July sees a flurry of activity across Banff and Buchan, starting with the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy, then, in a couple of weeks, we will have the New Deer show, and Turriff Show, which is Scotland’s biggest 2-day agricultural show, will round off the month.
These shows and festivals attract thousands of residents and visitors alike, providing a much welcome boost to the local economy.
And it is just a snapshot of the tourism potential that our area has to offer.
In Peterhead, for example, the Prison Museum has again been awarded by TripAdvisor and Peterhead Port played host to a luxury cruise ship just a couple of weeks ago.
Aberdeen’s new South Harbour also promises an influx of tourists from ever larger cruise ships.
So, it is important that we have good quality and safe road connections from Aberdeen to the northeast.
Readers will be all too aware of the merry-go-round of transport ministers in the SNP Government in recent months but one thing they have all had in common is their inactivity on transport improvements in this area.
Refusal to improve safety on or dual the A90 north of Ellon is a constant disappointment to Banff and Buchan residents and businesses, who rely heavily on that route.
I have also been engaging regularly with Aberdeenshire Council on much needed improvements on the A947 – something for which UK Government funding may be available.
I was pleased to learn recently from the Open University that there are currently 335 residents studying remotely in Banff and Buchan – some three quarters of whom are studying while in employment.
The Open University is a great way to achieve higher qualifications, remotely and in your own time, and I encourage anyone looking to study in this way to look into the courses available.
And while looking at study options, why not take advantage of Murdoch Allan’s new deal with Asda to stock even more delicious locally made baked goods.
The Hatton-based family firm already supplies Asda with butteries and morning rolls, and the new deal will see it add 11 more bakery lines including tattie scones, muffins, Scotch crumpets, Scotch pancakes, burger rolls, flake-topped rolls, skinny rolls, strawberry tarts, caramel yum-yums, all butter shortbread rounds and chocolate chip shortbread rounds.
The expanded partnership with Asda has also created five new jobs at the bakery’s factory in Hatton village.
Great news for a local producer and I look forward to seeing these products on the shelves at Asda.
Banff and Buchan is of course also famous for seafood and I was delighted to lead a debate on The Fishing Industry in Westminster last week, on the same day as the Scottish Government made their much-awaited response to their so-called ‘consultation’ on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).
I say ‘so-called’ because meaningful consultation and engagement has been sorely lacking.
Their statement didn’t show much in the way of any increased understanding of the concerns felt by fishermen and coastal communities.
Despite headlines, these plans – which would involve banning fishing in 10% of Scottish territorial waters – have not been ‘scrapped’ and this is not a ‘u-turn.’
The SNP/Green Scottish Government are trying to make the debate about ‘where’ and ‘when’ HPMAs should happen.
Completely failing to realise that the fishing industry are more concerned about ‘why’, ‘how’, and even ‘if’, HPMAs should be imposed.
