Celebrate the life and legacy of Scotland’s national poet with an unforgettable Burns Night Supper at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Available throughout January, it is ideal for entertaining clients, partners or colleagues, and can welcome up to 200 guests within the striking setting of the John Hope Gateway. Guests will be welcomed with warm hospitality against the winter backdrop of the Gardens, alongside the ceremonial address to the haggis and a thoughtfully curated menu inspired by Scotland’s culinary traditions.

To secure your bespoke dining package, get in touch with our events team to discuss availability, group sizes and optional enhancements at venues @rbge.org.uk or ring 0131 248 2941. Full details can be found at https://www.rbge.org.uk/venue-hire/garden-experiences/burns-supper-dining-experience/

For the latest news, seasonal offers and behind-the-scenes updates from the Gardens, follow us on LinkedIn.

Yesterday, the Finance Secretary announced the Scottish Government’s budget for the year ahead. Our summary brings you the key announcements for Edinburgh’s businesses, including transitional reliefs on non-domestic rates, and an increase in certain income tax bands.

Economic forecasts

• The Scottish Fiscal Commission expects the Scottish economy to grow 1.2 per cent in 2025-26, increasing slightly to 1.3 per cent in 2026‑
• Inflation in Scotland is forecast to fall to 2.5 per cent in 2026 and return to the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target in early 2027.

Tax

Business rates:

• In response to concerns over revaluation, the Basic, Intermediate and Higher Property Rates will be reduced for 2026-27, and a Revaluation Transitional Relief worth £184m will be introduced to cap increases in gross bills up to the next revaluation in 2029.
• Retail, hospitality, and leisure premises liable for the Basic or Intermediate Property Rates (with a rateable value up to and including £100,000), will receive 15% non-domestic rates relief for those 3 years. If UK Gov. makes changes to rates for hospitality premises such as pubs in England, any additional funds made available to SG will be used to support the sector.
• The Small Business Bonus Scheme will be continued at current rates and thresholds for the next 3 years. For those losing this relief on 1^st April 2026, a Small Business Transitional Relief will be introduced.

Income tax:

• Thresholds for the Basic and Intermediate income tax bands will increase by 7.4%. The thresholds for the Higher, Advanced and Top rates will be frozen up to 2028‑

Other taxes:

• By April 2028, two new Council tax bands will be introduced for properties worth over £1 million and over £2 million.
• From April 2027, the Air Departure Tax will come into force (with a likely exemption for Highlands and Islands), set at the same level as UK APD for the first year. In April 2028 an additional levy on private jets will be introduced.

 

Business support

• Delivering on promise to invest £1bn in SNIB by end of parliamentary term, along with £326 million expenditure on the Enterprise Agencies.
• Nearly £40 million will be invested in Visit Scotland in 2026‑27 to promote Scotland and grow international connectivity.
• An additional £20 million will be invested in the culture sector.
• A new £2.5 million Young Entrepreneurs Package has been created.
• The £3 million funding for Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce will be maintained.

 

Skills and employment

• £90 million will be invested in employability services, and colleges will receive £8 million to deliver new or expanded initiatives to help adult learners get the skills and qualifications needed to secure new employment opportunities.
• Additional funding will go towards wrap-around activities provision at the start and end of the school day to support parents in work.
• Scotland’s colleges will see a combined 10% increase in resource and capital funding, and a 5% increase for our universities.

 

Housing and infrastructure

• £11.7 million has been allocated to establish a National Collections Hub for National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums of Scotland, part of Granton’s regeneration.
• £926 million will be invested in 2026-27 in the Affordable Housing Supply programme.
• Investment of over £500m over 2026-27 to support carbon-free transport, heating for businesses and homes, and renewable generation.
• £93 million capital and financial transactions funding to build Offshore Wind infrastructure and develop the supply chain.
• Published alongside the Budget is an Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline. This sets out specific investment plans totalling £11.1 billion, as well as plans to develop new revenue-financed programmes of investment. More projects will move into the Pipeline as business cases are approved over the next four years.

 

For more analysis and insight, keep an eye Chamber newsletters and wider Chamber comms over the coming weeks. Get in touch with our policy team at policy@edinburghchamber.co.uk with any thoughts or feedback on how the budget might affect your business.

Scottish businesses head into 2026 trailing behind the UK average when it comes to confidence in their data strategies, despite having spent more in the past two years, according to research from local data centre operator Pulsant.

The research, carried out by Vanson Bourne, shows that just 29% of Scottish businesses are ‘completely confident’ their current data strategy will remain fit for purpose for the next two years. This compares with 42% across the UK.

