New PizzaExpress restaurant opens at Edinburgh Airport with 'take onboard option'
A new PizzaExpress restaurant has officially opened at Edinburgh Airport, with customers able to take their pizza onboard their flight.
The restaurant, situated near gate 16, can seat 160 customers and serves a wide variety of gourmet pizzas as well as a breakfast menu for passengers heading off in the early hours.
Fortunately for customers, pizzas can be ordered to take away and take on-board. It's the latest brand to open a franchise at Scotland's busiest airport with Seoul Bird, ICONS Sports Bar and Sainsbury's all opening recently.
READ MORE: Edinburgh Airport Ryanair passengers to face major new check-in change
READ MORE: Edinburgh driver called out by furious locals with angry note on windscreen
BrewDog also moved to a large unit and JD Wetherspoon expanded its beer garden.
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Gail Taylor, Chief Commercial Officer XAero at Edinburgh Airport said: 'It's always great to see new brands arrive at Edinburgh Airport and we know PizzaExpress is one that has generated enthusiasm among our passengers.
'Keeping our retail and food and beverage options fresh and exciting is a key part of our work, and this is one of the largest refreshes to our offering that we have ever undertaken – and all in time for peak summer.
'I hope our passengers look forward to trying out the range of choices now open to them at Scotland's busiest airport, and we hope to have even more exciting news in the months ahead.'
John Butts, Director of ARE which will operate the restaurant alongside Seoul Bird and ICONS, said:
'It's exciting to see PizzaExpress open to Edinburgh Airport's passengers, offering a fantastic selection of items throughout the day.
'These are our first entries into the Scottish market and the fact that they are new names to that market is something we are proud of.'

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National Geographic
2 hours ago
- National Geographic
Everything you need to know about Scottish whisky
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). These days, every nation is discovering whisky distillation, but the global superstars are without doubt the Scottish. With a production history dating back to the 15th century, the country has spent hundreds of years perfecting distillation and wood-ageing. Along with heritage, it's the variety that sets the Scots and their scotch apart from other whiskies worldwide. The spirit is produced in every corner of the country, and there are complex contrasts between, say, an eye-opening Islay whisky, something sweet from Speyside or the lighter lowland styles. Meanwhile, blended whisky takes the array of single malts and combines them with innovative results. The flavour spectrum runs from warm wood and smoke to cereals, biscuits, honey, fresh and spiced fruit and floral notes, so there's a prospect for every palate here. Strict legislation has also helped the industry deliver consistent quality, and while traditional techniques are at the artisan heart of scotch, there have been more recent sparks of innovation. Wood finishes have become more interesting, for example, where the whisky is rested for a final spell in different kinds of oak, with port, Maderia or Burgundy barrels being employed. Such experiments have elevated the spirit's profile again and can make it accessible for a broader spectrum of drinkers. Dram Bar in London pours up an almond and pineapple cocktail using the Craigellachie whisky with its cereal and meaty notes. What is single malt Scottish whisky? This simply means the whisky must be produced in a single distillery, and in the case of scotch, distilled from malted and then fermented barley. The difference between single malt and blended scotch is that the latter is combination of single malts from many distilleries. Rather than simply malted barley, it can also include a different grain distillate. In all cases, to be considered scotch it must be distilled and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years and bottled there at a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). How does it compare to other varieties around the world? The Japanese initially worshiped and indeed mimicked scotch, and while you'll find fresh, innovative voices there now, there are many similarities in flavours. But since the Scots came first, they have a few centuries on the Japanese whisky-makers, having learned from mistakes, and spent decades testing wood styles, learning about the nuances of ageing, advancing the science of distillation and judging the impact of still shape on distillation. The Irish triple distil and produce smoother styles — they invented whiskey and spell it with the 'e'. They were once the market leader but initially stuck with their pot stills and turned their back on the column still, a technology ushered in in the 19th century that distilled spirit quicker and cheaper. The Irish were concerned the lighter style of spirit it produced would put drinkers off, but