One of the largest full service law firms in Scotland has today (1 June 2017) announced the appointment of three new partners, expanding its senior team in Dundee and Edinburgh.

Two of the appointments at Thorntons are of existing associates, namely Chris Byrne and Jacqueline Henderson. The third appointment is Morna Coutts, who joins the firm after seven years at Morton Fraser.

Morna joins the Private Client team based in Thorntons’ Edinburgh office, enhancing the firm’s commitment to the capital and providing additional support to the existing team there. She boasts expertise in capital taxation and succession planning alongside wills and trust arrangements for high net worth individuals covering complex estate administration and powers of attorney.

Chris joined the firm when it amalgamated with Murray Donald in November 2014 after spending most of his career prior to that with a large commercial practice in Glasgow. He is an experienced corporate lawyer and, as part of the corporate team in Dundee, becomes partner after working closely with former chairman Jack Robertson.

The third appointment is residential property specialist Jacqueline, who joined the firm in January 2015 following roles at Fife Council and Pagan Osborne.

Scott Milne, joint managing partner at Thorntons, said: “I am delighted that our latest appointments include two internal promotions but also that we welcome Morna Coutts as a new recruit to the firm.

“Appointments like these are further evidence of our desire to invest in our people and our commitment to being a prosperous and sustainable firm.

“Congratulations to our three new partners, I have no doubt their appointments will enhance the firm and its continued aspirations to be the most respected full service law firm in Scotland.”

For more details on Thorntons and its services visit www.thorntons-law.co.uk.

Pictured (L-R): Scott Milne, Morna Coutts, Craig Nicol, Chris Byrne, Jacqueline Henderson.

Knight Frank, the independent real estate consultancy, has signed a water and wastewater contract with Anglian Water Business in Scotland.

Set to save its Scottish property management clients 25% on their water bills over the next two years, the contract was won after a competitive tendering process and follows on from a recent hat-trick of major contract wins in Scotland which including ASDA, Edinburgh Leisure and the Scottish Drug Forum, valued at around £3 million per year. A joint venture between AWB and Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) Business to create a new water retailer called Wave has also recently been announced.
With offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, Knight Frank manages a broad range of commercial properties across Scotland; from offices and retail outlets to business parks.

The anticipated savings will be achieved at a selection of the sites managed by the firm through a combination of competitive pricing, tariff optimisation and Anglian Water Business’ Active Water Management® service, which aims to achieve sustainable savings by identifying opportunities for reducing consumption and avoiding waste.

The tariff optimisation service includes advice on changing water usage patterns to help Knight Frank reduce costs at the properties by avoiding peak period or capacity charges, where possible.

AWB has been operating successfully in the highly competitive Scottish open market since 2008. The company already provides water services to some of the UK’s biggest businesses, including Betfred, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, Starwood Hotels and the Belhaven pub chain. In 2015 it won the Scottish Government contract to provide water billing and efficiency services to the Scottish public sector. This involves 200 public sector organisations, with over 15,000 sites ranging from schools and colleges, to hospitals and council buildings.

Fiona McNeil, Partner and Head of Property Asset Management in Scotland at Knight Frank, commented: “We’re always looking for ways to help our property management clients drive efficiency in their assets, while maintaining the same high standard of accommodation for occupiers. We look forward to helping them achieve water savings through our new contract with Anglian Water Business.”

Bob Wilson, managing director of Anglian Water Business adds: “Winning the prestigious Knight Frank Scotland contract is a major coup for us, which builds on our success in Scotland, where we are the water supplier to more than 200 public sector organisations, involving 15,000 sites.”
“The property management sector needs to ensure high levels of quality and reliability while adding value for clients by looking for cost saving opportunities. Once again, this deal proves that our service-driven proposition answers the market’s need for sustainable, efficiency-based services that continue to offer value far beyond short term discounts.”

The ScotRail Alliance is proud to announce the creation of Scotland’s newest community rail partnership (CRP).

The Rail 74 partnership launches on Friday 2 June, on the route between Rutherglen and Hamilton Central. To mark the event, a piper will greet the train at Rutherglen, with volunteers from the CRP joining and raising awareness of the new group to passengers on the train.