When asked to describe how they matched the pace of digital change, just 24% of Scottish businesses said their data strategy had kept up, compared to a national average of 36%.

This is despite 85% of Scottish businesses reporting that they have increased investment in technology over the past two years – notably above the UK average of 78%. Investment in digital infrastructure is the top priority for businesses on both sides of the Border.

Steve Fearon, Chief Commercial Officer at Pulsant, said: “Improved digital infrastructure is a critical lever for organisations looking to safeguard sensitive data, optimise performance and control costs. These figures suggest that whilst Scottish businesses understand this better than most, and are happy to invest, they’ve yet to reap the benefits of improved confidence in their data strategies.

“Much has already been made of the opportunities for additional infrastructure and data centres in Scotland, where climate and energy costs are both very attractive. But if this does not translate to confident business activity – and subsequent growth – then clearly a piece of the puzzle is missing.”

Differences in the impact of AI and sovereignty

When it comes to the drivers behind this shift, over three-quarters (78%) of UK businesses ranked artificial intelligence in the top three changes to have the biggest impact on data strategy. By comparison, AI was in the top three of just 68% of Scottish companies.

However, when it comes to data sovereignty or residency, Scotland seems more aware than the rest of the UK. Across the UK, such concerns were cited in the top three by more than half of the businesses surveyed (55%), but this grew to 65% in Scotland.

This increased focus on compliance has impacted spending. Across the UK, nearly four-fifths of organisations (79%) said that sovereignty and residency considerations influenced their digital infrastructure investment. This increased to 85% in Scotland.

“While keeping data close to home is one factor businesses are thinking about, value is always important,” concluded Fearon. “As businesses work out how they’ll use generative AI, it will become clearer how to put the right infrastructure in the right place for the right workloads, avoiding unnecessary public cloud costs.”

Pulsant operates three data centres in Edinburgh, as part of a national network of 14 interconnected sites across the UK. Its South Gyle site is Scotland’s most connected data centre, enabling businesses to connect to more than 20 service providers and carriers. They include Megaport and the LINX Scotland internet exchange, which is designed to keep Scottish internet traffic local.

• MS UAE has revenues of £6.5m and 98 staff and partners
• Intended acquisition of MS UAE is another strategic step forward in MHA building a strong international platform to cross sell its services and expand its sector reach

London 22 December 2025: MHA Plc is pleased to announce that the group has entered into an agreement [RNS] to acquire Moore Stephens LLC, an audit practice, and Moore Stephens Consulting LLC, a tax and consulting services firm (collectively referred to as ‘MS UAE’) both headquartered in Dubai.

The acquisition is consistent with MHA’s strategy of pursuing selective cross-border opportunities that enhance the firm’s international presence.

Established in 1999, MS UAE has grown into one of the leading professional accounting practices in the region, providing audit, tax and advisory services to clients across a wide range of industries including financial services, manufacturing, construction, real estate, logistics, oil and gas, trading groups and government agencies.

MS UAE operates from its Dubai headquarters with branch offices in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Sharjah and Hamriyah Free Zone. MS UAE is approved to provide services across all major free zones in the country. Both firms will rebrand to MHA.

MS UAE is led by Managing Partner Farad Lakdawala and has three partners in total, all of whom will remain with MHA following completion. MS UAE has 95 staff and projected revenues for the year ending 31 December 2025 of £6.5m.

Under the terms of the Agreement, MHA expects to pay total consideration of £7.4m. The acquisition, if completed, is expected to be earnings enhancing within the first full financial year following completion.  MHA will make a further announcement upon completion.

Rakesh Shaunak, CEO of MHA, said:

“Strategic M&A continues to be a key enabler of our growth aspirations. Following the acquisition of BTSEE, the intended acquisition of MS UAE is another step forward in building a larger organisation and an international platform that enhances client service, strengthens our sector capabilities and creates opportunities for our people. MS UAE is a high-quality, well-established practice with strong cultural alignment, and we look forward to updating the market as we progress toward completion.”

Among its locations, accountancy and advisory firm MHA has offices in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

 

Edinburgh’s hospitality, retail, and food and drink sectors face a unique set of pressures that test even the most experienced operators. High operating costs, driven by premium city-centre rents and higher labour expenses, combined with increasingly discerning customers who expect both quality and value, all in a city where demand fluctuates dramatically between festival periods and quieter months, means the pressure is higher here than elsewhere.

For many successful operators, the answer doesn’t lie in cutting corners, but in creating strategic partnerships with wholesalers who can deliver economies of scale, operational support, and supply chain resilience that’s virtually impossible to achieve independently.

