Latest news with #Cupar
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Church admits it was wrong to let biological men use girls' lavatories
The Church of Scotland has admitted it was wrong to allow a biological male to use female facilities. A mother said she 'froze' when she picked up her 11-year-old daughter from a drama class at a church-run community centre in Cupar, Fife and encountered a man from an LGBT club in the female lavatories. The mother was initially told by the church that it was 'lawful and often appropriate' for 'women-only spaces to include trans women'. However, Kirk leaders later admitted that their advice contravened the Supreme Court's gender ruling in April that a woman was defined by biological sex under equality law. The disclosure prompted a backlash from opposition politicians who accused the church of putting the young girl in an 'appalling' situation. It comes as the SNP government was criticised by the equalities watchdog for failing to issue updated trans guidelines in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. Tess White, the Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister, told The Times: 'It's appalling that a young girl was put in this intimidating situation – and it should never have happened. 'The law is clear and there's no excuse for the Church of Scotland or any other organisation not to be following it. 'But SNP ministers are largely to blame for this mess – first by allowing lobby groups to dictate gender policy across the whole of Scottish public life and then by refusing to produce clear, updated guidelines following the Supreme Court ruling.' The church had claimed that its trans-inclusive stance was based on the advice of 'legal experts' such as Stonewall, the activist group, and the Good Law Project, run by the barrister Jolyon Maugham, which is seeking to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. It admitted that its advice to the parent was incorrect and it should not have relied on positions taken by partisan groups. It said it now 'supported the right' of women and girls to access single-sex spaces and suggested that trans people should be provided with gender-neutral facilities. The incident coincides with a warning by the UK's equalities watchdog for Scottish government ministers to update policies to reflect the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on the definition of women without delay. The EHRC issued interim guidance in May related to trans people's use of single-sex facilities and launched a consultation on changes to parts of its code of practice for services, public functions and associations, which closed in 30th June. The updated code is due to be published later this year. Dr Lesley Sawers, the Deputy Chair and Scotland Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said ministers had 'a responsibility to ensure their adherence to the Public Sector Equality Duty' - the legal requirement for public authorities in Scotland to consider protected characteristics, including biological sex, when carrying out their functions. She warned that the current 'climate of uncertainty and widespread misinformation serves nobody'. 'An urgent need for clarity' John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, initially welcomed the 'clarity' provided by the ruling but the Scottish Government has repeatedly said it is waiting for further guidance before issuing new advice of its own to Scotland's public sector - including prisons, schools and the NHS. Dr Sawers said the government should already be following the law: 'We appreciate there is an urgent need for clarity, as a climate of uncertainty and widespread misinformation serves nobody, particularly those with protected characteristics. Ms White added: 'The EHRC is effectively telling SNP ministers: no more excuses. 'The Supreme Court's verdict was delivered over two months ago, yet John Swinney and his colleagues are still dragging their heels on telling public bodies in Scotland to comply with the law.' Kelly, the mother of the 11-year-old, who did not want her surname published, said the incident happened at the Old Parish Centre in May. She later spoke to the church minister, who was initially supportive, but in a second email last week, he said advice from the church's central office meant he had to 'rescind' his first email. It had been made clear to him that 'a trans woman's use of the women's toilet aligns with her gender identity, and this is lawful and consistent with best practice'. The Church of Scotland expressed 'regret' that its initial advice was 'not correct' or aligned with EHRC advice. It said: 'We support the right of women and girls to access single-sex spaces and the right of trans women and trans men to access gender-neutral spaces, so that trans people are not put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use.'
Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Times
Church flouted law by letting trans woman use girls' toilet
The Church of Scotland flouted the law on single-sex spaces by wrongly insisting that biological men could still share female lavatories with girls, it has emerged. A mother raised concerns that at least one man from an LGBT club was using female facilities at a church-run community centre in Cupar, Fife, where her 11-year-old daughter attended a drama class. She was told by the church that it was 'lawful and often appropriate' for 'women-only spaces to include trans women', despite the Supreme Court ruling in April. The advice, in correspondence seen by The Times, was issued after an intervention by the Church of Scotland's safeguarding and legal departments, despite the local minister, the Rev Jeff Martin, initially backing the mother and saying her concerns would be dealt with. The church has claimed that its trans-inclusive stance was based on the advice of 'legal experts' such as the activist group Stonewall and the Good Law Project run by the barrister Jolyon Maugham, which is seeking to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. On Monday night the Church of Scotland admitted that its advice to the parent was incorrect and it should not have relied on positions taken by partisan groups. It said it now 'supported the right' of women and girls to access single-sex spaces, and suggested trans people should be provided with gender-neutral facilities. The confusion led to new calls for the Scottish government to take a lead over the issue instead of insisting its policies cannot be changed until the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issues formal advice later this year. Bodies that refuse to implement the Supreme Court ruling have been warned that they face legal action. The Scottish government is facing separate threats of being sued again by For Women Scotland, which defeated ministers in the Supreme Court, and Sex Matters. Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has told hospitals and government departments they must implement the ruling 'as soon as possible' after some bodies south of the border were accused of deliberate delays. The correspondence obtained by The Times, and the clarification issued on Monday, show the Kirk has taken three different positions on the issue of single-sex spaces within a matter of weeks. Every organisation in Britain was told to revisit their equalities policies after the Supreme Court ruled that a woman was defined by biological sex under equalities law, but there is widespread confusion about the implications. • Gender-neutral lavatories banned in new-build restaurants and offices Bodies such as the Scottish parliament have moved quickly to ban trans women from female spaces, while some schools in Scotland have moved to get rid of gender-neutral toilets. However, the Scottish government has insisted it must wait until the EHRC issues its formal advice, despite the regulator saying this is not necessary — meaning some policies remain in place that critics claim are clearly unlawful. A EHRC consultation on the formal guidance was due to close on Monday. A legal expert, whose work was cited in the Supreme Court judgment, said the Church of Scotland's earlier stance 'completely misstates the law' and claimed the saga exposed the pitfalls of relying on activist groups for advice. Kelly, the mother of the 11-year-old, who did not want her surname published, went to pick up her daughter from a drama class at the Old Parish Centre in May. She encountered a man from an LGBT club, which was using the building, in the female lavatory. She said she 'froze' and later raised her concerns with Martin, the church minister. He was initially supportive and pledged to deal with the matter, but in a second email last week he said that advice from the church's central office meant he had to 'rescind' his first mail. It had been made clear to him that 'a trans woman's use of the women's toilet aligns with her gender identity, and this is lawful and consistent with current best practice'. Kelly said she was 'gobsmacked' to see that 'men's feelings are taking priority over young girls'. The EHRC confirmed that access to single-sex facilities should be based on biological sex. The Supreme Court stated in April that, for the purposes of UK equalities law, a biological man cannot become legally female. LGBT activist groups, many of which previously wrongly suggested organisations had a legal obligation to allow access to single-sex spaces on the basis of gender self-identification, have been accused of spreading misinformation about the ruling. • Toilet politics and death threats: why transgender judge Victoria McCloud quit Michael Foran, a Glasgow University expert in equalities law, who will soon join the University of Oxford to become associate professor of law, said the Church of SCotland's earlier response to the parent, which also claimed it could not put in place a 'blanket policy' of excluding trans women from female toilets, 'completely misstates the law'. He said: 'It is contradicted by the express wording of the Supreme Court in its judgment in FWS [For Women Scotland] and by the decades of law on direct discrimination. 'Any service provider operating a service on the basis of self-identification and not biological sex is exposed to significant risk of liability.' Foran added: 'This response demonstrates the importance of seeking specialist legal advice. Duty bearers under the Equality Act should not rely on lobby groups for their legal advice.' Trina Budge, a director of For Women Scotland, said she was 'quite astonished' to see 'just how the church has got the law so wrong' in its email to Kelly. She said: 'We are delighted and relieved that the church has reconsidered its position and taken the time to understand the Supreme Court ruling. 'Many organisations have been misled on the law for a very long time by activist groups and it shows exactly why the Scottish government must stop prevaricating and take the lead on sorting out the confusion that has been allowed to take hold.' The Church of Scotland expressed 'regret' that the advice it issued to the parent was 'not correct' or in alignment with EHRC advice. It said: 'The church has been considering the implications of that decision and has not yet issued formal guidance on the issue for congregations, bearing in mind that the EHRC has stated that it was aiming to provide an updated code of practice on services and public functions by the end of June. 'We do not consider that it is appropriate for the church to rely on advice provided by Stonewall and the Good Law Project and we should not have referred to their views on this question. 'We support the right of women and girls to access single-sex spaces and the right of trans women and trans men to access gender-neutral spaces, so that trans people are not put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use.'
