The Scottish hotel that won 'Four in a Bed' you can stay in at major discount
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt review – a warmly comic saga of male friendship
Scottish-German author Alexander Starritt's debut, The Beast, followed a tabloid journalist; his second novel, We Germans, was about a Nazi. His new book gets us rooting for two wealthy management consultants fresh out of Oxford, both of them men (assuming you haven't already tuned out). I suspect his agent might have found it easier to pitch a novel about sex criminals, not least because Drayton and Mackenzie's approach is so unfashionably traditionalist: it's a chunky, warmly observed, 9/11-to-Covid saga that, while comic in tone and often extremely funny, doesn't labour under any obligation to send up its protagonists, still less take them down. James Drayton, born to north London academics, is a socially awkward high achiever who privately measures himself against Christopher Columbus and Napoleon. Joining the McKinsey consultancy firm after coming top of his year in philosophy, politics and economics hasn't eased the pressure he has always felt to 'come up with something so brilliant it was irrefutable, like the obliterating ultra-white light of a nuclear bomb'. The key to his sense of destiny arrives in the unlikely shape of a slacking junior colleague, Roland Mackenzie, who graduated with a 2:2 in physics (for James, a shame akin to 'admitting erectile dysfunction'). Mutual suspicion thaws when they're tasked with restructuring an Aberdeen oil firm in possession of the patents for a pioneering underwater turbine – tempting James and Roland to poach their star engineer, quit McKinsey and go it alone in green energy. It's a mark of Starritt's confidence that the quest to harness tidal power – the book's main business – gets going only 200 pages in. We feel in safe hands from the start, reassured that he knows the story's every last turn ('In later years, when he was the subject of articles and interviews …' begins a line about James on the second page, his A-levels barely over). But we're kept on our toes: while the narration hews to the point of view of the central duo, it fills in the period backdrop – bailouts, Brexit – by dipping unpredictably into the perspective of real-life figures such as the Italian politician and former president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, seen delivering his famous 2012 speech vowing to save the euro 'whatever it takes'. As James and Roland jet around the world for venture capital, Starritt grants hefty speaking parts to PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Elon Musk (is he allowed to do that?, I asked myself: always a sign of a writer up to something exciting). The plot is crammed with curveballs for the plucky entrepreneurs, whether it's a shattered undersea cable, a coma caused by undiagnosed diabetes, or the dilemma that ensues when James and Roland fall for the same woman, having spent much of the novel joking uneasily about going to bed with each other. With a joyful knack for pithy analogy, the writing holds our attention as much as the events: the aforementioned relationship wrangle induces a 'low eczemal itch of guilt' in the eventual girlfriend-stealer, while new parents drive home from the maternity ward feeling 'like random civilians handed suits and guns and told to protect a miniature, defenceless president'. There's pathos as well as laughter in the protagonists' beer-and-Champions League blokeishness, a way to keep unvoiced feeling at bay. When Roland, nearly 30, wistfully recalls a teenage holiday fling, he thinks that 'she was probably someone's mum by now', a line hinting at his deep-lying sense of stasis, even as the company's ambition grows: not just electricity, but rocket fuel. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion Because it concentrates on personalities rather than systems or ideas – not unlike Richard T Kelly's 2023 North Sea oil novel, The Black Eden – Drayton and Mackenzie probably won't be called 'cli-fi' in the way that the novels of Richard Powers are, but it's a reminder that science fiction isn't the only game in town in terms of writing about the environment and technology. Yet while there's no shortage of chat about electrolysers and optimal blade rotation, Starritt keeps his focus on the human story of invention: dangling quietly over the action is the fact that James, lauded as a visionary, relies mostly for his ideas on other people. In the end, though, critique of disruptor-era genius is less important here than feeling and friendship; the winningly Edwardian, even Victorian, approach to storytelling extends right to the heart-swelling deathbed climax. It might have been subtitled A Love Story. Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt is published by Swift (£16.99). To support the Guardian buy a copy at Delivery charges may apply.
