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The Courier
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Courier
‘Call me Mr Tea' — The people scalded by Perthshire's great tea scandal
Picture the scene: Paris. March 14, 2015. The great and good of the world's tea industry gather for a lavish party, a celebration of their achievements over the past 12 months. This night at the Salon de Thé awards is a special one for Scotland, as Perthshire's own Wee Tea Plantation scores a coveted gold award. The company's Dalreoch white tea has been crowned the best tea in the world. The announcement sparks a media buzz. The plantation's Tam O'Braan tells BBC Five Live presented Nicky Campbell that morning he cannot attend the ceremony as his wife is about to give birth to twins. But he says he is sending a colleague to read out the speech he penned. 'I suppose you could call me Mr Tea after winning such a major award,' he told reporters. Coupled with a silver gong from the Tea Exchange in London, it really is a remarkable achievement for a Scottish business – particularly one set up just over six months earlier. Except the awards ceremony never happened. O'Braan – known by prosecutors as Thomas Robinson – made it up to boost sales and win contracts. The fake awards were part of a wider deception that hoodwinked not only the owners of some of the country's best known hotels but also wholesalers, journalists, landowners and businesses. Robinson was this week convicted of an elaborate £550k fraud, taking in five-star hoteliers and genuine tea growers. At his trial, he distanced himself from the Salon de Thé prize claiming it was gourmet tea firm Mariage Freres' award. But he said he remembered seeing some kind of gold medallion. 'I didn't get to keep it,' he said. 'But it must have had some standing because the buyers from Fortnum and Mason wanted to display it in their store.' Asked if the whole thing was made up, he said: 'I'm taking it on trust that the award does exist.' The Courier was also caught up in Robinson's web of lies. In February 2017, we reported how thieves had stolen tea leaves from his Dalreoch farm. The report was based on information provided to us by the company, while Robinson was recovering from a heart attack we were told. The theft was never reported to Police Scotland and it emerged during the trial the thefts may have been faked ahead of a council inspection of the land. Here we look at just a handful of others who were caught out by Robinson's great tea blag. In hindsight, alarm bells should have been ringing for London tea seller Alistair Rea, when Robinson – his best customer – asked him to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). The document was purportedly a legally binding contract demanding Mr Rea's silence on all correspondence between him and Robinson. Robinson first contacted sole-trader Mr Rea in August 2015, when his business What-Cha, selling top end tea from around the world, was starting out on eBay. He asked how degradable his loose leaf black tea was, before putting in an order for 30kg. He asked for it to be delivered to a PO address in Glasgow's Bath Street. Over a period of nearly three-and-a-half years, Robinson ordered about 700kg of loose leaf tea from as far afield as China, Malawi and Sri Lanka, often at thousands of pounds a time. He often asked about the produce and requested photos to see if they were 'leafy enough'. Mr Rea, 36, said he had never before been asked by a customer to sign a confidentiality agreement. 'I agreed to sign it to keep the business relationship going,' he said. The paper was sent from Robinson – not from a lawyer – in October 2015, not long after he began buying from What-Cha. In February 2016, Robinson visited Mr Rea's business premises – a spare room at his Islington home – to pick up more tea. Robinson explained to the tea vendor he had been out of action for a while following a heart attack and would making big orders to help catch up with customers. Mr Rea did not know Robinson had a tea plantation but suspected he had been selling on his tea leaves. Peter Pejacsevich, a forester and farmer who owns 680 acres of land on the banks of Loch Tummel, said his interest was piqued when reading a news article about Scottish tea plantations in 2016. One of the people mentioned in the piece was Perthshire's Tam O'Braan whose tea, it stated, was being sold by Fortnum and Mason. Mr Pejacsevich, 70, decided to investigate further, with the idea of growing tea plants on his own land. By email, he contacted Robinson, who he knew only as O'Braan, before meeting up at his Amulree site. There, he could see about 100 or so plants, about a metre high, despite Robinson's claims he had a field of tens of thousands of plants near his home. 'I can't recall if he said if these were grown on the farm but the implication was that they were grown there,' said Mr Pejacsevich. The London-based landowner noticed Robinson had a slight limp, which he told him was 'the result of military action'. Mr Pejacsevich struck a deal to buy 1,200 plants at £15,000. Robinson was given a key and granted access to the farmer's land at Loch Tummel. He told Mr Pejacsevich a group of agricultural students had been employed to harvest the leaves. These so-called 'woofers' – a term for people who work for rural firms in exchange for bed and board – were said to have stayed at the farm with Robinson, although there was no evidence they ever existed. Some time later, Mr Pejacsevich was shown a tea menu from the Balmoral Hotel. It offered jasmine green tea 'grown on the banks of Loch Tummel'. Mr Pejacsevich said there had been no other teas growing near the loch and stressed he had not given Robinson permission to sell on tea from his plantation. In court, Robinson blamed a man called 'Billy' for looking after Mr Pejacsevich's crops. Antiques dealer and farmer Henry Baggott was – initially at least – an enthusiastic supporter. 'It was interesting to hear someone was growing tea in Scotland and doing it so well,' he said. 'It was exciting that someone was championing this here in Scotland.' He got in touch with Robinson – or O'Braan as he knew him – in 2015 and went to visit his farm. There he saw a few hundred plants. 'From what I saw, they seemed to be pretty healthy but it was all new to me at that stage.' During their talks, Robinson told Mr Baggott he had been in the army, 'in a regiment like the Paras.' 