowledge. We were committed to ensuring that the evidence gathered would stand up to scrutiny in court." Mr Robinson is due to sentenced at a later date, and faces proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
