An increase in demand has seen The Edinburgh Boiler Company open a new headquarters in the city.
The capital’s largest boiler installer, the firm’s rapid growth in recent years has prompted the expansion to a bigger base.
Measuring 4000 square feet, the new premises in Dalkeith is quadruple the size of the company’s previous home, the expansion coming as the firm marks its sixth year of operation.
Image owner: Mark Glasgow
The new HQ will house the Energy Training Academy, the first of a series of such learning centres which managing director Mark Glasgow plans to establish throughout Scotland in a bid to address the skills shortage in the sector.
“It’s been quite the journey since we started out in the autumn of 2015,” he said.
“We had outgrown the offices we had been in since 2018 and moving premises gives us a good foundation to expand into the other areas we are focusing on, particularly the training academy and renewables.
“We thought the original base was big enough at the time but due to our growth, we had to look at a bigger headquarters.
“We can now grow into this space, which is ideal for the business plan going forward. We have the scope to go up another floor which would then double the area
“It’s been a dream to have a larger facility like this and it is exciting for the business as a whole. The staff love it and are able to streamline a lot of processes which helps us further improve our customer service with increased efficiency.”
The company has grown from eight employees in 2015 to 30 full-time members of staff, and the new base has allowed a further recruitment drive to commence.
“We are now able to look at taking on apprentices both for the office and out in the field,” said Mr Glasgow.
“We are actively recruiting at the moment and the on-site training academy will allow us to fast-track the development of not only any new staff but also our existing employees.
“The larger space will also allow us to implement inventory and stock control, helping us to do jobs more quickly such as same-day boiler installations and repairs.”
The new headquarters is being heated by a new hybrid system, which Mr Glasgow hopes will ultimately help him provide more sustainable products and services to customers.
“Reducing our carbon footprint is a key element of our plans going forward and we are exploring a number of ways to make that happen,” he said.
The firm’s new base was fitted out by The Edinburgh Joinery Company.
For more information see https://theedinburghboilercompany.com/
After some of the toughest times imaginable, here at Dishoom we’re all especially excited for Christmas this year. Whether spending it with family, friends, or colleagues, it feels like there’s more to celebrate this year than ever before. Above all, we’d just be so very glad to see you!
Our festive feasts are honestly some of the best food and drink we ever do.
Mulled Brambles, Chai Eggnog, Old-Fashioneds and other delectable tipples (whether tee-total or not) from The Permit Room.
Taking centre stage at the Dishoom Christmas table will be the Turkey Raan, a whole turkey leg, prepared in the traditional Indian raan style, cooked slowly over a day until meltingly tender, served with a spicy cranberry chutney. For those wanting a fulsome feast, the Dishoom festive feasting menu sees thaals (large communal plates) laden with plentiful portions of Dishoom’s best-loved dishes, including Small Plates, Grills, Biryanis and slow-cooked Turkey Raan or, for vegetarians, some delectable alternative fare. To finish, a veritable array of desserts, including the indulgent Mince Pie Kulfi.
Our festive feasts will be available to enjoy from the 22nd November until the 24th December at the price of £39 per person.
Smaller groups are very welcome too, and may still enjoy our special festive dishes and tipples, alongside our all-day menu. Groups of four or more are welcome to dine from our Christmas menu.
For all lunch and dinner bookings in December, we ask for a £50 deposit per party. This will be automatically refunded if you need to cancel; we just ask that you give us 48 hours’ notice.
Book yourself in via- https://bit.ly/3AhsJ9F
Tunnocks Tea Cake Cocktails, Tequila Rose Cart and Free Cocktail Week Wristbands For Happiness Guaran-tee-d
Glasgow favourites Fore Play Crazy Golf is turning the ripe old age of three and whilst it’s not technically a milestone birthday, they’ve decided to go all out with a month of celebrations that are gauran-tee-d to leave their guests happier than when they arrived.
Marking their first three successful years in business, Scotland’s favourite adult-only alternative night out are supporting local with sweet collaborations with Tunnocks Tea Cakes and Glasgow Cocktail Week. What’s more, if it’s your birthday during their celebrations, you’ll be in for a special treat on your visit to the venue.
Running now until the middle of October, there are endless surprises for guests including party favours, birthday badges and cake-cocktails and on the spot prizes on the green.