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Discount store to shut three Scotland locations as it launches closing down sale
The move comes as part of a major restructuring plan formed by Modella Capital. A popular discounted chain has launched a massive closing down sale recently. The move will see it close down three Scots stores for good, with more up for sale. The Original Factory Shop (TOFS), which operates around 200 stores across the UK, was spotted offering price cuts on a huge selection of items recently, with discounts on everything from clothes and toys to gardening tools. Shoppers on Facebook shared images of the sale to the Cupar store's official page, with a caption reading: "Up to 11 TOFS stores are already to set to close this month, including sites across Worcestershire, Durham and Cumbria." Scottish stores confirmed to be closing down for good on Saturday, June 28 are based in Perth, Arbroath and Peterhead. Meanwhile, a further four stores across the country are up for sale in Nairn, Troon, Castle Douglas and Blairgowrie, although negotiations with landlords are said to be ongoing, so it is unsure if these stores will be closing down as well. According to the Sun, clothing rails have been tagged with percentage-off signs as high as 30 per cent off, with discounts in the Cupar store said to be across summer items such as linen, dresses and jeans. Shoppers are also reported to find savings across footwear and the menswear section, with an abundance of polo shirts, gym vests, and t-shirts on offer. It's not just clothes that are included in the closing down sale, as cleaning products and household essentials are on offer for 10 percent less, while plenty of deals have been spotted across confectionary. The announcement of the store closures comes as part of a major restructuring plan that is being carried out by Modella Capital, the same firm that bought over WHSmith and Hobbycraft. The private equity firm purchased the discounted department store earlier this year, with a plan renegotiate rents across 88 of its stores. As part of the restructuring plans, TOFS is said to have previously told the Press and Journal that several "loss-making stores will have to close." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Modella bought over the discounted department store, which has been on the high street since 1969, earlier this year from Duke Street Capital. To help save the company from collapse, it drew up plans to initiate a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) at the end of April, allowing it to explore other strategies such as negotiating reduced rents with landlords. Full list of TOFS stores closing for good Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire - June 26 Perth - June 28 Chester Le Street, County Durham - June 28 Arbroath, Angus - June 28 Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - June 28 Pershore, Worcestershire - June 28 Normanton, West Yorkshire - June 28 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - June 28 Shaftesbury, Dorset - June 28 Staveley, Cumbria - July 12 Middlewich - TBC Heswall - TBC Full list of TOFS stores up for sale Nairn Market Drayton Troon Blairgowrie Castle Douglas
The Sun
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
The Original Factory Shop launches closing down sale at another store – see full list of locations set to shut for good
THE Original Factory Shop has launched another closing-down sale as the brand pulls the shutters on another store. The discount department store has slashed the prices on everything, from clothing to gardening tools to toys. 3 Clothing rails have been tagged with percentage-off signs as high as 30 percent off. If you're looking for something stylish this summer, TOFS in Cupar, Scotland, is packed with pretty dresses, linen pieces, and jeans. There are also huge discounts across all footwear in the store - from trainers to heels. Over in the men's section, there is an abundance of polo shirts, gym vests, and t-shirts. It's worth stocking up on cleaning products and household essentials as they have a 10 percent reduction on the price. For those sweet-toothed shoppers, there are plenty of deals across all confectionery. Photos of the sale went on the Cupar store's Facebook with the caption: Up to 11 TOFS stores are already to set to close this month, including sites across