the Scots embraced this technology (also known as the continuous still) for their blended whisky and it helped brands like Johnnie Walker become global powerhouses. However, the Irish industry has been flourishing recently, so keep an eye on whiskeys from the Emerald Isle. The Americans play with grains, and in the case of straight bourbon use corn as the dominant ingredient and age the spirit in new American oak. It's a much sweeter whisky, but there's variety here, too, including single malts and — something spicier — American straight rye. There's also an interesting movement in 'world whisky', with the Austalians, Germans, Scandinavians and even English enjoying plaudits from the purists. Glenmorangie Distillery in the Scottish Highlands has the tallest stills in the industry, which creates a lighter spirit. Photograph by Glenmorangie Distillery What are some traditional names to look out for? Speyside is the heartland of Scotch, with a higher density of distilleries than anywhere else, and a water source that imparts a sweeter profile. Approachable crowd-pleasers like The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich or sherry-forward The Macallan will be familiar to most — but branch out to Glenfarclas to see a whisky maker take a sherry profile in a different direction or the complex Craigellachie for its cereal and meaty notes. In the Highlands, Glenmorangie has the tallest stills in the industry, which creates a lighter spirit. The company has also been celebrated for innovation in wood finished spirits. For the more experienced palate, head to Islay where firing the malt in kilns fuelled with local peat bestows bold, smoky notes. Lagavulin is the ideal introduction with a slightly richer and sweeter smoke versus Laphroaig for the bigger iodine notes. Meanwhile, Johnnie Walker remains the reliable stalwart of traditional blending, with master blender Emma Walker — a former pharmaceutical chemist who has no relation to the family-founded brand — is celebrated in the whisky world. What are the new-wave whiskies of note? There has been a raft of new Scottish distilleries opening in the past 20 years, and many are now producing stunning spirits. Torbhaig on the Isle of Skye was the first new distillery on the island for 190 years and the light, peaty and maritime whiskies from here are absolute belters. NcNean has pushed boundaries of sustainability with its Organic Single Malt, a lighter and spicier spirit that's been rested in red wine casks. And Highland newcomer Ardnamurchan is a true gem. Based on the Western edge of Scotland, it's been seriously impressing whisky fans since releasing its first bottle in 2020. And the one to watch? That would be Dalmunach, in Speyside. The distillery only opened in 2014, and is already turning out incredible whisky, including 2024's six-year-old releases. In the world of blended whisky, Compass Box deserves credit for shaking things up by being incredibly transparent about the types and ages of whisky it uses. And in terms of new kids on the block, try bottlings from both Turntable and Woven — both producers are proving truly innovative with their small-batch, blending approach. By focusing on limited editions rather than one style, they've explored a wide range of flavour profiles and are attracting a younger audience to the category. A variety of whiskies are offered at Malt Vault in Utrecht, Netherlands. Photograph by Thirsa Nijwening Does age matter? Yes. It determines the minimum amount of time a whisky spends in a barrel. And wood maturation is critical to aroma and flavour, so any decent single malt is likely to have spent more time in the barrel than the requisite three years. The longer whisky spends in the barrel, the more colour the whisky takes on and the more influence the wood has on aroma and flavour. But older isn't necessarily better. Too much time in wood can adulterate the house style of a new-make whisky distillate, so it's about balance. For example, the Dalmunach 6 Year Old is an example of something young that can impress. In more recent years, dwindling stocks of single malt have led to the emergence of No Age Statement whiskies, allowing a producer to blend different ages and styles but still deliver a tasty single malt. Meanwhile, Johnnie Walker Blue includes 60-year-old whiskies in the blend, so it doesn't always follow that a number on the bottle is the entire story. What is the most authentic way to drink it? Whisky snobs are a dying breed, yet some will still tell you not to add anything to your whisky. But drink it any way you see fit — it's your whisky. However, neat and at room temperature is an essential starting point to understand the flavour. Adding a little water is accepted by the traditionalists and opens some more of the aroma and flavour — and it's also essential with a cask strength whisky at 57% abv. It's true that the chill from added ice will restrict and suppress some of the flavours, but if you like ice in a spirit, then add ice. And know that whisky makes fantastic cocktails, one of the best serves