Feeling lucky? Guests can win one of Fore Play’s countless prizes including discounted games, gift vouchers and free food, what’s not to love? With supporting small businesses at their core, they’ve teamed up with Tunnock’s Tea Cakes to create an exclusive birthday cocktail that sweet tooth lovers will adore. Complete with Unicorn Gin 20, Malibu, Monin creme de cacao, toasted marshmallow syrup, milk, chocolate sauce and a full Tunnocks Snowball – this is a must try.
The venue has also had a birthday makeover with balloon arches, bunting and countless birthday secret shenanigans, Fore Play Crazy Golf is the gift that keeps on giving. Bonus points: if you happen to share a birthday with Fore Play, flash your ID and the odds are sure to be in your favour.
This weekend you’ll also find a Tequila Rose cart popping up as part of Glasgow Cocktail Week, with free wristbands on offer for guests. While in Edinburgh, they will be collaborating with Edinburgh Beer Factory on some thirsty prizes.
After opening their doors back in 2018, Fore Play Crazy Golf opened their flagship venue in Glasgow, followed by their year-long temporary venue in Edinburgh in late 2020. After a pause through COVID, they’ve continued to grow and have cemented their place as a much-loved institution for fun-filled naughty nights out and competitive socialising.
Craig Neilson, Chief Greenkeeper at Fore Play Crazy Golf said:
“We can’t believe it’s been three years since we swung open Fore Play Crazy Golf. It’s been one hell of a journey so far, and we wanted to mark our anniversary by celebrating our success with some of our favourite independent businesses.
“The support from our guests and local businesses has been incredible and we continue to seek out new experiences in our venues to ensure our mission of ensuring people leave happier than when they arrived. Come and help us celebrate, you won’t be disappointed.”
To make a booking visit their website: https://www.foreplaycrazygolf.co.uk
As the buzz of the official opening of St James Quarter continues, St James Quarter has provided a rare insight into life behind the scenes, showcasing some of the brands’ located at The Quarter and an update on their story so far.
Episode 3 of the ‘Behind the Quarter’ series features exclusive interviews with some of the brands that are a first for Scotland, including Pull & Bear, Stradivarius and & Other Stories. Viewers can also enjoy watching snippets of shoppers and colleagues enjoying Edinburgh’s newest retail district.
The video reflects on what guests can now enjoy at the 1.7 million sq ft development which, once fully complete, will feature a shopping galleria with 80 different retailers, an enticing mix of restaurants, Scotland’s first W Edinburgh hotel, a boutique Everyman Cinema, a Roomzzz Aparthotel, residential apartments and parking for 1,600 cars.
Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter opens the video sharing details on life at The Quarter so far before moving onto some of the first guests to enter the galleria and their initial impressions and reactions to the brand-new shopping district. Representatives from LEGO, Rituals, Krispy Kreme, Superdrug, Bonnie & Wild, The Kooples, Lane7 and Tortilla are also interviewed in the video sharing exclusive details of what they have been up to since opening their doors and what customers can expect over the coming months.
The full video can be streamed here. To download this teaser content, click here.
Work will shortly begin on two multi-million-pound affordable housing developments in Glasgow. Housing provider Home Group Scotland appointed Cruden Building West, part of the Cruden Group, to deliver two key housing developments at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun and in East Balornock (Phase 6). The contracts have a combined value of £12.5m.
The new £6m Kennyhill Square development will provide much-needed mid-market rental housing in Glasgow’s East End with 36-, one- and two-bedroom apartments built on the site of a former nursing home. The development, which has been designed by Grant Murray Architects, offers energy-efficient, high-quality homes and many of the properties benefit from a terrace with stunning views overlooking Alexandra Park.
Cruden Building West was also awarded a £6.5m contract by Home Group to develop the latest phase at East Barlornock – creating 35 highly sought-after affordable homes at the site on Broomton Road. Home Group Scotland and Cruden Building West have been working with Glasgow City Council on this development which has been built over five phases to date, and this marks the beginning of phase six of this £50m regeneration of the East Balornock area.
Allan Callaghan, Managing Director of Cruden Building East said:
“We are delighted to begin working on this exciting new development at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun which will bring all important sustainable, affordable homes to the area.
We will also begin work on phase six of building the East Balornock development – a significant milestone as we get closer towards delivering this landmark regeneration which will create around 320 new homes in total. As is the case with all our projects, we are committed to giving back to the local area by providing significant community benefits, work placements and apprenticeship opportunities.”
