Latest news with #Haddington
Daily Mail
09-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Is THIS Britain's savviest couple? Homeowners spend £12k on 'garden' in front of their home to block off locals
A savvy couple have spent £12,000 on buying up a small piece of land in front of their house from their council to 'extend their garden and shelter their property' - annoying locals who say they have only done it to increase the value of their home. Christopher Slater, 57, and his wife Diane, 59, own a country house set within 11 acres of private grounds, just south of Haddington. Christopher and Diane, who run Glen Appin in Scotland, a company known for its Harris Tweed bags and accessories, currently have the house and a cottage on the grounds for sale at a price of £2.5 million. Their purchase of the 2850 sqm (or thereby) of garden ground land at Inglisfield from the council is a move which has raised questions amongst neighbours and some villagers nearby. Whilst some have questioned how the couple managed to aquire the once public land for their own means, others suggest the move shows them to be petty for buying a piece of land that makes little or no difference to their lives - particularly in such a remote area. The details of their sale were documented in a recent document lodged with the Members library of East Lothian. It said ahead of the sale: 'Mr & Mrs Slater have been leasing the land since 2005 for use as garden ground and to shelter their property from the main road. They currently have 79 years left on a 99 year lease. The passing rent is £600 pa. It continued: 'Following notification of their latest rent review they have made an offer to purchase the land outright rather than continue to rent the land. Due to ground conditions and burns that run through the land this land is not suitable for grazing or development and due to the remote location, there is little to no market demand for this land.' In the report, lodged during summer recess, elected members were told that their head of infrastructure approved the sale. It also acknowledged that while the council will receive £12,000 which will be transferred into its trading account, it does lose the £600 it would have continued to receive in rent for a further 79 years in the deal. Locals in the area had a mixed response to news that the Slaters were able to purchase the land in front of their home. One said: 'The road is blocked off there now so it's just a bit of useless land.' And a second said: 'It's a bit snobby. It must be because they are selling it. That would make sense. I'm sure that'll push the price up now.' Another local said the piece of land purchased was of no use to anyone so it was a bit of a surprise they bought it. He added: 'That's the old road. That doesn't go anywhere. When they chopped the road off, probably about 40 years ago,it became redundant. It's no longer been used. It's a useless piece of land. 'It's a nice driveway. And that road, nobody will miss it or anything like that. Nobody walks along it and goes, 'oh, they can't walk on it now anyway'. You can walk where the bl***y h** you want in Scotland. The owners are very nice people though.' Others suggested the move was savvy from a business point of view. He said: 'It's not up to the council to use it as a ransom strip, a very small piece of land that belongs to somebody else, something with relative value that they're withholding. 'The Slaters paid £12,000. The going rate is about six grand an acre just now. It will probably assist the sale of the house, so it's a business move. 'Not everyone will be ok with that. It might actually mean that they can demand more when they sell it.' Another questioned: 'I can't see it affecting the main road. The council suit themselves. Has it been advertised before the decision? - I didn't know about it. The council are always doing mad things. 'If no more property is being built on it then it might be ok. If there were planning permission that would be one helluva bargain. Was this on the open market?'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
East Lothian woman 'heartbroken' as pet ducks 'stolen' during late night break-in
An East Lothian woman is pleading with locals after her pet ducks were allegedly stolen. Anna Crow woke up on Saturday morning to find the five birds had been 'taken from their enclosure' overnight. She says someone entered her property in Haddington. Anna, who is 'heartbroken', is now offering a £100 reward to anyone who helps her find the missing ducks. READ MORE: Edinburgh police tape off home and forensics scour the scene as campervan 'torched' READ MORE: Tragedy as Edinburgh police find body in search for missing Midlothian man Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she said: "We are heartbroken. "We've been crying the whole morning. It feels like a nightmare. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "I don't understand why someone would do that." Posting on social media, she added: "Our five pet ducks have been stolen from our property. "Someone entered during the night and took them from their enclosure. The case has been reported and the police are working on it. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "If you have any information that might help us, please message me. We are offering a £100 reward to anyone who helps us find our missing ducks." Police Scotland has been approached for comment. Anyone who may be able to assist can email news@
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Lothian to get new family-run artisan pie shop offering classic favourites
A new family run pie and pate store is set to open it's doors in East Lothian on Saturday, May 24. Charlie's Pies and Pate will welcome customers into their new shop at 6 High Street in Haddington from 9am. Owner, Charlie Hutchison will have their shelves stocked with a wide range of goods on offer. Sharing the news with customers, the Charlie's Pies and Pate Facebook wrote: "Well to say we are excited, nervous, scared, proud, is a massive understatement! READ MORE: BBC The One Show host Alex Jones opens up on husband's devastating health battle READ MORE: Swimmer tragically dies in Edinburgh hospital after being rescued from reservoir "We open our new shop tomorrow (Saturday) 9am at 6 high street Haddington. Early start today preparing for the biggest step in Charlie's Pies and Pate, please come and support your new family run, local business to join Haddington's amazing shops. "Please be patient, we are hoping to have enough stock for all to try but there will be obvious hiccups which we will sort and happy for your suggestions and feedback." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox On offer at their grand opening will be a range of pies including steak, mince, chicken leek and cheddar, three cheese macaroni, chicken haggis and peppercorn, sausage bean and cheese, and chicken garlic and bacon. They will also be stocking Greek spanakopita, traditional sausage rolls, pork and black pudding sausage rolls, square sausage cheese and chutney pastries, their award winning chicken liver pate, smoked trout and chive pate and a mushroom and thyme pate. To mark the occasion, the shop will be opened with a small ceremony. A pipe band will play and a special guest will do the honours of officially opening the new store. Charlie's pies and pate added: "Haddington Pipe Band will open the shop, with a very special man that I couldn't have done this without, Nick Callaghan, cutting the ribbon. "Can't wait to see you all and see what you think!" Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Huge blow as drivers' go-to retailer with 400 branches to shut site in weeks