The operational and staffing benefits

One of the biggest benefits to choosing a wholesale partnership is the ability to reclaim time in your own business. Consider the example of a café or hotel that previously produced its own baked goods in-house. The labour costs, maintenance for equipment, time needed to order ingredients, and the prep time required for daily baking results in a substantial operational burden.

As wholesale bread and bakery suppliers Panificio Italiano explain, “producing a wide range of baked goods in-house can be time-consuming and expensive, especially for businesses that don’t specialise in baking. Working with a reliable bread wholesaler allows you to focus on your core competencies while leaving the bread-making to the experts”.

With a specialist wholesaler, you can provide higher-quality items to your patrons without it impacting your operations or budget. Staff previously occupied with production tasks can instead focus on customer service, sales, and creating memorable guest experiences that drive repeat business and positive reviews.

Consistency and quality control is another critical benefit. Professional wholesalers implement rigorous quality assurance processes that ensure each and every delivery meets the right standards. For businesses operating in multiple locations, this consistency is essential for maintaining your brand reputation and customer trust. Whether a guest visits the Leith location or your Bruntsfield site, they receive the same product experience, which builds loyalty and justifies premium pricing.

The profitability advantage

There are financial benefits to wholesaler partnerships too. Naturally, there’s the advantage of lower unit prices, since wholesalers have substantial purchasing power that enables them to negotiate preferential rates and pass those savings on to your business. However, in addition to this is the ability to facilitate more frequent, smaller deliveries that are tailored to your company’s consumption patterns. This flexibility is essential in managing costs, especially for perishable goods where you want to minimise waste.

Rather than ordering large quantities just to secure volume discounts and risking spoilage in the process, you can receive fresh deliveries that are aligned with your service schedule. This not only reduces waste costs but also keeps your product quality high.

Similarly, by minimising the need for extensive cold storage facilities on-site, you lower your capital investment and any ongoing refrigeration costs. The ability to adjust order volumes quickly in response to seasonal demand or special events gives you the financial agility that direct manufacturer relationships can’t match, without you needing to compromise on your customer service.

From an operational and administrative standpoint, wholesalers can streamline your ordering process too. Centralising purchasing through one or two key wholesale partners removes the hidden burden and overhead costs associated with managing numerous individual suppliers. From processing invoices and reconciling deliveries, to resolving quality issues, and maintaining multiple supplier relationships, this administrative time and stress is taken away when you have a wholesaler you can trust.

Quality, variety, and resilience

Contrary to the outdated perception that wholesalers offer only commodity products, modern distributors tend to provide access to an extensive range of niche and premium items that can be difficult to create in-house. When it comes to setting your own business apart, having access to unique products makes all the difference.

Specialist ingredients, artisanal products, seasonal specialities, and exclusive lines allow businesses to differentiate their offerings throughout the year to keep customers engaged. This breadth of selection also allows companies to respond quickly to emerging food trends and customer preferences without the lengthy process of establishing new direct supplier relationships.

In recent years, supply chain resilience has become a concern for many businesses across a host of sectors. A strong wholesale partnership that you can trust is a vital buffer against these challenges, helping you maintain inventory across various product lines and enabling rapid response capabilities where unexpected issues arise.

Order.co, who specialise in automated purchasing, agree, explaining that “good partnerships are crucial for improving supply chain management. Businesses can ensure a consistent supply of high-quality products and services by fostering open communication, reliability, and trust with vendors.” This allows for continuity in your service, even when challenging market conditions test your business.

For businesses working in the hospitality and retail sectors, wholesale partnerships provide that all-important balance between cost control and quality that’s needed to compete effectively in one of the most dynamic and demanding markets. In a city where customer expectations remain high and operating pressures continue to intensify, the wholesale model provides a genuine pathway to a sustainable competitive advantage and long-term success.

Turkish Airlines has opened its first-ever European lounge at Edinburgh Airport, aside from the world-famous one at its İstanbul hub, bringing another dimension of its world-renowned hospitality to travellers in Scotland. The new lounge further elevates Edinburgh’s premium travel offering while reinforcing airport’s growing role as an international gateway.

Türkiye’s flag carrier, which flies to more countries than any other, hosted a celebratory event at Edinburgh International Airport on 10 December to mark the opening of its eighth lounge outside of Türkiye. Turkish Airlines continues to bring scaled down slices of its five-star Lounge in İstanbul to its international gateways to maintain a seamless and luxurious experience.