'If someone tells you they had been in the army, you believe them,' he said. After tests on his own soil at his wife's family farm near Castle Douglas, Baggott agreed to buy 700 plants. 'Tam came with a team from the plantation. 'There was very little guidance from Tam – it was very much dig a hole, pop in a plant and away we go. 'At the time, we thought this was great. 'It was only subsequently we looked closer and could see they had been badly planted and were in poor quality. They soon started dying.' In the first year, between 25-to-30% of the plants were lost. After about seven years, he only managed to harvest about 100 grammes of tea. Mr Baggott said Tam 'was a very hard man to get hold of after we initially planted his plants.'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Ajay Devgn backs eight-hour shifts for mothers amid reports of Deepika Padukone's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's ‘Spirit'
Actor Ajay Devgn backed the 8-hour shifts for mothers amid reports of Deepika Padukone's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's film Spirit. The film has been in the news lately after reports claimed that Deepika decided to walk away from the project due to certain working demands, including a request for an 'eight-hour workday.' While this sparked debate online, actor Ajay Devgn seems to have spoken in support of Deepika at the trailer launch of Maa, an upcoming horror film that stars Kajol in the lead. When asked about his views on the demands for an 8-hour shift, Devgn, without taking names, said, 'It's not that it's not going down well with people. Most of the honest filmmakers will not have problems with it. Apart from this, being a mother and working for eight hours, most people have started working eight-to nine-hour shifts.' 'It's person to person, and I feel most of the industry understands this,' he added. Earlier, Deepika was expected to star opposite Prabhas in Spirit, a film backed by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures. The film is helmed by Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The makers confirmed that actress Triptii Dimri, who was also seen in Animal, has joined the cast of Spirit. Just a couple of days back, Vanga took to his X and dropped a fiery post. Though he did not name anyone directly, many believe Vanga was referring to Deepika Padukone, who reportedly stepped away from the project recently. ALSO READ:'Spirit': Triptii Dimri replaces Deepika Padukone in Prabhas' film with Sandeep Reddy Vanga In a post shared on his official X, Vanga voiced frustration over a broken 'unsaid NDA' and alleged betrayal of trust, and wrote, 'When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100 per cent faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, you've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are.'
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First Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Kajol breaks silence on Deepika Padukone quitting Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Spirit' over working hours: 'I love the fact that...'
Kajol said, 'I love the fact if you can work less.' Ajay added by saying, 'Most of the honest filmmakers will not have a problem with this.' read more At the trailer launch of Maa, Kajol and Ajay Devgn addressed the debate that has happened post Deepika Padukone's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's film Spirit. The debate continues to make noise on social media. Kajol said, 'I love the fact if you can work less.' Ajay added by saying, 'Most of the honest filmmakers will not have a problem with this.' The actor added, 'Even apart from being a mother and working for eight hours, usually people have started working for eight hours in a shift. Most of the industry does understand all this.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Devgn also said, 'And apart from this being a mother and working for 8 hours, you should be able to start working for 8 to 9 hours shift. So I think it's person-to-person, but most of the industry does understand nowadays.' The controversy that erupted on X Sandeep Reddy Vanga shocked everyone with his viral post where he slammed actress Deepika Padukone after her exit from his upcoming movie Spirit featuring Prabhas. Taking to X, the Animal helmer shared a cryptic tweet. The director didn't mention Deepika Padukone but slammed her for her 'dirty PR games' and revealing some parts of her film's story. 'When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are…Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it," Vanga wrote. Reasons why the actress quit Spirit There are three reasons that have been reported so far. One of them has to do with the fact that Deepika has just embraced motherhood as she now has her daughter Dua in her life. Here are the three reported reasons: Deepika Padukone reportedly insisted on 8-hour shifts that barely allows for 6 hours of filming. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She also demanded whooping Rs 20 Crores for the project & also a share in profits, she allegedly refused to speak her Telugu lines. A new source says the film has a lot of bold scenes and maybe it was Padukone's discomfort that led to her exit. What Deepika Padukone said about her working style She once spoke about the importance of work-life balance. The actress said, 'That's also where I draw the line in terms of my schedule. That's the only place where I could start feeling that I'm not enjoying what I'm doing.' She added, 'The only other time I felt like that was when I was experiencing depression, but that's very different because you have no control over your thoughts and feelings. Many years ago, I realized the importance of finding a work-life balance. I don't intend to burnout, I'm not going anywhere. Somehow, in our country, including the corporate world, taking leaves or wanting time for yourself carries a connotation of being unprofessional, not hardworking or driven enough. And I disagree. You can be all of those things and still make time for yourself. How are you going to replenish and put energy back into your work if you don't?' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Apollo Micro Systems share price surges 30% this week. Should you buy, sell or hold this multibagger defence stock?