The partnership brings together groups from across the community to improve and promote their local railway line. The partnership was made possible by Business in the Community Scotland, whose local Business Connectors worked with a wide range of local groups to establish the partnership.

The group intends to act as bridge between the line and the local community, and make the communities along the line a better place to work, live and do business.

The ScotRail Alliance has extensively supported the partnership, awarding £10,000 of funding to the partnership to facilitate their plans. The most visible of which will be large totem pole, hand-carved by groups ranging including young homeless people, mental health patients and primary schoolchildren.

James Ledgerwood, the ScotRail Alliance’s head of economic development said, “We know that railways are the lifeblood of many communities across the country.

“Community rail partnerships are an excellent way for us to work in partnership with local communities to maximise the wider opportunities our services can bring. Rail74 has some really exciting plans in place, and we look forward to working within them in there delivery.

“I know they have the drive and determination to make a real difference.”
Jane Wood, Director of Membership and Nations for Business in the Community, said: “We are delighted to see the hard work of our Business Connectors, Diane Whatelely and Suzie McCheyne come to fruition through this invaluable partnership.

There is an undeniable role for business within communities, building a fairer society and a more sustainable future for us all, and it’s great to see the ScotRail Alliance, HMRC and Scottish Gas play such an active role in the development of Rail 74.”

• The Barclays UK Property Predictor reveals Glasgow’s suburbs set to increase by almost a quarter, followed by City of Edinburgh and Stirling
• Property prices across Scotland will rise by almost 6% in the next five years, bringing the average property value to almost £180,000

Glasgow’s suburbs are predicted to see the largest increase in average house prices in Scotland by 2021 according to new research released today (24 May 2017), the Barclays UK Property Predictor.

Affluent areas in Glasgow’s outskirts, East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire, are set to rise by almost a quarter (23.8% / 22.5% respectively) over the next five years. Hot on its heels is City of Edinburgh (20.2%) and Scotland’s central belt hotspot, Stirling (19.1%).

Over the next five years, high employment rates, growth in private housing market levels and an increase in rates of average earnings will contribute to rising property prices across Scotland. The country is expected to see an overall average increase of almost 6% across the next five years, making it the fifth highest performing region across the UK, behind London (11.88%), East of England (9.38%) the South East (8.74%) and the Midlands (6.28%).

The Barclays UK Property Predictor provides a three-to-five year forecast of investment hotspots on the residential property market, revealing the areas across the UK where house prices and rental incomes are expected to rise. The research uses factors including rental trends, employment levels and commuter behaviour as well as current house prices to create an index of property hotspots. The research also surveyed high net worth investors from across the UK, to reveal where and why they plan to purchase property in the future.

According to the research, and despite an uncertain economic and political climate, the UK property market remains buoyant with prices in areas across the UK set to rise by an average of 6.1% by 2021, bringing the average value of a UK property to almost £300,000.

East Renfrewshire
Predicted to see the biggest property price increase in Scotland is Glaswegian suburb East Renfrewshire, the only destination in Scotland to rank within the top 20 areas of highest growth across the UK behind Westminster (31.9%), Cotsworld (31.8%) and Warwick (29.5%).

East Renfrewshire has long been considered an ideal place for aspiring young families to set up home. Up-market retailer, Whole Foods, opened its first Scottish store in Giffnock, while Newton Mearns and Clarkston are typified by excellent schools and high house prices. There is also a high proportion of highly qualified residents in East Renfrewshire, with 53% of the population educated to degree level or higher. These qualifications are linked to higher potential earnings and a related upwards pressure on housing prices.

East Dunbartonshire
Similarly, East Dunbartonshire, situated north of Glasgow, has ranked second in the Scottish regions and is expected to rise by 22.5%. Home to two of Scotland’s most well-heeled suburbs, Milngavie and Bearsden, they have some of the country’s best schools which are regularly ranked in Scotland’s top ten as well as being a sought after location for retirees.

With easy commuting distance from Glasgow, the research suggests that the once desired busy city life has been ditched for a more relaxed suburban lifestyle as parents are keen to escape the hustle and bustle of city centres to set up home in the outskirts.