you can try is a highball: simply whisky over ice in a tall glass, topped with soda water. The Malt Vault in Utrecht, Netherlands is hidden at canal level and built into an arched former wharf storeroom. Photograph by Thirsa Nijwening Where are the best places to try it? A distillery visit is essential to really getting to know the spirit — and falling for its charms. And many producers provide engaging experiences. Talisker in Skye offers some of the best tours and tastings, although its worth noting the tourist numbers are putting a strain on the island. Easily accessible, the Bow Bar in Edinburgh is an essential whisky pub experience, while the city's glitzier Johnnie Walker Princess Street experience is the Malt Disney of whisky tours. And you don't necessarily need to head north; most major cities now have a great whisky bar. Take The Malt Vault in Utrecht, Netherlands — a fantastic gem, hidden at canal level and built into an arched former wharf storeroom. Elsewhere, Dram, in London is an innovative spot that proves whisky cocktails deserve respect. The Thinking Drinkers are Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, award-winning alcohol experts who have recently embarked on The Great British Pub Ride, cycling 1,000 miles on a tandem, stopping only in pubs. Visit YouTube to see the journey. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Is UK data centre development demand sustainable?
Deloitte partner for AI and data, Clare Mortimar, has spent her entire career helping governments figure out how to extract value from their data. 'And during that time when could you imagine the Prime Minister talking about data centres?' she says addressing an audience at London's AI Summit 2025. Today, AI is driving the conversation around data centres. "I've been waiting for this all my life,' says Mortimar only half in jest. The sheer development speed of AI, unlike any other historical technology shift, has created an exponential requirement for compute power. And this has seen data centres become a hot topic for policy-makers courting investment from AI developers and hyperscalers. GlobalData forecasts that revenues from data centre services (including application hosting and colocation services) will reach $125bn worldwide by the end of 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.75% for the period 2023-2028. According to the research and analysis company, investment in data centres globally has surged since 2023 driven by digitalisation and AI, and is set to accelerate even more rapidly in 2025. At the UK's International Investment Summit in October 2024, CyrusOne, ServiceNow, and CoreWeave collectively announced UK data center infrastructure investments totaling £6.3bn. The investment reinforces the UK government's move to classified data centres as Critical National Infrastructure which provides the industry with enhanced government support and security status, encouraging further investment But despite high levels of investment, GlobalData construction economist Nicolas Psaroudis says that the timelines to build data centres, typically spanning two to four years, could mean supply will not keep pace with demand. 'Today, AI workloads are more power-intensive than ever, with global data centre energy demand expected to more than triple in the next five years,' says Psaroudis, noting that ensuring sustainable, scalable data centre development will be essential not only to fuel AI's potential but also to manage the substantial energy footprint that comes with it. But addressing exponential demand for compute power sustainably is a growing pain point for the UK data centre industry. 'This is a very controversial conversation, because people don't always agree,' says Danny Quinn, managing director of Scottish data centre company DataVita. 'Some of the world's leading scientists really are quite firm about the fact they're [data centres] going to do so much good for the world, that actually, on balance, this isn't going to be a bad thing,' says Quinn. The key sustainability issues, when it comes to AI, are carbon and water. 'There is nothing more you can do to impact sustainability than where your data center is located. Everything else falters into comparison,' says Quinn. 'But you still have data centres in places like India where fossil fuels are being used more. It's not all renewable energy, despite how big tech companies want to pitch how good their work is,' he adds. Quinn's home country of Scotland is a renewable energy hub. For every kilowatt of power, Scotland generates roughly 30 grams of CO2. 'If you move that to London, it's 300 grams of CO2 for the exact same data center, for the exact same load. And it doesn't matter if someone says they're using green energy, that's paperwork in the background. It's not the reality,' notes Quinn. 