Worcestershire, Durham and Cumbria . Meanwhile, another five stores across Nairn, Market Drayton, Troon, Blairgowrie and Castle Douglas have been placed up for sale. The Original Factory Shop has told The Sun that negotiations are ongoing with landlords - making it unclear whether these shops will remain open. It comes as part of a major restructuring carried out by new owner Modella Capital with a number of loss making stores having to close as result. Over June nine of these stores will close, including sites in Dorest and Durham. Another site in Middlewich is also set to close however a date is yet to be confirmed. You can see the full list of store closures here: Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire - June 26 Perth - June 28 Chester Le Street, County Durham - June 28 Arbroath, Angus - June 28 Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - June 28 Pershore, Worcestershire - June 28 Normanton, West Yorkshire - June 28 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - June 28 Shaftesbury, Dorset - June 28 Staveley, Cumbria - July 12 Middlewich - TBC Heswall - TBC The following stores are also up for sale: Nairn Market Drayton Troon Blairgowrie Castle Douglas Private equity firm Modella bought The Original Factory Shop back in February and has since launched a restructuring effort to renegotiate rents at 88 TOFS stores. Modella is known for picking up struggling retailers, having also recently acquired Hobbycraft and WHSmith 's high street shops. It is set to rebrand all WHSmith high street stores to TGJones, and has brought in advisers to look at potential options for Hobbycraft. At the end of April, Modella drew up plans to initiate a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for TOFS. Companies often use CVAs to prevent insolvency, which could otherwise result in store closures or the collapse of the entire business. They allow firms to explore different strategies such as negotiating reduced rent rates with landlords. TOFS previously told The Press and Journal that a "number of loss-making stores will have to close" as part of the restructuring. 3 3
The Courier
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Cupar's golden girls: The Nicolson and Neville sisters bring world cheerleading glory home to Fife
When Cupar cheerleader Abbie Nicolson stepped off the mat at the annual International Cheer Union (ICU) World Championships in Orlando, Florida, heart still pounding and face still flushed from the lights, the last thing on her mind was gold. Like many of her teammates on Team Scotland's adaptive abilities Cheer squad, she had come to soak in the experience. It was her first trip to the United States. She never expected to leave as a world champion. But as the judges deliberated and finally announced that Scotland had taken gold, everything changed. 'If I could bottle that up and put it in a jar and keep that forever – it was just the best feeling,' she says, her voice still catching weeks later. 'It was amazing when we got called down as being in the top three. But then the minute we got announced as the winners, my sister Emily grabbed me and gave me a big hug. We all hugged. 'I was literally living the dream from being a little girl. That was the goal. In cheerleading, you can't get any better than that. So this was literally the dream coming true.' For Abbie, 20, and Emily, 23, that golden moment was the culmination of more than a decade of training, sacrifice, and shared ambition. But they weren't alone in their celebration. Fellow Cupar natives Hannah Neville, 25, and Evan Neville, 27 – sisters, coaches, and lifelong cheerleaders themselves – were right there on the mat too. Together, the four women made history, contributing to Scotland's first-ever podium finish and gold medal. For a team of just 30 athletes, having four from the same small Fife town was remarkable. For the Cupar community, it's a point of immense pride. Both sets of sisters grew up in Cupar, attending Castlehill Primary and Bell Baxter High School. But they also grew up as next-door neighbours. Emily began cheerleading around eight years old with the local Diamond Allstars Cheer and Dance at Cupar Sports Centre, coached by Bryony-Leigh Murray. 'A few girls from school were doing it, so I thought I'd give it a go,' Emily remembers. 'I tried other activities too, but Cheer just stuck. I loved being part of a team.' Abbie was about six when she caught the Cheer bug. 