Latest news with #RobDickson
Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Why Scotland 'must work together' to build on £317m St Andrews boost
Call for collaboration in bid to ride on back of 'momentum in golf' in sport's birthplace 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... A call to action has been issued for the whole of Scotland to help the country 'harvest an opportunity' to use golf as a tool for growing economic benefit. The idea is to create a 'ripple effect' from St Andrews being at the heart of visitors from around the world flocking in huge numbers to the sport's cradle. According to a report that has just been released following a survey conducted by the Sport Industry Research at Hallam Sheffield University, golf's economic value to St Andrews, Fife and the wider Scottish economy is £317 million annually - the equivalent of the country hosting three Open Championships every year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The figure was described as 'astonishing' as St Andrews Links Trust, which commissioned the survey, hosted an event at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh attended by North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain, Scottish Government Business Minister Richard Lochhead and various other stakeholders on Tuesday. Neil Coulson, CEO of St Andrews Links Trust, is flanked Scottish Government Business Minister Richard Lochhead and Rob Dickson, Director of Industry & Events at VisitScotland, at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh | St Andrews Links Trust The economic impact assessment focused on St Andrews, with the Links Trust, a charitable organisation that currently operates seven courses in the Fife town and is negotiating at the moment to add The Duke's to that list, being praised for having the 'foresight and tenacity' to commission the survey by VisitScotland's Director of Industry & Events, Rob Dickson. In 2023 alone, the Links Trust courses hosted more than 280,000 rounds - 54 per cent were played by visitors and 46 per cent by local ticket holders - with Americans making up nearly half of the 72 per cent of the visitors coming from overseas. 'I think there is much to celebrate - we are in a fantastic position,' said Chamberlain of where St Andrews stands in the game around the world. On a golf engagement at the same venue last year, Lochhead had been delighted about the Scottish Government and VisitScotland agreeing a new 11-year partnership with The R&A that will see 14 majors, including the 155th Open at St Andrews in 2027, being staged in the home of golf in a ten-year period. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Golf at the moment is very vibrant - there is a lot of momentum,' he said on this latest visit across the road from the Scottish Parliament, adding with a smile: 'Golf is playing a big role in tourism and the role it plays is super important.' Concurring, Dickson described playing golf in Scotland as a 'flagship experience' that was 'top of the wishlist for many golfers' and said of the new report: 'We wish to be the world's best when it comes to tourism and looking at the success of St Andrews is no bad place to start'. In a speech, Neil Coulson, the chief executive of the Links Trust, said in a proud tone that St Andrews is where golfers from far and wide 'make their dreams come true' by playing there, especially the Old Course, but also said it was a 'national, economic, cultural and social asset'. On the back of a Drive initiative launched this year that is offering cut-price rounds to Scottish golfers, he vowed to ensure that St Andrews 'remains a place that is accessible and belongs to the many, not the few' and also that local golfers 'continue to have access to play on our courses and that tee times don't just become trophies for the privileged'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Old Course at St Andrews is where golfers from around the world 'make their dreams come true' | St Andrews Links Trust In a message to stakeholders, meanwhile, it was stressed that a bid to use the report as a tool for growth extended well beyond the boundaries of the most-famous golfing venue in the world. 'This just isn't about golf at St Andrews,' declared Coulson. 'It's about how we work together to recognise what the country has to offer, the potential of 'Brand Scotland', to support local communities and to build a thriving local economy. We must work together. Collaboration is required across Government, industry, tourism and transport to harvest the opportunity to grow.' Asked later by The Scotsman what he saw that growth being, he added: 'I think there has to be some joined-up conversations about infrastructure and how people move around. And also about the experiences of people. There's lots of different sports and tourism sectors doing really good things, but it is how you join those up so the distillery piece is connected to a golf piece that is connected to a heritage piece. At the moment, they are a little bit isolated. They do really good things on their own, but I think the power of joining those up has got to be huge.' He acknowledged that the potential for growth in St Andrews itself in terms of attracting even more visitors was limited. 