'If you move it to somewhere like Poland, it's 800 grams of CO2. Yet, some of the largest technology companies are still deploying massive developments into these locations,' he adds. Why are they doing that? Put simply, because it's cheap. Quinn sees a real obligation for businesses to stop green washing, and to start making procurement decisions that are not based on financial metrics alone. Then there is water. By 2027, the OECD projects that AI will require 4.2–6.6bn m³ per year. This is more water than the entire annual use for a country like Denmark, or nearly half that of the UK. Again, location can be a mitigating factor. 'In cooler climates, you can use drier chillers, which run in technological closed loops, so you don't have to refill the water. So that cuts the water usage by about 100 times,' says Quinn. The conundrum for policymakers with sustainability goals in the UK and US, for example, is giving the private sector enough leeway for global competitiveness in AI while addressing the knock-on effect of the carbon emissions this creates. 'We've got some very clear net zero goals, a sustainability agenda that we all are passionate about for our future, and they're diametrically opposed [to AI development],' says Quinn. Senior vice president and managing director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise for the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa, Matt Harris, says data centre development should be approached from a whole life cycle perspective, from data centre location to building methods. 'The positive thing is that there is a huge amount of innovation happening in this space,' he adds. Harris notes that UK data centres, built over several decades do not use liquid cooling which can be up to 90% more energy efficient. 'We have to think about deploying at scale when it comes to infrastructure design. There's innovation coming around cooling technologies, some really neat startups re-utilising heat that is created in the process to heat a local swimming pool, for example," he says. Data centre developer Datum opened a new 24,000 ft² data centre, MCR2, in Manchester in June. Stephen Lorimer, VP of Professional Services for Salute, the company that designed and built the data centre, says that despite the budgets committed to AI development including the government's latest promise of £2bn in public funds, infrastructure need to scale with AI investment. 'But at the moment it isn't,' he adds. If infrastructure is left as an afterthought, the gap could become a national vulnerability, warns Lorimer. 'The government talks about AI breakthroughs, but rarely divulges the power, cooling and land needed to support them,' he says. 'More broadly, it's also clear the UK lacks a coordinated national strategy for this digital infrastructure, unlike some of our global peers. If we don't act, the UK could become a net importer of compute power, outsourcing both innovation and control to more established countries,' says Lorimer. It's clear that the data centre industry needs policy support. Addressing challenges around planning delays and uncertainty in the sector around energy availability are sure to slow down the development of new UK data centres. It remains to be seen whether policy will keep apace with the UK's new and unprecedented infrastructure demand. "Is UK data centre development demand sustainable?" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Nail-biting moment skilled Edinburgh pilot lands buffeted plane in windy weather
Heart-stopping footage has captured the moment a Loganair plane lands at Edinburgh Airport in blustery conditions. Many pilots had to navigate tricky landings in the capital as they got caught up in the crosswind on Monday, June 23. A video clip shows the dramatic moment Loganair flight ATR-72 G-LMTH landed on the runway despite the gusts of wind. The aircraft was travelling from Sumburgh on June 23. READ MORE: Edinburgh schoolboy cyclist, 12, 'knocked down' in crash with car on busy road READ MORE: Hibs confirm coach and former player Darren McGregor involved in road crash The short video shows the flight buffeted from side to side before going into a "bumpy landing" on the tarmac, with passengers breathing a sigh of relief. The clip was captioned: "Loganair ATR-72 G-LMTH from Sumburgh getting caught up in the crosswind this morning. Quality isn't great as I was live on YouTube at the time." Back in January, we reported a Ryanair plane landed at Edinburgh Airport during Storm Éowyn. The storm brought gale force and hurricane winds to the central belt, grinding public transport and most flights to a halt with schools and shops also closing. Most flights in and out of Edinburgh Airport were cancelled due to extreme winds, but before the red warning officially came into place on Friday, some flights managed to touch down safely. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages The pilot was forced into a more nerve-wracking landing than they would have hoped for. Footage captured shows the aircraft descending as the whole plane can be seen flying low at an angle as it approaches the runway with both wings wobbling in tough conditions. The plane eventually straightens up before it touches the tarmac before experiencing a few minor bumps on the runway.