City of Edinburgh
Home to five of the top ten most visited attractions in Scotland, City of Edinburgh has long been one of the most expensive places to live in Scotland. It is perhaps no surprise that that the city ranks within the Scottish top three, with prices expected to rise by a fifth (20%) by 2021.

The financial and tourism capital is also expected to experience one of the highest levels of short to medium term employment growth in Scotland over the 2017-2021 period (growth of 2.8%), and at the same time, the city is expected to see one of the highest population growth rates over the next five years at 4.5%, which will increase pressure on housing.

Edinburgh is also experiencing the highest rate of business start-ups per capita in Scotland (with nearly 88 businesses set up each year per 10,000 working age population).

Stirling
One of Scotland’s most historic cities, Stirling, is also expected to see prices rise by almost a fifth (19%) across the next five years. Abundant in rich heritage with its own castle and Wallace Monument, the traditional market town in the farmlands has become one of the country’s most desired locations.

Stirling recently secured a City Deal, thought to be worth around £500m, which focuses on the creation of a digital district, city park and regeneration of the harbour and River Forth. The project is predicted to create 3,000 new jobs and increase tourism by 25% to turn the city into a digital technology, food and drink hub.

The economic and employment growth opportunities in Scotland are pushing up house prices in many areas of the country, with Stirling being one of them. East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and Stirling all enjoy populations with high earnings, ranging from 6% to 28% higher than the UK national average.

Scottish property investment
The research from Barclays also reveals that investors in Scotland own three properties on average, bringing the average total value of a property portfolio in Scotland to £818,093. Across all UK respondents, one in 10 (11%) own property/properties in Scotland and over a third (39%) are being used for rental income. Over a third (36%) of investors in Scotland are planning to buy new property/ properties in the next three to five years.

Calum Brewster, Managing Director, Barclays, Wealth & Investments, North Region, Barclays, said:
“It’s encouraging to see that property is still viewed as an important part of the investment portfolio in Scotland with high net worth investors typically owning three properties and over a quarter planning to buy property because they believe that it offers long-term investment security.

“There is also increasing confidence among property investors in Scotland, as many are taking a long-term view when it comes to putting money into property. It’s also interesting to see from our research how investment prospects are emerging outside of the established property heartland of London and the South of England into Scotland, with economic growth and employment opportunity fuelling growth in hotspots across the UK.

“We are here to support our clients at various stages of their investment journey and we can help by offering a range of innovative and personalised mortgage solutions to meet their individual needs, whether they are a seasoned investor or a millennial looking to increase their income.”

The UK and the EU have recognised the sensitivity of the position of individuals and their rights post the UK exiting the EU. It is also one of the most immediate issues facing employers.

Many organisations have indicated their need for access to talent and are concerned that employees may need to leave or they won’t be able to bring in the talent in the future. The UK Conservatives still talk in terms of net migration in the tens of thousands. Irrespective of the outcome of UK–EU negotiations, the exit bill and the UK’s future relationship with the EU, employees and employers will be affected by the outcome as well as by any immigration regime put in place.

Recognising the need to stay informed, MMS invite you to join us at these seminars hosted by expert speakers from the Employment, Benefits & Immigration teams, who will take a closer look at the following issues.

-Where is employment law likely to diverge from the current European path?
-What comes after free movement?
-What can employers do now to prepare for a post-Brexit world?

This seminar would be of benefit to HR professionals, in house lawyers, senior management and anyone who may be impacted by these changes.

Agenda
1730 Arrival
1800 Seminar
1845 Q&A
1900 Networking drinks and further questions
1930 Close

Seminar Dates and Locations
13 June – Glasgow
14 June – Edinburgh

MMS Edinburgh, Quartermile One, 15 Lauriston Place
Edinburgh
EH3 9EP
14/06/2017 – 5:30PM to 7:30PM

21 June – Aberdeen

Leading UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn has bid goodbye to another year at the All-Energy conference, its third as headline sponsor. The annual event, which took place on 10 and 11 May at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus, is the largest renewable energy event in the UK.

As the conference came to a close, the firm’s 90-strong Energy and Natural Resources group resumed its busy practice of acting for key industry players across the whole spectrum of renewable energy projects.