'At the end of the day, we have a finite amount of capacity,' conceded Coulson. 'So we need to maintain a balance between local and international and that is very important. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'St Andrews is an intrinsic link between the community and the golf course. We can't just flood it with visitors and ignore that local dynamic. It is not a case of introducing more visitors. In our space, it is understanding what the value of the visitors is that we have now and then looking at how we spread the benefit. 'We can't grow economic and social benefit by just getting more people into St Andrews. But we can do it by trying to collaborate and pushing some of that around Scotland, so we can be a catalyst for people coming - that would be a good thing. 'There are lots of great places to visit and great places to go and stay and experience. It doesn't have to be St Andrews. We might be the driver for them to come in but they can then go out and do other things. That's how I think we grow. It's not just about St Andrews; it's about the national assets that are out there.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Whitehorse considers dropping speed limits across town
The City of Whitehorse is considering lowering the speed limit on all residential streets across the city to 40km/h. The amendments to the city's traffic bylaw were proposed at the June 3 city council meeting. Currently, the entirety of the downtown core has a speed limit of 40km/h - save for certain spots, where the speed limit is 30km/h. Across town, speed limits range from 30 km/h to 70 km/h. The change to the traffic bylaw would limit drivers from driving faster than 40 km/h throughout residential neighbourhoods in the city: it would not affect speed limits on arterial collector roads, however, like Hamilton Boulevard or Two Mile Hill. Speed is an important factor in whether someone is likely to walk away from a car accident, according to the city staff report on the speed limit reduction. When speeds were reduced from 50 km/h to 20 km/h, the risk of serious injury to pedestrians dropped from 90 per cent to 10 per cent. That said, the city will not be dropping speed limits to 20 km/h. Rob Dickson, the city manager for engineering services, told council that there were a number of factors considered in setting the proposed speed limit at 40 km/h. For example, he said, city staff had to consider how enforceable would a given speed limit be, and how likely would drivers be to comply with it. The RCMP are the ones responsible for enforcing speed limits across town, said Dickson. Both the Official Community Plan and the Transportation Master Plan outline commitments to City of Whitehorse to address safety concerns for active transportation. The Transportation Master Plan outlines safety and security as one of its core goals, which includes working towards a Vision Zero strategy — eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Some councillors voiced support for the measure. Coun. Lenore Morris said it makes sense for the speed limit to be reduced in neighbourhoods. 'I was thrilled to see that my old street, Alsek Road in Riverdale, which is a bit of a collector street, it's a long, wide street — could be a speedway sometimes — that it's going to be dropped for 40 for most of it and 30 for one section,' she said. 'And I just think that will make it a lot safer.' Coun. Jenny Hamilton also said the measure was great. She said when speed limits were dropped downtown a couple of years ago, she felt skeptical about drivers obeying the speed limits. 'I myself was skeptical, nobody's going to slow down, but people have, and I have noticed that accidents have been reduced,' she said. 'I think it's going to be easier for enforcement as well, because it will be even all across the neighbourhoods.' The bylaw amendment will be considered for adoption at a future council meeting. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Spirit of Speyside whisky festival breaks ticket records - and looks to further growth in 2026