Stuart Dixon, Head of Development at Home Group Scotland, said: “Over the past few years Home Group has played an integral part in helping to energise parts of Glasgow through its development programme. The next phase of East Balornock and the development at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun are a continuation of that programme, with more to follow. Working with Cruden Building West, we know these developments will deliver exactly what we and our customers want.”
The innovative location-based booking platform allows you to attend more appointments and provide a better service to customers.
Clearsky Logic are delighted to announce our launch of the world’s first automated booking platform that factors in travel times between locations when booking appointments. Developed throughout COVID-19 to support businesses digitally transform their bookings and customer communication, we make scheduling smarter, enabling users to do more jobs, make more money and save unnecessary costs associated with travel.
Key benefits of My Booking Hub include:
- Less time on travel
- It forecasts travel times between locations, identifies a team member to take the booking based on the most efficient travel itinerary, and automatically factors both into appointment scheduling.
- Less time on admin
- It allows your team to manage their schedule, with full control over their working hours, breaks, and appointments. Additionally, customers are given add-on service suggestions when booking, meaning each booking can be worth more.
- Less time on customer service
- We offer a comprehensive CRM system, dispatching automated and branded communications that remind customers of appointments, follow-ups etc.
Darren Auld, Co-Founder at ClearSky Logic says “This will protect service providers and their customers, offering 24/7 automated booking services and cashless transactions. The platform will enable mobile-based service companies to increase their efficiencies while making it easier for customers to book and pay for services in a safer way.”
Clearsky Logic would love to speak with fellow members of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce about how we can help scale up your business. Additionally, we are exclusively offering a 30 day free trial of the platform to fellow members of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, please contact lois.adamson@clearksylogic.com or visit https://mybookinghub.webflow.io.
Registers of Scotland (RoS), the public body responsible for registering land and property in Scotland, has won the Scottish Legal Technology Award for its digital response in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The award recognises the organisation’s swift creation of an innovative digital submissions service which has revolutionised the way in which the legal profession interacts with land registration in Scotland.
The service means it’s now faster, cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and even more secure to submit a registration application than ever before.
It has also helped ensure that Scotland’s property market has been able to continue to function despite the pandemic.
The winning nomination was announced at a virtual ceremony last night.
Securing this award means recognition, on a national level, that RoS is an organisation which truly pushes the boundaries in terms of digital transformation and innovation.
Kenny Crawford, Director of Business Development at RoS, said:
“It is a fantastic achievement to have received this recognition and testament to the hard work of everyone across the business during this hugely challenging period.
I am particularly proud to be taking this award home on behalf of a public sector organisation. This is proof that with the right in house talent, skills and project management we can deliver a high-quality IT project that can compete on a national scale for the benefit of the people of Scotland”.
The proposed City Plan 2030 will address
This proposal is a comprehensive and bold plan to make sure future development in Edinburgh is sustainable, meets the needs of Edinburgh’s growing population and communities and helps the city achieve its Net Zero 2030 ambition. The report on the proposed City Plan 2030 will be considered by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee next Wednesday (29 September). This proposed plan for the next ten years sets out how areas of the city will be linked together building on existing transport networks as well as making full use of education and healthcare facilities already embedded in communities across the Capital. Resetting the direction of development to bring about a joined-up city rather than spreading outwards also provides a positive and sustainable step for future decades to come. Edinburgh’s population is rising, and people are making huge changes in the way they live their lives due to the global climate emergency and the current health pandemic. This is how the plan proposes to address these challenges.