Apollo Micro Systems share price surged by nearly 30% this week. The defence stock rose close to 10%, reaching a 52-week high during Thursday's trading session. On Wednesday, Apollo Micro Systems announced that it has received an export order worth USD 13.36 million. This order involves the creation of an advanced avionics system designed for civil and military aircraft applications, AMSL stated in a filing. Apollo Micro Systems share price today opened at ₹ 183.95 apiece on the BSE, the stock touched an intraday high of 193.55 per share and an intraday low of ₹ 182.40 apiece. The company disclosed that it has been awarded an export order amounting to USD 13,366,500 (approximately ₹ 113.81 crore) for developing an avionic system. However, due to the sensitive nature of the project, specific technical and program information is restricted by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the client, it noted. Based in Hyderabad, AMSL provides technology-driven solutions across various sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, aerospace, and defence, among others. Apollo Micro Systems reported a consolidated net profit of ₹ 14 crore for the March quarter, marking an 8% increase compared to the previous year, propelled by enhanced operational revenues. In the January-March period of 2023-24, the company had reported a net profit of ₹ 12.9 crore, according to their statement. The operational revenues of the company grew by 19% to ₹ 161.7 crore, up from ₹ 135.4 crore in Q4 FY24. Managing Director Baddam Karunakar stated that FY25 has been a pivotal year for the company, showcasing its best performance ever. The firm reached a significant milestone in revenue, totaling ₹ 562.07 crore, which reflects an impressive year-on-year growth of 51.24%. Karunakar mentioned that EBITDA reached ₹ 132 crore, representing a 54% increase year-over-year, with a solid EBITDA margin of 23.50%. This achievement is attributed to a strong order book, effective execution of strategic defence programmes, and the smooth transition of several high-value products into production, he noted. According to Rajesh Bhosale, Equity Technical and Derivative Analyst at Angel One, Apollo Micro Systems share price have seen a spectacular run this week, with a rally of almost 30%. Momentum is on the bullish side but indicators are in overbought zone. Traders can hold on to longs but fresh long at current levels should be avoided, 165 - 170 is a strong support if any dip towards it can be bought on the upside 205 is the immediate resistance. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments explained that Apollo Micro Systems share price broke out of an 85-day-long cup and handle pattern at ₹ 155 and swiftly hit its initial target of ₹ 182. The multibagger defence stock is now extended from its 50-day EMA, making a mean reversion towards ₹ 170 likely. If the pullback unfolds with low volumes and compressed candles—indicating ideal quality—then the stock may resume its upward trajectory. In that case, bulls could eye the next leg of the rally towards ₹ 220. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Business Standard
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Apollo Micro Systems spurts after bagging export order worth $13.37 mn
Apollo Micro Systems surged 14.54% to Rs 178.45 after the company announced it has received an export order worth $13,366,500 (approximately Rs 113.81 crore) in the ordinary course of business. The order involves the development of an advanced avionics system intended for use in both civil and military aircraft applications. Due to the sensitive nature of the project, specific technical and program details are confidential and governed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the customer. Apollo Micro Systems is an electronic, electromechanical and engineering design, manufacturing and supplies company. Apollo Micro Systems' consolidated net profit rose 8% to Rs 13.96 crore while net sales increased 19% to Rs 161.77 crore in Q4 March 2025 over Q4 March 2024.