Spanning 673m² and accommodating 149 guests, the lounge offers a premium experience with facilities including an open buffet featuring a Turkish pide service at lunch and dinner; a luxury relaxation area with TVs and Wi-Fi; and two prayer rooms. The lounge also includes an accessible restroom for the guests with reduced mobility, a baby care room and flight information screens.

Turkish Airlines Chief Operations Officer M. Akif Konar said: “The opening of our new Turkish Airlines Lounge at Edinburgh Airport marks an important milestone for our airline. As our first abroad lounge in Europe and our eighth outside of Türkiye, this investment demonstrates our deep commitment to our European operations where we already possess a strong presence as the best airline* of the continent. Looking ahead, we will continue to build on our presence in the region and bringing our award-winning hospitality closer to travellers here.”

Edinburgh International Airport Chief Commercial Officer Stephanie Wear, said: “The opening of the new Turkish Airlines Lounge marks an exciting chapter for both us and the airline as they launch their first lounge in the Europe abroad at Edinburgh Airport. It demonstrates Turkish Airlines’ commitment to the airport and to enhancing the travel experience for passengers. Open to all travellers, the lounge offers a relaxing space with fantastic runway views and some great food and beverage options whilst you wait for your flight.”

Located on Level 2 near gate 16, the lounge will be available to Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers, Miles&Smiles members (Elite, Elite Plus and Elite Corporate Club) travelling in any class; and holders of the carrier’s Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature Card issued in the United States. Guests with a Paid Lounge membership card can also enter the lounge ahead of their flight.

Turkish Airlines operates 10 weekly flights between Edinburgh and Istanbul which allows travellers from Scotland to connect via Turkish Airlines’ unparalleled global network to 356 destinations in 132 countries.

The all-electric train company Lumo has launched an affordable and reliable new service linking Glasgow directly with Falkirk, Edinburgh, the North East of England and London with great fanfare.

Customers will be able to travel for as little as £33.10 between London and Glasgow, with tickets starting from an astonishing £10.90 between Newcastle and Glasgow. The low fares combined with Lumo’s high-scoring onboard customer satisfaction results will make travelling between the popular destinations even more accessible for all.

Lumo held an eye-catching launch celebration for the inaugural service, which departed Glasgow Queen Street at 18:16 and arrived into London King’s Cross one minute early. Storm Electric Strings performed hits for customers, who also experienced a comedy gig by new talent Connor Burns from the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Lumo is proudly supporting the popular festival in 2026 and Glasgow’s Pride. Scottish boyband Just The Brave, who have racked up over five million likes on TikTok, also made a special appearance.

Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access, said: “This is a landmark moment which will boost connectivity between Scotland and England, offering a sustainable travel option whilst also boosting economic growth.

“It was a particular pleasure to celebrate the launch of our inaugural services in style with a brilliant range of guests from our dedicated team, as well as our partners from Scotland and across the border. We’re proud to champion Scotland and look forward to providing the unique Lumo service to even more customers from this week.”

To mark the occasion, Lumo enlisted the help of Houston Kiltmakers to design an official Lumo tartan which was revealed to guests who attended the launch, each receiving a limited edition scarf. Ken Macdonald from the company, Vice-Chairman of the Scottish Tartans Authority, said: “It’s a pleasure to work with like-minded people who appreciate Scotland and all it has to offer. I’m absolutely delighted that we were able to play a part in Lumo launching in Glasgow and look forward to seeing our new tartan design out and about in Scotland and across the border.”

Scottish broadcaster Bev Lyons joined the Lumo team to welcome customers onboard. She said: “The Lumo team are fabulous and I’m so thrilled that they have officially brought their unique service to my home city of Glasgow! We’ve been crying out for an affordable and direct link to the North East and London and I know that this service will be valued by many people.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lumo over the past few months and it’s great to see the company backing local events such as the Glasgow Comedy Festival, as well as the likes of Glasgow Pride. Welcome, Lumo!”

Paul Tetlaw from Transform Scotland, said: “We welcome the new Lumo services from Glasgow and Falkirk via the East Coast Main Line. There is a significant market of people who currently drive or fly to the North East of England and London who now have the opportunity to switch to the train. The new services soon to be launched from Stirling will help to build on that modal shift to rail.”

 

Customers will be able to travel on two northbound services each weekday and one southbound. It’s anticipated that the Lumo connection will attract more people to the Commonwealth Games, due to take place in Glasgow in July 2026.

Lumo is also set to launch a brand new route connecting Stirling with London Euston from May 2026.