The draft plan also sets out how the Council will deliver land to meet Edinburgh’s housing needs over the next decade, securing a minimum contribution of 35% affordable housing from any new development as well as policies to help manage the number of short term lets (STLs) operating in the city. In addition to the plan, a consultation is running separately at the moment asking for views on ‘the whole of Edinburgh becoming a ‘STL control area’. If agreed by the Council and the Scottish Government, it would mean all residential properties in Edinburgh, which are not an owner’s principal home, being let as STLs in their totality would require approval of a ‘change of use’ to operate them. Councillor Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: This proposed development plan can recalibrate how development happens in this city, positively shaping how our Capital grows and changes over the next 10 years and beyond. Rather than growing forever outwards, the proposed plan focuses on developing new communities on brownfield land which mix living, working and leisure uses. These locations utilise and add to already existing infrastructure. This plan is about us as a city collectively making the right decisions now so that our residents can make reasonable and informed choices about how and where they live and how they get around in the future. City Plan 2030 has been developed taking on board the views of residents, businesses, and other stakeholders from across the city to help us meet our core priorities for Edinburgh: making Edinburgh a sustainable city, which supports everyone’s wellbeing and enables our residents to access homes they can afford. The plan also facilitates travel options and networks so that residents won’t have to own a car to move around, while having every opportunity to share in their city’s success. Our proposal of mixed-use communities in the plan aligns to Scottish Government’s 20-minute neighbourhood vision, which is especially relevant now as the global pandemic continues to make massive changes to the way people live their lives. This includes how we all use and appreciate green spaces with the health and well-being benefits they bring. Community resilience also includes easy access to facilities and neighbourhoods need a mixture of services within easy reach such as shops, health and education, as well as the potential to find a job near where you live. We also need to rethink how we accommodate our growing population and I believe that our emphasis on prioritising brownfield land and making the best use of the limited space we have is the right approach. In the west a new neighbourhood with a mix of uses within easy walking distance is to be created. This is also well served by existing infrastructure, with the tram running through the community as well as a mainline station. This area was previously designated largely for business development in the 2016 plan. Other significant sites across the city will all require masterplans ensuring that in each case the whole is much more than the sum of the parts, better meeting the needs of new and existing communities. Going forward we need to work with developers asking them to rise to the challenges of rapid climate change and finite resources. Developers need to think more carefully about location, using the land we have available effectively, with sustainable design. This proposed plan better connects existing communities through development of underused brownfield land. We need to protect Edinburgh’s beautiful green setting from the Pentlands to the Forth, increase biodiversity, physical and mental wellbeing, reduce flooding and other climate impacts, and improve air quality. Developers will need to make sure that one third of their houses in residential developments are affordable. We will also continue the city’s own programme to build affordable housing. Edinburgh currently has almost a third of all STLs in Scotland, policies included in the plan help us to take further action and manage these. This quantity of commercial use puts pressure on house prices and rents and takes much needed houses out of supply as well as causing issues such as anti-social behaviour, leaving hollowed out communities. Last year, we set out bold preferred options in ‘Choices for City Plan 2030’, alongside other viable alternatives which were considered during the public consultation. This had a massive response with around 1,800 contributions. I’d like to thank everyone again who submitted their views. We’ve listened carefully to the feedback provided and through regular meetings working with colleagues across all political parties throughout this process, I’m hopeful through this proposed plan we can agree on a positive way forward for Edinburgh at committee next week. Councillor Maureen Child, Planning Vice-Convener, said: To meet our ambitious climate change target and become a carbon neutral city by 2030, as the city continues to grow, we must develop differently in the future and our proposed plan sets out how all houses and other buildings will need be much more energy efficient. We’re already committed to building 20,000 affordable and low-cost homes by 2027 but the city desperately needs more housing. That’s why our proposals put particular emphasis on land for housing and affordable homes. We’ll also make sure that we protect people’s homes by making sure appropriate flood defences are in place for all new developments as we’re fully aware of the risk of flooding and the other impacts of climate change. Our rising population and the climate emergency were already posing huge challenges for us as a Council and the current health pandemic has greatly accelerated many changes to our lives – I believe our proposed plan takes account of these major societal transformations we’re currently experiencing. Connectivity is of course central to our success and our other aim is to guide development towards areas where facilities such as schools and healthcare centres already exist. Where these need to be developed we’ll listen to the needs of communities, taking them with us, as new neighbourhoods develop. Our Transport and Environment Committee has also already agreed our City Mobility Plan designed to improve sustainable transport over the next decade. Councillors on the Planning Committee will consider the proposed City Plan 2030 next Wednesday (29 September) before final representations are sought. These will be considered by the Council before it is submitted to the Scottish Government for Examination. The Council can then consider adopting the plan to shape how the city develops over the next 10 years. You can watch the webcast for the Planning Committee next week here. |
ONE of Scotland’s top conference and events businesses is on track to exceed 2500 in-person delegates in a month – for the first time in nearly two years.
In what is a positive signal for the country’s crucial conference and events sector, Surgeons Quarter, the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), has been able to see visitor numbers finally return to pre-pandemic levels.
While the challenges of foreign travel remain a limiting factor, its four venues have hosted a bumper calendar of events, including medical conferences, weddings, awards nights and diploma ceremonies.
Looking ahead, Surgeons Quarter is on track to see its 2022 bookings match 2019, with many events postponed by the pandemic set to go ahead, provided measures allow.
