Latest news with #JohnMcMillan
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Why are Lambretta scooter fans riding to Ayr?
It is an invasion that might have created panic among locals in the than 1,000 Lambretta scooter enthusiasts are descending on Ayr this weekend, coming from as far afield as Canada, Australia and Argentina. The reason is that the region is hosting the 34th Euro Lambretta Jamboree, a worldwide gathering for fans of the famous Italian is the first time the event has been held in Scotland since the 2004 edition, which took place in Kelso. The days of mods and rockers scrapping by the seaside are long gone and John McMillan, the chairman of the Lambretta Club of Scotland, told BBC Scotland News camaraderie and friendship will be key aspects of the event, held at Ayr racecourse. "Speak to anyone at the event and they'll be your best pal," says John, a Lambretta devotee since he was 10 in 1979. "Whether they're from Sweden or Germany or wherever, they'll be friendly. After the gala dinner on Saturday, everyone will be swapping T-shirts of their different clubs. "I've got an Austrian one from a couple of years ago, for example. There's folk riding 1,000 miles just to speak to other enthusiasts, which says a lot about the community." Entertainment planned throughout the weekend includes various ride-outs, repair workshops and a parade of vintage models. Lambrettas were designed by Ferdinando Innocenti in Milan in the late 40s and their popularity in the UK peaked in the late 50s and 60s with the rise of mod were considered essential to the movement, along with sharp suits and a love of bands such as the Who and the Small brand itself ran into difficulty the following decade but scooter culture continued to be popular, tied to the two-tone movement in the late 70s and a revival of the mods. It was around this time the Lambretta captured John's attention for the first time. "I went to Scarborough on holiday with my mum and dad," he recalled. "A group of scooters went past and that was me – I saw Quadrophenia [ a film inspired by the Who's 1973 concept album] at the same time and I was hooked. "All I wanted was a Lambretta. The one I currently use I've had since I was 17, so it's been there for almost the whole of my life." An accountant by trade, John and his club colleagues have prepared various Scottish entertainment for their guests, including a ceilidh and a pipe band. It is a chance for John to return the favour to other enthusiasts, having travelled abroad on many occasions himself."I remember in 1991 being on my first trip abroad where I met my friend Franco at a Mod rally in Rimini. "We've been pals ever since – I'll go over every other year to Italy to see him. The last big trip I did was 2017 in Italy, and it was four days travelling there and four days back."It's just the fun you have on these trips. It's getting away, having a laugh and just riding with your pals. You see things on the scooter. It's not like you're on a big bike, you can appreciate it all." Around 1,300 people are expected to attend the gathering in Ayr, a big jump from the 500 or so devotees who came to the Kelso show in John will be the only one in that number missing a scooter - as he is bringing so many things he is having to take a car there his love for the scooter will always be present. "They're these stupid looking wee shopping trollies that we've all fallen in love with. It's just part of your life now."
Scotsman
21-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
East Lothian Council gets red card over parking meter plans
Councillors behind plans to introduce parking charges in an East Lothian town centre have been given the red card by angry residents. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, 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... More than 100 people attended a community meeting on Thursday to share their views on proposals to introduce meters in Haddington as part of a county wide move by the local authority to manage parking in towns. The audience were handed green and red cards to hold up after questions were answered to show their support or rejections of the answers given. And Provost John McMillan, who made the case for the council's proposals found himself faced with a sea of red cards in response to his comments during the meeting. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It was claimed the charges would drive away customers from the town centre and penalise the sick. People attending public meeting on parking charge proposals in Haddington give council the red card. | LDR Former Housing Minister Paul McLennan MSP, who recently stepped down from the post to spend more time with his East Lothian constituents, told the meeting he could not support the parking charges plan for the town. He said the council had provided no evidence of the impact they would have on local shops and businesses and no costing for introducing the new system. He said: 'I can't support the current proposals when no impact assessment has been carried out and we don't know how much it is going to cost. We do not know how it will impact our high streets and trade.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The meeting heard from Garry Clark from the Federation of Small Businesses, who said its East Lothian members had raised concerns that the charges would drive away customers and were not fair. He pointed to similar schemes which had been introduced in Angus and Inverurie which he said had damaged town centres with councils having to go back to the drawing board. Mr Clark said: 'When you have retail parks on the edge of town with free parking and online shopping where people aren't having to park anywhere, it is unfair to charge customers who want to go into the town centre to shop.' Provost McMillan, who lives in Haddington and is the council administration's economic spokesperson, insisted the proposals, which have been included in a parking management scheme first put forward by the Labour administration in 2018, aimed to keep cars moving in the town centre with funds raised going back into the roads. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However he drew criticism from members of the public who questioned why there was a free car park for East Lothian Council staff at the local authority's Haddington town centre headquarters. One resident asked: 'Whey are council staff able to park for free while everyone else has to pay?' Councillor McMillan also drew gasps from some members of the audience when he told them that it has, in his opinion, become 'inbred that you can park anywhere you want in Haddington'. Haddington and District Community Council, who organised the meeting in the town's Knox Academy, described a council survey carried out as part of the public consultation into the proposals as 'bias' saying it carried out its own questionnaire which received hundreds of responses for the town's residents, visitors and traders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They said when asked if there were parking problems in Haddington over 85 per cent said no with the number who were against the introduction of meters rising to the high nineties. East Lothian MSP and former Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan addresses meeting about introduce parking charges in Haddington town centre. | LDR Mr McMillan stressed that the consultation was ongoing and the views of people in the town would be considered. He told the meeting: 'I am here to listen, I am here to answer questions and I am here to collaborate with you.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However his responses to questions about the staff car park in the town centre and explanations about trying to make people less dependent on cars to travel into the town saw red cards raised in response almost unanimously by the audience. The council proposes changing the town centre parking in Haddington, which currently offers 90 minutes before drivers have to move on, to 30 minutes free and then charges being introduced. However people at the meeting questioned whether it was possible for people, who travel into the town from outlying rural communities, to come into town and carry out appointments in the new 30 minute limit. East Lothian MSP Craig Hoy who has been a vocal opponent of the council's ongoing plans to introduce parking charges across the county, said it would mean charging the sick. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'I have my constituency office in Haddington town centre and know how long a chat with a constituent who comes in to see me can take. 'What happens when they come in for GP appointments or have to collect prescriptions? This can't be done in 30 minutes so we are charging people who are sick to come and get help.'
