Latest news with #Invergordon
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Highland council backs cruise ship levy plans
A proposal to give local authorities powers to charge a cruise ship levy has won support from Highland Scottish government has been consulting on the plan, but the fine detail - such as how much would be charged and who would pay - has still to be a report, Highland Council officers said tourism had seen "incredible growth" in the region but this had also created a wide range of on the economy and infrastructure committee agreed a cruise ship levy could provide additional funds to mitigate some of these impacts. Existing rates across European ports range from about €3 to €14 per passenger, which is about £2.50 to £12.A recent survey by the council suggested almost 70% of respondents believed that cruise ship passengers should have to pay a visitor Port of Cromarty Firth in Invergordon - which is one of Scotland's busiest cruise ship ports - has warned that a new tax could lead to some operators seeking alternative destinations. Highland Council said it would carry out further "extensive" analysis and public engagement if the Scottish government grants the proposed new powers.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cruise ship levy splits views in busy Highland port
An estimated 1.2 million cruise ship passengers visited Scotland last year, according to Scottish government Invergordon - one of Scotland's busiest ports in 2024 - views are divided on the government's suggestion of taxing these visits in the future to raise funds for cash-strapped local authorities. The fine detail of the proposed cruise ship levy - such as how much would be charged and who would pay - has still to be the consultation on the idea is the source of some fierce Munro, who runs the Tanstar gift shop on the town's High Street, is worried about the impact of a levy on small says: "Everyone is struggling just now."People are still going on holiday but they maybe don't have the same amount to spend," she said."So if more charges are put on them it might stop them coming altogether or they maybe won't have the same pennies to spend in the shops." But others argue passengers only pass through Invergordon on their way to visiting other parts of the Highlands before returning to continue their resident Donald Macdonald says a levy could potentially help the town, if the money was spent in the right says: "We're not seeing any benefit at the moment. "There are a lot of people struggling here. There is no work."The passengers are going away on all these tours. Maybe some of them will get a couple of hours to spend in the town."Donald says Invergordon needs adds: "Where's the money to repair the roads?" The Scottish government's consultation closes at the end of this has proposed giving local authorities new powers to charge the says money raised could be invested into facilities the ships and their passengers use, or be left to local authorities to decide where the funds are councils are struggling this week, the Accounts Commission warned local authorities are facing a £647m budget shortfall this year despite an increase in government Scottish government has left it open as to how much the rate should be and who pays - the passengers or the cruise ship operators. Jorge Marin and Maria Snijders, visiting Invergordon on Preziosa, a cruise liner which can carry more than 4,000 passengers, say they would not mind paying a small levy if it benefited the local community. "I am from Mexico," says Jorge."It is a very touristic place as well and to keep ensuring quality we need to have investment."He adds: "I find it (a levy) correct. You are going to be hosting me. It's not a big amount. I think it is a fair thing."Maria, from the Netherlands, also thinks it is a good says: "It is good to pay something. When you go to Spain in a hotel you pay taxes so why not on a cruise ship. It is not so much. "So why not a little bit of taxes?" But the operators of Invergordon's Port of Cromarty Firth are strongly opposed to a new port expects to welcome almost 100 liners this year, carrying a total of 150,000 ships already pay charges for berthing at Invergordon's wharfs and quays, and port bosses any extra burden might put cruises off from port's research suggests a levy of £5 per passenger, for example, would increase the cost of to those ships by 23%.It has also estimated this would lead one in 10 cruise businesses to choose an alternative research suggests passengers spend a minimum of £100 per visit, meaning potentially millions of pounds could be lost to the Highland economy, the port argues. Joanne Allday, the port's head of strategy and business, says she is worried the effect of the extra costs would filter down through the local economy."A lot of the work around the cruise industry is seasonal work," she says."It's people working in shops, it's taxi drivers, it's tour guides. "It's these people who are likely to suffer."She adds: "We don't understand the economic rational for bringing in a levy". 'Crying wolf' But a leading figure at Highland Council - which is consulting separately on another proposed tourist tax - says the region needs convener Ken Gowans says the cruise ship levy is still at a "very early stage".He adds: "What often happens when people hear the word levy there's a knee jerk reaction. "The Port of Cromarty Firth need to consider whether they are crying wolf" "The large number of cruise ship passengers that arrive at Invergordon and clearly that puts additional pressure on our infrastructure."Mr Gowans adds: "So anything we can do to help mitigate that such as a cruise ship levy would be very welcome and it would certainly save the Highland council tax payer considerable sums."
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Who is Tom Stoltman and how many times has he won World's Strongest Man?