Scott Mitchell is the Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, which also operates Ten Hill Place Hotel on behalf of the College.
He said: “Getting back to these numbers of visitors has been a gargantuan challenge for our committed team. We started in-person events in March, through the hosting of examinations, so we’ve been able to safely ramp up our activities while adhering to all protocols and safety measures.
“There is still a way to go, but it’s important to celebrate September’s business – and use it as a chance to reflect on the last 19 months. Business tourism is central to the local and national economy – and we want to do all we can to drive that inward investment.”
Following substantial investment before and during the pandemic, Surgeons Quarter venues offer blended technology featuring a mix of in-person and live streamed events.
Events take place throughout the entirety of the campus, from the historic Playfair building – which offers meeting rooms and event spaces accommodating from two to 250 delegates; purpose-built conference centre-Quincentenary Building which features skills labs on the lower ground and three meeting rooms on the ground floor as well as the Wolfson Hall with built in bar facilities and a spacious courtyard with clear roof marquee; the King Khalid building with a grand 158 seated auditorium; the Prince Phillip building which features the stunning Deacons suite; the Big & Wee Snug at the Ten Hill Place Hotel.
Scott added: “As we move towards the end of 2021, our events schedule is looking very positive. We’re looking forward to hopefully hosting a number of Christmas parties, as no one last year was able to celebrate in a traditional manner.
“As restrictions ease, we are also looking forward to encouraging international guests to pay us a visit. We have a dedicated travel agency which can be found via our website. It is open to the public and is designed so that guests can have all their information in the one place – taking away some of the stress of keeping up with current guidelines.”
Surgeons Quarter was recently invited to promote its wide range of meeting facilities at Eventit. The physical event at the EICC brought organisers and planners back together with suppliers to find out new developments, partnerships and innovative solutions.
Surgeons Quarter promotes, manages and sells the College’s event spaces: Playfair Building, Quincentenary Building, King Khalid Building, Prince Philip Building and its onsite 129 bedroom hotel Ten Hill Place.
Christmas party packages are available from £49pp and include a 3 course meal, private bar, DJ, photobooth as well as drinks and refreshments.
For more information on events, conferences and meeting space at Surgeons Quarter visit: https://www.surgeonsquarter.com/conferences-meetings/
International guests can book directly by visiting Surgeons Quarter’s own travel agency at: https://www.sqtravel.co.uk/
Scottish brand The Tartan Blanket Co. is teaming up with non-profit Social Good Connect to launch their inaugural volunteering event, the Share Warmth-a-thon, this October.
Both TBCo. and Social Good Connect are encouraging people to donate an hour or more of their time in a bid to collect 1,000 hours of volunteering, with sign-ups opening on Monday 4th October.
Each volunteer can donate as much or as little time as they want, and are free to choose whether they volunteer virtually or in person.
Caroline McKenna, Founder and CEO at Social Good Connect said: “Our aim is to generate 1,000 pledged hours of giving throughout October. It’s the chance for people to reconnect with their sense of purpose and make a positive difference to someone’s life”.
Those taking part in the Share Warmth-a-thon will pledge their time to a charity of their choice or be paired with one based on their skill set, lending their skills or passion to a good cause.
“One of our goals with the Share Warmth-a-thon is to redefine what it means to be a volunteer,” Caroline continued. “In addition to the all-important traditional type of opportunity, we want to show that volunteering can be really flexible, and more creative, approachable and easy than people tend to imagine.
“We’re looking for people to donate a warm slice of time – it can be as simple as an hour online, sharing skills you already possess, or as creative as helping charities brainstorm fundraising events! A small amount of time can make such a huge difference, but we also encourage people to donate as many hours as they can.”
Emma Macdonald, Co-founder and CEO of The Tartan Blanket Co. said: “We are excited to be launching the share-warmth-a-thon this October as we head into our big gifting season. We want to help people give back too and share the Christmas spirit with others, helping to have a positive impact in their community.
“We’re all about sharing warmth in every sense of the word. While The Tartan Blanket Co. is busy weaving the snuggliest blankets, Social Good Connect is sharing the feeling of warmth through social impact. We’ve joined together so you can join in too, working together towards a warmer, kinder, more sustainable future”.
Wool-enteers can participate in the TBCo. x Social Good Connect Share Warmth-a-thon movement by signing up here: https://socialgoodconnect.org/share-warmth-a-thon/