Edinburgh Reporter
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Scottish Open returns to East Lothian for seventh successive year
The return of the Scottish Open to East Lothian for a seventh year in a row cements the county's reputation as a leading destination for sport and leisure, its Provost has said. Speaking as East Lothian councillors agreed to a temporary ban on public access to the course during the summer event, Councillor John McMillan said the continued partnership with organisers was a boost the economy and the county's reputation. And he said the eyes of the world would be on the Renaissance Club, Dirleton, as global golfing stars arrived for the annual competition. Councillor McMillan said: 'It is a great example of East Lothian being one of the leading, if not the leading, tourist destination for sport and leisure.' Organisers of the event applied to the council for an exemption order to suspend public access rights on the golf course between Tuesday, July 8 until Sunday, July 13, to cover the length of the tournament. A report to the council's Labour administration cabinet meeting this week, said the order would enable to championship to be held safely. It said the order would be 'in the interests of the safety and security of players and the safety of the public during the championship; and permit an entrance fee to be levied on spectators.' The order was unanimously supported by councillors at the meeting. The Scottish Open action begins on Wednesday, July 9 with a Pro-Am event with general admission costs starting at £28. The main contest gets underway the next day when daily tickets start at £45 with a five day pass for the event £155. By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
14-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Scottish Open return boosts East Lothian reputation as sports tourism destination
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The return of the Scottish Open to East Lothian for a seventh year in a row cements the county's reputation as a leading destination for sport and leisure, its Provost has said. Speaking as East Lothian councillors agreed to a temporary ban on public access to the course during the summer event, Councillor John McMillan said the continued partnership with organisers was a boost the economy and the county's reputation. And he said the eyes of the world would be on the Renaissance Club, Dirleton, as global golfing stars arrived for the annual competition. Councillor McMillan said: "It is a great example of East Lothian being one of the leading, if not the leading, tourist destination for sport and leisure." Organisers of the event applied to the council for an exemption order to suspend public access rights on the golf course between Tuesday, July 8 until Sunday, July 13, to cover the length of the tournament. A report to the council's Labour administration cabinet meeting this week, said the order would enable to championship to be held safely. It said the order would be "in the interests of the safety and security of players and the safety of the public during the championship; and permit an entrance fee to be levied on spectators." The order was unanimously supported by councillors at the meeting. The Scottish Open action begins on Wednesday, July 9 with a Pro-Am event with general admission costs starting at £28. The main contest gets underway the next day when daily tickets start at £45 with a five day pass for the event £155.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Families file lawsuit against Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission for not creating a patient registry
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Six families filed a lawsuit against the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission last Friday over not having the medicine accessible for their children. Popular Mobile Christmas store to permanently close According to the legal documents, the AMCC has not created a patient registry, which has been a state law since 2022. 'We don't have a patient registry because we cannot start the program until we have licenses issued,' AMCC Director John McMillan said regarding the long delay for medical cannabis accessibility. 'And then the doctors have to be certified by the Alabama Medical Association,' he continued. In 2021, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Bill was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. AMCC was supposed to establish a patient registry list by Sept. 1, 2022. McMillan told the commission has been held back due to extensive litigation, and that must be resolved before medical cannabis can be grown and sold in Alabama. 'The only two licenses that are still tied up in litigation are the dispensary licenses and the integrated licenses,' McMillan said. 'And that's where the big one is, and it all real kind of boils down to the fact that the legislation only allows the commission to issue five integrated licenses, and we had 38 applicants.' In the meantime, certified hemp manufacturing facilities, such as Oscity Labs in Foley, have been waiting to finally sell their products to patients in need. 'We're ready to go,' Oscity Labs CEO Ray French said. 'We could be manufacturing these products within weeks of the commission being allowed to do their job,' French said. 'And that's what's so heartbreaking to see, knowing the patients need this medicine.' US Marshals offering $5K reward for information on Mobile criminal McMillan told he hopes that patients will finally be able to get on the registry by the end of this year, or whenever the litigation is Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