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has announced another year of increased sales, with nearly 9,000 tickets sold for the first time. Celebrating its 26th anniversary, the festival has grown in stature, establishing itself as one of the world's largest and is a major contributor to the local economy. It is supported by 74 members and 43 partners, including EventScotland, part of VisitScotland - and there are over 600 events across the six days. In 2024 the festival announced a 23 per cent increase in sales from the year before. However, this year will be the first time the festival will come close to a record-breaking £450,000 of sales, including its Whisky School which takes place over four days. Visitors from 37 countries descend on Speyside, contributing to over 50 per cent of overseas ticket sales with Germany, the US, Netherlands and Canada purchasing the most, outside of the UK. Billed as one of the largest international events of its kind anywhere in the world, organisers said the festival relies on the Speyside businesses and community to create a programme of unique experiences for visitors who are not just whisky aficionados. The festival is packed with a range of diverse events, from coopering masterclasses and BBQs to wildlife walks, the Dram Train, music events and canoeing down the river whilst stopping for a Speyside malt. New chairman Henry Angus New chairman Henry Angus said: 'We can't do this festival without the support of the local community. It's vital not just for the businesses but also it's there for the locals to enjoy the buzz for six days. With visitors coming from all over the world, it's an opportunity to meet new people, have some fun, enjoy the stunning scenery along with a brilliant week of events.' The festival kicked off in style on Wednesday April 30 with 91 events taking place, and concluding in the evening with the renowned Touch of Tartan opening event, co-hosted by Speyside Distillers. This year it was held at the Macdonald Highlands Hotels in Aviemore. Over 300 guests gathered for an evening of celebration, where the winners of the prestigious annual whisky awards were also announced. Rob Dickson, director of industry and events at VisitScotland, said: 'The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival shows the vital role events play in Scotland's visitor economy - supporting communities, creating jobs, and showcasing our culture to the world. "It is part of an exciting portfolio of events taking place across the country that we are supporting to deliver a wide range of economic and social benefits and strengthen Scotland's position as a world-leading tourism and events destination.' The opening dinner heralded the whisky and festival award winners, and it was a big night for Aberlour distillery. The whisky winners for 2025 were: the Gold winner of the 12-year-old and under category was The Glen Grant 12-year-old; the Gold winner of the 13-17 category was Aberlour 15-year-old; the Gold winner of the 18 years old over category was Aberlour 18-year-old Double Sherry Cask and the Gold winner of the non-age statement category was Aberlour Triple Cask Matured. The overall winner of the 2025 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Award was Aberlour 18-year-old Double Sherry Cask. The festival winners were: Ambassador – Karen McGillivray; International Ambassador – Stuart Baxter; Unsung Heroes – The Whisky Awards Team: Linda Mellis, Carol Inch, Helen Mellis and Pat Brazil; and Spirit of Speyside Award – James Campbell (previous Chairman of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival). At the opening dinner, outgoing chairman George McNeil explained that former co-chair, Sarah Burgess was due to take over the role of chairperson but now could not due to a change in circumstances. However, a new chairperson had been found in Henry Angus. Mr McNeil said: 'We were delighted when Henry Angus accepted the role as your Spirit of Speyside chairman.' Mr McNeil thanked the current and past executive team members as he handed over the reins to Mr Angus. Mr Angus was attracted to the role of chairman given his history with the area and love of whisky. He said: 'Whisky has been a passion for life since my early school days in Aberlour and smelling malted barley in the air. I have worked in Moray for the past 25 years and made positive connections in the business and local community. "I really want to give something back and my work and career has given me a lot of engagement with the whisky industry who are all of course, very supportive of the festival. I am keen to try and help the festival grow nationally and internationally with my export experience in various roles.' When asked what his plans for the festival were going forward, Mr Angus said: 'The vision is to get more eyes on the festival UK-wide and globally and to engage with more businesses but with over 500 events already lined up, it's about quality of events over quantity. "We want to showcase the very best of what's in Speyside – not just from the distilleries, but also from the hotels, restaurants, cafes and venues in the area. 'We already know that last year, visitors came from 39 countries and the biggest numbers were from the US, Canada and Europe but not so much Japan. We are certainly recognised as an international whisky festival and we are the first festival to kick off World Whisky Month. "Since we launched the festival, Event Scotland and Visit Scotland have supported us, helping to grow our international market and that's why we are in such a good position with roughly 50% of visitors from overseas each year.' Find out more about the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival, including events for next year as they are announced, at