'I used to tag along when mum dropped Emily off. At first, Emily was raging – she wanted something of her own,' she laughs. 'But I begged to try a class, and that was it. I was hooked.' Eventually, they moved from Diamond Allstars to Glow Extreme Cheer and Dance, a club founded and coached by none other than Hannah Neville. Hannah launched the business in October 2022. Initially a side project while at university, the club has since exploded in popularity, prompting her to go full-time by April 2023. Working with her sister Evan, she now coaches over 120 girls weekly, with a further 50 on a growing waitlist. Hannah's journey began at age two with dance, moving into Cheer by seven. She later joined Fife's gymnastics team from ages nine to 13 before returning to Cheer. Hannah lives with scoliosis – a twisted spine. The adaptive category at the ICU Worlds requires at least 25% of the team to have a disability. But this doesn't hold her back. 'I have more pain than average, but staying strong and active really helps,' she says. Other Cupar girls have gone for cheerleading glory in recent years. Hannah was there last year when they finished fourth. But to share this win with her sister and friends means so much. 'My parents, Lesley and James, are over the moon,' she adds. 'My mum has driven me across the country for years. It feels like I've made it all worth it.' It's a sentiment shared by sister Evan, who studies photography at Fife College. 'Going to the Worlds in America was a dream in itself, but doing it with the three of them made it even more incredible. I couldn't have imagined doing it with anyone else.' Selection for Team Scotland wasn't easy. Emily auditioned last summer, with training beginning in September. Abbie, who'd auditioned before Emily, was originally a reserve but stepped in just six weeks before the competition when another athlete suffered a broken knee. Even after making the team, there was constant work – training every Saturday in Glasgow, perfecting routines, pushing themselves, fundraising. Both sisters were also juggling university studies in nursing. Emily has been studying at Dundee University and Abbie at Napier in Edinburgh. The adaptive abilities category includes athletes with and without disabilities. Routines combine stunts, jumps, tumbling, and dance. 'It's like gymnastics – you're scored from the moment you step on the mat to the second the music stops,' Abbie explains. Emily specialises in stunting; Abbie does stunts, jumps, and tumbling. For both Nicolsons, it was their first time in America. People at home in Cupar watched the livestream. After advancing from the semifinals, Team Scotland waited anxiously during the final awards ceremony. The moment the gold medal was confirmed, the four Cupar girls huddled together – 'screaming, crying and jumping for total joy.' 'There's this clip from the live stream,' Emily says. 'It shows the four of us hugging, just losing it. All the years, the early mornings, the injuries, the drives to Glasgow – it was all for that moment.' Then came the medals, the national anthem, and something extra special: an ICU gold ring, awarded only to world champions. Back home in Cupar, the reaction has been euphoric. 'I was at a local dance event the other week,' Abbie says, 'and strangers were coming up to me saying congratulations, asking to see the ring. I've never experienced anything like it.' 'It's a tight-knit town,' Emily adds. 'People from my work, the university, even my nail salon – they all watched the stream. It feels like the whole of Cupar was behind us.' Cheerleading has been big in Cupar for some time. But Hannah says it's 'wild' how interest has exploded since they returned. Cupar councillor John Caffrey offered his 'hearty congratulations', adding: 'Cupar has suffered some knockbacks recently but as always it is the young people who shine through.' For four ordinary young women from a quiet corner of Fife, is the kind of achievement that reshapes dreams. It comes as the popularity of cheerleading, now recognised as an Olympic sport, continues to grow in the UK. The Nicolson and Neville sisters have shown what can happen when passion, perseverance and a powerful sense of community collide. And somewhere in Cupar, the next generation of young people is watching – and dreaming of gold.