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce today came out in support of one of the largest city centre regeneration projects in decades. The New Town Quarter proposals will be considered by the planning committee (The Development Management Sub Committee) in December (the 17th).

Proposals were first put forward by the Royal Bank of Scotland before it sold the site to Orion Capital Managers which is developing the site in partnership with property experts Ediston.

Proposals were approved by the city of Edinburgh Council in 2021 but have been revised in the aftermath of the changes wrought by the COVID pandemic and an aftermath that saw a reduction in office demand and construction inflation of more than forty percent.

The proposals remain unchanged from the consented scheme in terms of height, footprint and massing, but changes of use have been made with student housing replacing built to rent and residential replacing office use. The plans now include proposals for 315 family homes (603 bedrooms) and for 599 beds of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation.

Commenting on the proposals, Chamber of Commerce Chief executive Liz McAreavey said, “I have no hesitation in backing these revised proposals. Everyone understands that the world changed after COVID and proposed Rent Controls, and nowhere have they changed more dramatically than the impacts on our economy and construction industry. Construction costs have risen by over 40%, and some major players in construction have left the market in Scotland completely.

It’s clear that the Edinburgh and Scottish housing markets are facing unprecedented headwinds. We know that there have only been three housing developments brought forward in Edinburgh for public consultation this year. And that’s in Edinburgh, which has the strongest city economy outside London.

The message is clear, we have a ‘housing emergency’ and at the same time delivery of housing has slumped. These proposals help tackle a lack of mainstream and student housing in a way that will help make one of the best areas of the city centre even better. We know that the most recent figures from our universities show that 27,000 students still live in HMO flats, and these proposals can help shift where students live in a positive way. There is a huge opportunity to deliver something everyone can feel proud of, and I do believe it’s an opportunity the city should grasp. Edinburgh needs housing, and this delivers exactly what we need more of.

UK GDP declined marginally by 0.1% in October, reflecting an economy that is stable but still unable to build meaningful forwards momentum. The UK is neither sliding into a clear downturn nor generating the lift needed to move into a firmer, sustainable expansion phase.

Across the main sectors, October’s picture is uneven. Manufacturing and construction continue to feel the weight of higher borrowing costs and muted global demand, while improvements in consumer-facing services remain hesitant despite easing inflation.

The economy’s performance in the final quarter will depend heavily on how households respond to improving real incomes and whether businesses decide conditions are stable enough to revive investment spending plans that were put on hold earlier in the year.

Looking beyond the immediate period, the figures reinforce the challenges heading into 2026.  A more constructive year is still possible — particularly if interest rates fall further and inflation continues to normalise — but today’s data underline that a return to stronger growth will not happen automatically.

Sustained progress will depend on a clearer pick-up in investment, better productivity performance and a policy environment that encourages long-term decision-making.

October’s decline in GDP acts as a reminder: the recovery is delicate, easily knocked off course, and still waiting for the catalyst that can turn stability into genuine momentum.

STV has announced its line-up for Hogmanay 2025, with much-loved Scottish stars including Peter Mullan, Jean Johansson, Grado, Susie McCabe and Siobhan Redmond all set to help viewers ring in the new year on STV and STV Player.

 

The broadcaster’s annual glitzy get-together, Bringing in the Bells (11:20pm, STV and STV Player), will once again see some of Scotland’s favourite famous faces throwing on their gladrags and popping the champers to celebrate the best moments of the last 12 months and keep viewers company as midnight approaches.

 

The programme’s star-studded line-up includes broadcaster Jean Johansson, who will reunite with actor and wrestler Grado for their annual confab. With Jean having travelled around the world as part of her presenting role on A Place in the Sun this year, and Grado recently announcing a staggering ten-show Two Doors Down residency at the OVO Hydro in 2026, there’s plenty for these unlikely pals to catch up on.

 

This year’s Bringing in the Bells guestlist also includes STV presenters (and besties) Sean Batty and Laura Boyd, as well as comedian Susie McCabe and broadcaster Gordon Smart. The programme will be narrated by Sanjeev Kohli – whose stellar 2025 included a role in international smash-hit Netflix series, Dept. Q – and will include two musical performances from a new star of 2025, Ullapool accordionist RuMac, who reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year.

 

Jean Johansson said: “When STV called me up and said I’ll be bringing in the bells this year with a huge star who’s sold out ten shows at the Hydro, I couldn’t contain my excitement at the thought of being sat next to Lewis Capaldi, Alex Turner or Robbie Williams. Turns out it’s Grado again… but truth be told, I can’t think of anyone better to see in the new year with than Scotland’s premier star of stage and screen! Roll on Hogmanay!”