Speaking at the close of the event, Clare Foster, Head of Clean Energy at the firm commented:
“This is the third year we’ve acted as headline sponsor for All-Energy, and we are delighted yet again by the calibre of the event. As with previous years, All-Energy 2017 provided an excellent opportunity for our Energy and Natural Resources team to connect with our clients in the sector, forge new relationships and exchange ideas with renewable energy professionals who travel from all over the UK and further afield to attend. The conference and seminar programme covered all aspects of renewable energy generation and provided an excellent platform for us to showcase the expertise from across our firm.”

The event got off to an auspicious start when Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor, University of Strathclyde, was joined by The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. Ms Sturgeon spoke about the Scottish Government’s commitment to renewable energy production and why it is so important to get it right, saying:
“Over the past ten years, our pattern of energy consumption has changed considerably, helping us to meet – and exceed – our 2020 target for reducing energy consumption six years early.

“Earlier this year we published our draft Energy Strategy. And what that does is set out our long-term plan to create an integrated, low carbon energy system – one that will benefit our economy, our environment and the people of this country.”

Setting the tone for the rest of the event, the All-Energy panels looked at the myriad of available options and technologies to meet these targets. And this was certainly the focus of the Sustainable Cities Panel, which Clare Foster, opened by asking whether the Scottish government’s energy strategy and its desire to move away from traditional energy generation to a synergy of renewable energy technologies and a low carbon future could really become a reality.

Out of the ensuing debate, covering everything from strengthening government policy to the need for better local leadership, emerged a new word to describe what is needed to make sustainable cities a reality – “joinedupness”. The phrase, coined by Jonathan Guthrie of the Robertson Group, expresses the need for more joined up or cohesive thinking from policy makers, community leaders, and anyone else who is working to make decarbonisation happen.

The announcement that the world’s largest floating wind farm scheduled for construction off Scotland’s North East coast also generated a lot of interest and discussion during the panel session which provided the market outlook for offshore wind , chaired by Shepherd and Wedderburn partner, Patricia Hawthorn.

Liz McRobb, partner at the firm, well known for her work in the utilities sector, spoke on Aviation mitigation – the ‘airscape’ in a post RO world; while solicitor, Stephanie Mill provided a whistle-stop tour of the key milestones between gaining consent and commencing construction of offshore projects, taking time along the way to answer questions from the floor; and David Anderson explored dispute resolution.

Shepherd and Wedderburn partner John Grady also chaired a session on turning waste into energy and during that panel session, G. John Kuipers, CEO & Owner of Pyr-Oil Group perfectly summed up the motivations behind the drive to turn waste into something useful, saying “we want to clean up the world.”
At the firm’s exhibition stand, Shepherd and Wedderburn lawyers chatted with delegates on a variety of topics including the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy, as well as a host of other issues facing the energy sector.

The day two plenary session focused on Brexit and its implications for the UK energy sector. Chaired by Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, CEO, Renewable Energy Association, the panel comprised academics, leading figures from the industry and again featured the firm’s Clare Foster, who this time was contributing to the debate on what Brexit means in the short and medium term for the UK.

Water retailer Anglian Water Business (AWB) has secured a hat-trick of major contract wins in Scotland, valued at around £3 million per year.

The series of wins follows the recent announcement of a joint venture between AWB and Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) Business to create a new water retailer called Wave.

The contracts will see AWB provide billing and water efficiency services to:

• ASDA – covering 94 supermarket sites across Scotland
• Edinburgh Leisure – covering over 30 sports and leisure venues in the Scottish capital
• Scottish Drug Forum – covering offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

AWB has been operating successfully in the highly competitive Scottish open market since 2008. The company already provides water services to some of the UK’s biggest businesses, including Betfred, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, Starwood Hotels and the Belhaven pub chain.

AWB’s strong record in Scotland was reinforced in 2015, when it won the Scottish Government contract to provide water billing and efficiency services to the Scottish public sector. This involves 200 public sector organisations, with over 15,000 sites ranging from schools and colleges, to hospitals and council buildings. Winning this contract has enabled AWB to identify £40 million worth of potential savings for the Scottish public sector. The Active Water Management ® service is designed to achieve water and waste water efficiencies, and will be used at a range of sites over a four year period.