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Trump to land in Scotland on Friday for start of five-day private trip
The US president is expected to arrive at Prestwick Airport in the evening, before heading over to his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. He is then expected to head over to his Menie golf course in Aberdeenshire before opening up a new course dedicated to his Scottish mother, who grew up on the Isle of Lewis. He will leave the country at some point on Tuesday. His presence will result in a significant operation from Police Scotland and thousands of officers, who are expected to deal with mass protests around his golf courses and major Scottish cities. Mr Trump will be greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray when he lands, with the minister pledging to give the American leader a 'warm welcome'. He will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his stay when the pair will discuss the UK-US trade deal. The US president will also meet with First Minister John Swinney. The SNP leader previously said he would have the opportunity to raise various issues with Mr Trump, including tariffs, Gaza and Ukraine. Speaking ahead of his arrival, Mr Swinney said the global attention the visit will receive provides Scotland with an opportunity to respectfully demonstrate the principles of freedom and justice for all, while also promoting Scotland's tourism sector and economic investment potential. He said: 'Scotland shares a strong friendship with the United States that goes back centuries. 'That partnership remains steadfast through economic, cultural and ancestral links – including of course, with the President himself. 'As we welcome the President of the United States, Scotland will be showcased on the world stage. 'This provides Scotland with a platform to make its voice heard on the issues that matter, including war and peace, justice and democracy. 'It also includes the millions of Americans – many of them potential future tourists or investors in Scotland – who will watch their elected President as he visits our country. 'As First Minister it is my responsibility to advance our interests, raise global and humanitarian issues of significant importance, including the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza, and ensure Scotland's voice is heard at the highest levels of government across the world. 'That is exactly what I will do when I meet with President Trump during his time in Scotland.' The SNP leader said Scotland is a 'proud democratic nation' that 'stands firm on the principles of equality and freedom for all, and a society that stands up for a fair and just world'. Ahead of protests expected around Scotland, he said people had a right to 'peaceful demonstration', adding that 'everyone has the democratic right to protect and express their views in a peaceful, and democratic manner'. 'That is right and proper,' he added. 'I am confident the vast majority of people protesting will do Scotland proud and demonstrate as they should – peacefully and lawfully. 'I am also confident that Scotland's police service can handle the challenge of keeping all our communities safe and, as they must, in maintaining the appropriate security any US President requires. 'This weekend is a landmark moment in our relationship with the United States, and I am certain it will be remembered for Scotland showing the world the very best of itself.'
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Snipers, Secret Service sweeps and a personal chef on standby: Scotland awaits Trump's arrival
Donald Trump likes a wall. And now he has his very own 15ft-high metal barrier creating a fortress as he tees off for a weekend of politics, play and precision in Scotland. An almost surreal contrast now exists in the tiny Ayrshire village of Turnberry. On one side, the stunning coastline and luxury hotel that bears the president's name. And on the other, an armed buffer zone with sniper teams and road checkpoints. This visit is unlike those that have gone before. The threat level and associated security on display is unprecedented following the attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in the US. "It would be inappropriate for me to plan an operation and not bear in mind what has happened," the senior officer in charge of this weekend's policing efforts told me. Turnberry, and its population of about 200 people, have this week witnessed a never-ending stream of Army trucks, terrorist sweeps, road checkpoints, airspace restrictions, sniper positions being erected and Secret Service agents roaming around. It is the most extensive security deployment in Scotland since the death of the late Queen in 2022. It is estimated around 5,000 officers will be on the streets, with teams coming from across the UK to assist. The spectacle primarily centres on Donald Trump coming to play golf before the arrival of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for talks, likely on Monday. The president, whose mother was born on the Scottish island of Lewis, is then scheduled to travel to his Aberdeenshire resort where a new golf course is set to open. 'Trump is a decent boss' Stephanie Campbell and Leanne Maxwell live in Turnberry and used to work at the Trump-owned resort, like many other locals. The pair told Sky News the very first lesson staff at the resort are given is not in fine service or guest etiquette, but in how to respond to a bomb threat. It is claimed there are posters above the landline phones in the hotel with instructions on the worst-case scenario. Stephanie told Sky News: "I had no issues working for him, he is a really decent boss. "The last time he came there was an element of excitement, I think this time there comes with an added element of concern. "It brings a lot higher threats and security and it's much more difficult for everybody in the area." Echoing her concerns, Leanne told Sky News: "Security is obviously being bumped up. It's quite worrying. He's quite a man, ain't he?" Sweeps of the rooms are carried out by US Secret Service agents after housekeeping staff complete their duties and Trump's meals, they say, are prepared by a personal chef to avoid the risk of poisoning. To the outside world, these measures seem standard for a US president. But to those who live in Turnberry, it's far from normal when they have a date with the commander-in-chief. Awkward encounters Prestwick Airport has become something of an American airbase in recent days. The infamous armoured limousine, known as "The Beast", has been spotted being wheeled out of a US military plane as the presidential motorcade prepares for his arrival tonight. Greeting the president at the doors of Air Force One will be the secretary of state for Scotland, Ian Murray, who previously supported a motion alleging Trump was guilty of "misogynism, racism and xenophobia". Another awkward encounter could come in the form of Scottish First Minister John Swinney's showdown with Mr Trump next week. The SNP leader, who publicly backed Kamala Harris in the presidential race, called for September's state visit to be scrapped after the Ukrainian president's visit to the White House descended into a shouting match live on TV earlier this year. Demonstrations are planned throughout the weekend, with marches and protests announced in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Kirsty Haigh, from Scotland Against Trump, claims the president uses Scotland to "cleanse his image" and he should not be able to use the country as an "escape" from his views. She told Sky News: "He should not be welcomed by us, by our leaders. "We want to see a Scotland that is very different than [the] America that's being created."