TOM Stoltman was the first ever Scot to win World's Strongest Man, even defeating his brother Luke along the way. Having successfully won back his title in 2024, Tom will be hoping to defend it for the second time at the 2025 edition of the event. 4 4 Who is Tom Stoltman? Tom ''The Albatross'' Stoltman is a professional strongman competitor and the current World's Strongest Man. Born on May 30, 1994, in Invergordon in the Scottish Highlands, he has gone on to be crowned World's Strongest Man three times. Tom began weight training in his local gym as a teenager, after being inspired by his brother Luke's success as Scotland's Strongest Man. In 2020, he told the Sunday Post: "I watched World's Strongest Man on TV a few times when I was young, but I was more interested in football at that point. Just a bit of fun "I started going to the gym at 16 with some mates, but it was just a bit of fun, nothing big." His older brother Luke decided to mentor Tom and guide him through training for strongman. Tom said: "At 17, Luke took me under his wing and said we'd do it seriously. "I'd got a buzz when I saw Luke competing in his first Scotland's Strongest Man competition, so I thought I'd give it a go. "There was a gym a half-hour from where we live that had all the kit. I got into it and loved it." Tom entered his first competition aged 18, winning Highlands' Strongest Man. He went on to become one of the most successful British athletes in the history of the sport Tom is a multiple world record holder, in both the Giants Live's light set of Castle Stones (220 to 396lbs) and in lifting the heaviest Atlas Stone to date at 630lbs, as per Giants Live. He is also a massive football fan who supports Rangers FC. Tom is married to wife Sinead, whom he met when they were both just 17 at a local music festival. Tom StoltmanThe National Living with Autism He has opened up about living with autism, which he was diagnosed with when he was five years old. Tom called the condition "just a hurdle", explaining to The National: "I still struggle with it sometimes. "I take a lot more time than other people to get some things processed and I'm still kind of nervous about new things". World's Strongest Man Tom is one of seven men to have won the title of World's Strongest Man three times or more. 4 He took home the title for the first time in 2021, before repeating his success in 2022. In 2024, he completed his hat-trick. The Highland Oak Luke ''The Highland Oak'' Stoltman is Tom's older brother. He was born in Invergordon on November 22, 1984, and is also a professional strongman. 4 At 6ft 3in and 353lbs, Luke is the smaller of the two, but just like Tom has enjoyed a hugely successful career. Luke initially trained as a bodybuilder before becoming more interested in strength training. He entered and won a local deadlift competition in 2011 at the age of 27 — his first ever contest. Luke then participated in the 2012 Highlands' Strongest Man — part of the Inverness Highland Games — where he again placed first. Luke has since won Europe's Strongest Man and the Giants Live World Tour Finals, as well as Scotland's Strongest Man an astonishing five times. He has also competed at the World's Strongest Man on eight occasions, reaching the final on four of them. Luke and Tom have a YouTube channel, @StoltmanBrothers, in which they refer to themselves as "The World's Strongest Brothers". They also run an online coaching service called Stoltman Strength Academy. On top of Luke and Tom, there are three other Stoltmans siblings — Jodie, Nikki and Harry.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Who is Luke Stoltman and how has the powerlifter performed in World's Strongest Man events?
LUKE STOLTMAN is aiming to add the next chapter to his impressive career as he competes in this year's World's Strongest Man. The reigning Britain's Strongest Man has competed at the World's Strongest Man final on several occasions; here's everything you need to know about The Highland Oak. Who is Luke Stoltman? Luke Stoltman, born November 22, 1984, is a Scottish strongman competitor. Born in Invergordon in the Scottish Highlands, Luke found a passion for fitness and strength training from a young age and began weight training from the age of 15. Initially training as a bodybuilder, he later became more interested in strength and went on to enter and win his first contest - a local deadlift competition in 2011. In 2019, Luke made the decision to commit to full-time training, leaving his job in the oil and gas industry to focus solely on fulfilling his potential as a strongman competitor. How has Luke Stoltman performed in World's Strongest Man? After finding success domestically - winning five consecutive Scotland's Strongest Man titles - Luke qualified for World's Strongest Man for the first time in 2016. The Scotsman missed out on the final after finishing third in his heat but he began to be noticed on the international stage. Luke finally qualified for the finals of the World's Strongest Man in 2019 after consecutive third place heat finishes in 2017 and 2018. Following his decision to quit his job in the oil industry and take up full-time training, Luke managed to place seventh in the finals. His brother Tom finished fifth, which resulted in them being named 'The World's Strongest Brothers'. Covid disrupted Luke's 2020 campaign as it prevented him from entering Europe's Strongest Man and he missed out on the World's Strongest Man finals. For the next four years, Luke reached the finals finishing seventh in 2021 and 2022, eighth in 2023 and ninth in 2024. Luke suffered a bicep injury during the 2024 final, which kept him out for several months. However, he returned this year to win Britain's Strongest Man for the first time, ahead of competing at this year's World's Strongest Man. What is Luke Stoltman's relation to World's Strongest Man Tom Stoltman? 3 3 Luke Stoltman is the elder brother of fellow professional strongman competitor and three-time World's Strongest Man, Tom Stoltman. Inspired by his brother's success, Tom took up weight training in the local gym at the age of 16. Within just 12 months, Tom was showing such potential that his sibling Luke made the decision to take him under his wing and guide him through training for strongman. Tom Stoltman has since won the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022 and 2024. In November 2023, Tom and Luke - the "World's Strongest Brothers" - shared a glimpse of their strongman lifestyle. Before vital competitions, the pair consume around 10,000 calories per day - the average man needs just 2,500. The Albatross told talkSPORT: "It starts with one of my favourites which is a pancake blowout. "I can eat as many pancakes as I want with as many sweets, as much chocolate or as much ice cream as I want for breakfast, so it's a good start to the day." Luke added: "This is the more extreme end of the diet, so for Tom and I we usually consume over a kilo of meat a day. 'It could be 10 eggs for breakfast, lunch would be 350g of mince and we'd either have pasta or potatoes or rice with that and accompanied with some veg. 'Then if we go into a competition that's when we're wanting to get in the most calories so it would be a fast food sort of meal like a double patty burger with fries and I'm partial to a strawberry tart."
BBC News
16-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Invergordon timber factory fire extinguished
Firefighters have successfully put out a large blaze at a timber factory in is understood to have broken out at the Balcas Energy plant at Cromarty Firth Industrial Park on Wednesday afternoon.A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said nine fire appliances and specialist resources were at the scene at the height of the spent over 28 hours battling the fire and left the scene at about 19:15 on Thursday.