DRIVERS are facing a major blow as a popular retailer with 400 branches is set to close one of its sites in just a few weeks. Halfords confirmed it will pull down the shutters on its Tweedmouth garage for good on June 5. Motorists will now have to drive around 45 minutes to reach their nearest branch in Haddington. Halfords sent their Club Members emails informing them of the closure. "Your McConechys Tweedmouth garage is moving. We're still here for everything you need," they said. The major retailer added: "Our team is ready to welcome you to your local Haddington garage offering the same trusted services and expert care." Customers have taken to social media to vent their sadness about the closure. In a Facebook post, this user wrote: "Wow this is where I got my car serviced and MOTed, I must say they've provided excellent service to me in the town, and I am a Halfords Club Member, and Haddington will be a bit too far to travel to for the same trusted service and expert care." "Just had an email to say Halfords are closing, hope all the staff get reemployed soon," another added. While a third commented: "That's a real shame. I use the store regularly." The news comes as the motoring industry faces wider challenges, such as the imminent closure of a huge car dealership with over 91,000 vehicles currently on sale — putting over 100 jobs at risk. 'FACING THE RISK' The German online used car marketplace Heycar has suffered heavy losses since its launch in the UK in 2019, when it set out to rival Auto Trader and Motors. Now, its majority shareholder, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), has decided to pull the plug, leaving more than 126 employees across the UK, Germany, and France facing the risk of losing their jobs. A large proportion of Heycar's employees are based in the UK, and the company is expected to wind down its UK operations shortly after its closure in Germany, which is expected in mid-May. A VWFS spokesperson confirmed, 'We expect we will have to let go of a large portion of Heycar's employees.' Despite the closure, VWFS is planning to carry forward Heycar's innovations. In a statement, VWFS UK said: 'Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK is pleased to announce the launch of a new subsidiary that will integrate the technology and expertise developed by Heycar. 'Heycar has been a pioneer in the online used car marketplace and, despite the decision to wind down their operations, the valuable insights and digital solutions developed so far will play a crucial role in the future of VWFS UK, as we continue to explore new ways to drive growth and innovation in the automotive e-commerce space. 'We are anticipating that specialists and resources from Heycar will be joining the new subsidiary, ensuring we have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilise and develop the technology we're acquiring.' Volkswagen Financial Services was the company's largest shareholder, holding a 78 percent stake, followed by Volkswagen at 13 percent and Renault at 9 percent. Why are so many car dealerships closing down? By Summer Raemason According to Business Rescue Expert there are multiple reasons why car dealerships are folding across the UK. The first major factor is rising online car sales which are beating in-person sales at dealerships. With an extensive range of comparison and second-hand sites to choose from, may car buyers don't even step foot into a dealership anymore. Secondly, the actual cost to physically run the sites has soared. Rent, wages and energy bills have all been increasing for roughly the past five years, putting many out of pocket. Car manufacturing across the globe was also hit by a semiconductor chip shortage in 2022 which made it difficult to produce new motors. The high demand with limited supply created a backlog, which although has eased, is still having an impact on the industry. A third reason for recent closures is the shift to electric cars. They are becoming more popular, given the Government initiative to be Net Zero in 2050. The industry is also affected when companies merge or are bought by rivals. This may lead to some independent names falling victim to the o
Edinburgh Reporter
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Trophy for centenarian Lois at Dunbar rugby event
Also involved in an expanded girls event at Hallhill Recreation Ground were teams from Biggar, Dunbar, Lasswade and Watsonian Wildcats. Popular winners were the Dunbar under-14 girls for whom Lois Houston received a trophy to mark her 100th game for the team. The overall scoreboard read: P3 winners – North Berwick; runners-up Haddington. P4 winners – Haddington; runners-up North Berwick. P5 winners – Haddington; runners-up Duns. P6 winners – North Berwick; runners-up Haddington. P7 winners – Dunbar; runners-up Haddington. U14 girls – winners Dunbar; runners-up Biggar. Neil MacPherson, spokesperson for Dunbar Rugby Club and organiser of the event said: 'It is great to see this event continue to grow because it's such a great advert for community sport and families enjoying a great day out together. 'With around 500 children taking part and approximately 900 spectators, this event is a fantastic way for us to showcase our incredible community here in Dunbar.' Kirsty McGill, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, added: 'We are so proud to have supported this fun tournament for the 13th year, attracting teams from across the local area and beyond. 'It was also brilliant to see the Dunbar Minis tournament being extended to include girls and mixed teams, and we are naturally delighted that Dunbar Girls picked up a win, continuing their winning streak from last year.' Donna Koch, local sales executive for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, presented medals to every participant. Dunbar under-14 girls North Berwick P3 winners Haddington P4 winners Haddington P5 winners North Berwick P6 winners Dunbar P 7 winners Like this: Like Related