Bob Wilson, managing director of Anglian Water Business, said: “We are delighted to have secured these contracts, following on so quickly from the announcement of our proposed joint venture with NWG Business. They build on those won last year and reinforce our credentials as a trusted partner for businesses looking for value from their utility supplier. Our focus on offering competitive pricing and delivering real value to customers through a team of experts and Active Water Management®, is being recognised by customers as a major point of difference.”

Winton Castle, the business events and wedding venue in East Lothian, has just celebrated more than 500 years of history and changing back to being called Winton Castle. It only adopted the more modest name of Winton House in the 1960s, and ‘once a castle, always a castle’.

Winton Castle was a stronghold of the powerful Seton family in the 16th century but was burnt down by Henry VIII during the ‘rough wooing’ of the young Mary Queen of Scots’. The castle was restored by the Earl of Winton in the fashion of the Scottish Renaissance to entertain the royal court, including a visit by King Charles I.

The intricate plaster ceilings and carved twisted chimneys now shine out to welcome visitors to exclusive business events, private parties and weddings.

Around 100 visitors from the hospitality industry and business world attended the celebration and were entertained sixteenth century style by fire-jugglers, axe throwers, medieval musicians, men-at-arms and clan drummers.

Guests were welcomed by Sir Francis Ogilvy, owner of Winton Castle, as they sipped castle cocktails and enjoyed canapés concocted from venison, scallops, quail, beetroot and asparagus from award-winning caterers, Appetite Direct. A sumptuous modern day feast followed.

“As far as our food is concerned, Winton is a ‘modern castle’ where we like to serve contemporary, top class dishes from local, seasonal ingredients. Our food also draws on Winton Castle and the Estate’s rich heritage,” says James Maynard, Winton’s General Manager.

“Gareth Harrison, our head chef, and his team designed a feast fit for a castle for the Winton party,” adds Nigel Kennedy, MD at Appetite Direct. “We were inspired by the traditional castle kitchen and garden as our theme for the menus. These featured local, seasonal produce and game, echoing the diet of Winton inhabitants over the centuries.

“Our dishes used organic foods from around Scotland: Scallops from Shetland, Scottish pork, local venison and organic vegetables from East Lothian. The desserts were classic flavours from the Victorian era with modern twists.

“The menus reflected the modern Castle that Winton has become, using up to date cooking techniques and presentation.”
In the dining room there was a gastronomic display which included two whole roast suckling pigs with modern garnish, smoked ham hough and parsley croquettes with crispy pigs ears, and puffed pork skin. Guests were also entertained with an interactive canapé demonstration in the Cabinet Room.

Appetite Direct from Edinburgh have catered for more than 100 events at Winton Castle over the last 10 years: many weddings, as well as birthdays, anniversaries and corporate events. Winton is one of their original clients and a long-standing partner.

More information on Winton Castle can be found at www.wintoncastle.co.uk

Pictured: The launch to celebrate the relaunch of the Winton Castle name at the stately castle in East Lothian, May 23rd 2017. © Helen Pugh Photography.

The ScotRail Alliance is advising fans heading to the match at Celtic Park this Sunday to leave plenty of extra time for their journey.

Services via Bellgrove are already expected to be very busy, as engineering works are limiting the number of carriages that can be used on trains to and from Edinburgh. Customers are advised to travel via Dalmarnock, or on Partick-Cumbernauld services, as extra carriages will be added to these trains where possible.

To help everything go smoothly, extra ScotRail staff will be on hand at key stations.

A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “Please plan your journey in advance, and aim to travel on an earlier service to avoid disappointment.

“We also recommend that you buy your tickets in advance, not on the day, as this will help reduce your need to queue.”

The ScotRail Alliance is advising customers on the Borders Railway to check their journeys in advance, as engineering work will be taking place on the line over three Sundays in June.

Essential track replacement works are taking place in the Newcraighall area on Sundays 4, 11 and 18. Journey times will be extended, as buses replace trains between Edinburgh and Gorebridge. Rail services run as normal on the rest of the line.

Customers can check their train times on the ScotRail app, or at scotrail.co.uk.

A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “We appreciate our customers’ patience while we undertake these vital works.”