Latest news with #DavidHope-Jones
Daily Record
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Galloway music festival aims to highlight little known musical talent and spotlight quality food and drink
Demijohn's music festival on the farm, Glenlair Feastival, will take place on Saturday, August 16. A boutique family friendly festival aims to highlight little known Scottish musical talent as well as quality local food and drink. Demijohn's music festival on the farm, Glenlair Feastival, will take place on Saturday, August 16. The musical line-up will include artists such as The Aberlady Sessions and Pedro and the Pirates, with additional performances from a number of emerging Dumfries & Galloway young musicians sponsored by Up Yer Airts. Demijohn's flagship store at Glenlair Steading will be open for tastings of their unique range of handmade, sustainable food and drink. And hungry festival goers will be able to enjoy a selection of other local artisan food producers such as Earth's Crust Bakery from Castle Douglas and Swally and Scran from Kirkcudbright as well as drinks from the Demijohn Cocktail Bar. Demijohn owner, Angus Ferguson, said: 'As we celebrate 21 years of Demijohn this year, our festival theme has to be forever young. 'Our aim is to bring visitors from all over the World to enjoy Galloway and our small festival helps us do that. 'Thanks go to both David Hope-Jones, South of Scotland Destination Alliance CEO, and Simon Hart, D&G Arts Festival director, for their support and continued efforts to help us promote our region. 'I believe with a passion that combining great music with some delicious local food and drink provides another reason for people to visit south west Scotland.' 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'. Glenlair Feastival will take place at Glenlair Steading near Corsock between 10am and 10pm on Saturday, August 25. Overnight camping is available and tickets are available at the Demijohn website.
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Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Center Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Center Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. 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 tourism chief has compared the interest of Center Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Center Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Center Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Center Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Center Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Center Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Center Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Center Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Center Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Center Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. 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 tourism chief has compared the interest of Center Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Center Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Center Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Center Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Center Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Center Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Center Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Center Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Centre Parcs coming to the Scottish Borders is like a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'
Centre Parcs want to build its first site in Scotland near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. 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 tourism chief has compared the interest of Centre Parcs in the Scottish Borders to a 'blue whale arriving in a medium-sized pond'. The hugely-successful holiday park company wants to build a £400 million site near Hawick, with a potential opening date of early 2029 proposed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Picture: Centre Parcs. | An impression of some of the lodges planned for the proposed Centre Parcs site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: Centre Parcs. Centre Parcs has signed an option for the land with the Duke of Buccleuch. The company's commitment to the area comes as major work advances in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to boost tourism revenue by £1 billion by 2034. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the investment of Centre Parcs and the associated visitor numbers could be 'transformative' for the area. David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Essentially, it is the equivalent of a medium-sized pond and suddenly a blue whale arrives. It is the largest single investment that there has ever been - £400m. It is larger than the entire cost of the Borders Railway. 'It is going to create 1,200 year-round permanent jobs and that is probably where the biggest impact will be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you take 1,200 jobs, even if they were at minimum wage, which they won't be, that is a total salary of £30m to £40m a year. That is going into pockets where it wasn't before. 'You look at Hawick, Jedburgh , Selkirk - these are towns that lost their mills between the 1970s and 1990s. Hawick High Street can feel like a depressing place at times. This is the equivalent of re-opening several of those old mills, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.' Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. | Centre Parcs has proposed to build a new site on Duke of Buccleuch land just north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. PIC: SSDA. Center Parcs wants to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of the town. If approved, it will be the company's first site in Scotland and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A series of public consultations has been held, with the most recent one last week at Hawick Rugby Club attended by Centre Parcs' chief executive Colin McKinlay and Rajbinder Singh-Dehal, the chief corporate officer. Some concerns have been voiced about the loss of usable farmland and also that visitors might not venture into the surrounding area, according to accounts. Mr Hope-Jones said his own research found the 'overwhelming majority' of businesses locally were 'strongly supportive' of the development. He said: 'I would say there hasn't been a single item of news that has had such consistent positivity in places such as Hawick in decades and decades. I did a survey of businesses after one week and after six months and the overwhelming majority are strongly supportive.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones said it was expected the SSDA would sign a formal partnership with Centre Parcs by the time a planning application was submitted, which is due to happen in July. The partnership would look to encourage Centre Parcs guests - with 35,000 a year expected to stay at the Hawick site - to explore the surrounding area. 'Even if we are only talking 10 per cent of guests bolting on a three or four-night stay afterwards, that would be transformative,' Mr Hope-Jones said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The extraordinary thing about Centre Parcs is not just the price point they command, the brand loyalty they command, but also their occupancy rates. They are phenomenal. READ MORE: 10 unique events taking place across Scotland this summer 'The most recent Centre Parcs was built in Longford in the middle of Ireland, the bit that no one really knew about. Within five years - and it included Covid - they have got an occupancy rate of 98.8 per cent. 'It has taken one of the poorest areas of Ireland into one of the most economically active areas of Ireland in terms of job creation and taxation. The growth is unprecedented. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Scotland's newest driving route and lessons learned from NC500
The South West Coastal 300 is a driving route on the road less travelled, with lessons being learned from the overwhelming popularity of the NC500. Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter 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... It takes in sandy beaches, dramatic coastlines, rolling countryside, pretty villages and a sense of the undiscovered. The South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) which ventures through Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire, is Scotland's latest driving route. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The loop starts and finishes in Dumfries and reaches the most southerly point in Scotland at Mull of Galloway. Drivers will also head to Wanlockhead, the highest village in the country, in the Lowther Hills. Places such as Culzean Castle, the book village of Wigtown and the charming, colourful Portpatrick are found on the way. The route comes following the overwhelming popularity of the North Coast 500 through the Highlands , which generates at least £22m a year for the local economy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Its success has been tempered by frequent complaints from residents about large volumes of drivers on narrow roads, driving standards and the impact of the poor behaviour of some holiday makers, such as illegal parking and bad waste management. The North Coast 500 Ltd, which markets the route, has said it is listening to concerns and acting upon complaints. Meanwhile, the creators of the new drive in the south of Scotland are keen to create a different type of experience for both drivers and communities on the route. David Hope-Jones, of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, said he 'did not want to criticise the NC500' given it economic success and job creation but added the route had created 'real challenges' for communities on the route. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'Generally, the North Coast 500 can be regarded as a marketer's triumph. With relatively little investment, it has created a phenomenon that has driven the economy to an extraordinary degree. 'If you judge it purely through the marketeers lens, it has been very, very successful. 'But, if you view it through a community lens and actually a visitor experience lens that is not really the story. 'You have got the £25 fish and chips, you have got the associated housing challenges, you have unclassified roads that have useage far, far beyond what they were built for but there isn't the money to invest in them 'So you have got real challenges.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said that promotion for the SWC300 was kept at a minimum and was directed at specific markets, such as potential self-drive tourist from Germany. Mr Hope-Jones added: 'One of the difficult things is when you have that marketing success, it very quickly has its own energy and it is very hard to change or turn off. ' I am not looking to criticise, and with all humility, we look to learn from the NC500's successes in terms of brand creation and the use of social media. But how do we first engage with local communities and have systems working so we are confident we are working within the existing infrastructure? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We run the South West Coastal 300 on our website but we are careful not to push it too much and we are careful where we push it. 'Getting the German and Dutch self drive market to be inspired and do it is great, as their spend is so strong but getting this blunderbuss approach of promoting it to everyone, we might find that the average spend of visitors is going down. 'The key thing is to listen to local businesses and residents and make these adjustments.' Residents and businesses have routinely said they did not want to emulate the NC500, with the topic raised at more than 60 public meetings. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones added: 'One of the questions we have asked is which area of Scotland and the UK should we emulate and which area should we not emulate.
