Business

Business in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Diners in for a mouth-watering culinary treat during Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week

Hungry diners across Aberdeenshire are preparing to choose from a variety of special offers and menus during the region’s first ever Restaurant Week running from November 4-10.

Forty restaurants, cafes and hotels have so far signed up to the inaugural festival being organised by Aberdeenshire Council’s Economic Development Service.

It has teamed up with organisations including local business groups, VisitAberdeenshire, Scotland Food & Drink, Aberdeen City & Shire Hotels Association, Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Scottish Chefs to encourage business sign-ups and raise consumer awareness.

Food festivals such as this are hugely successful, proving popular with both businesses and customers alike across the country and November’s event will help to highlight all the fantastic places to eat across the region.

Facing the ongoing challenges around supply chain costs and the wider cost-of-living, it’s hoped Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week will give the local hospitality sector a much-needed boost and bring a wealth of new customers through their doors.

During the event, customers will be able to enjoy a host of food and drinks offers which will help increase footfall by showcasing the incredible offering across Aberdeenshire to locals and visitors alike, highlighting value, quality, provenance and choice at a traditionally quieter time of year.

To celebrate their involvement, participating venues have cooked up some mouth-watering special offerings for the week-long promotion, with something for all tastes and budgets.

Among them is the award-winning Falls of Feugh Restaurant at Banchory which helped launch the promotion with Aberdeenshire Council Leader Cllr Gillian Owen and Cllr Isobel Davidson, vice-chair of the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee.

Cllr Owen said: “I’m really excited to be at the launch of the first-ever Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week and I want to encourage local people and visitors alike to support all the participating businesses and sample the tremendous range of menus and rich dining experiences the region has to offer. The north-east hospitality and food and drink sectors are incredibly important to our economy and we must continue to do everything we can to engage existing and new customers for our businesses.”

Cllr Isobel Davidson added: “It’s great to see so many restaurants signing up to our inaugural Restaurant Week. The excellent range of offers across the region and the range of menus will ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy. The hospitality industry is vitally important, not only for our home market but also for our growing national and international tourism offering. Thanks to our traditional industries of farming and fishing an abundance of quality local produce is available to help the sector set a benchmark for hospitality in Aberdeenshire.”

John Chomba, chef patron of the Falls of Feugh Restaurant, said: “We are delighted to be part of Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week. We’re really looking forward to welcoming new and existing customers to sample our special offers and wider menu and enjoy the friendly atmosphere here in Banchory. November can traditionally be a fairly quiet time for the hospitality sector before the hugely busy festive period, so this is a great way to boost business for us all and showcase what we can all offer all year-round.”

You can check out all the restaurant offers at www.aberdeenshirerestaurantweek.com or follow our social media channels by searching for Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week on Facebook or Instagram.

It’s not too late to register a business for Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week – email restaurantweek@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

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MP has a visit to Peterhead Prison Museum

consultation on proposed changes to taxi charges

Aberdeenshire Council launch consultation on proposed changes to taxi charges

North-east residents are being encouraged to participate in a consultation on proposed new taxi charges.

Local authorities are required by law to review the charging scale and Aberdeenshire Council has consulted with the trade and developed a new scale for the public’s consideration.

The Aberdeenshire Council launch consultation on proposed changes to taxi charges is now live until October 4, 2024 and can be accessed at

https://engage.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/taxi-fare-scale-consultation

Among the proposed new charges, which would come into effect on December 1, 2024 are the following:

	Standard	Late Night	Festive Season
First 880 yards or part thereof	£3.00	£4.30	£4.60
Each additional 1/11^th part of a mile or part thereof	£0.22	£0.22	£0.33
Waiting time per 10 seconds	£0.11	£0.11	£0.11

Standard Rate

Applies at all times out with the Late Night and Festive Season Rates which are detailed below.

Late Night Rate

Applies (a) Mondays to Thursdays from 10pm to 6am the following day; (b) Weekends from 6pm on Friday to 6am on Monday; and (c) Public Holidays from 6am to 10pm these being the 3rd of January, Good Friday and May Day.

Festive Season Rate

Applies (a) between 6pm on the 24th of December until 6am on the 27th of December; (b) between 6pm on the 31st of December until 6am on the 3rd of January; and (c) Weekends in December from 6pm on the Friday until 6am on the Sunday.

Multiple passenger surcharge

In vehicles so licensed carrying more than four passengers, a surcharge of 50% of the above fares may be charged.

Booking Fee

£0.50

Airport booking fee

Taxi drivers may add any current charge incurred at airports when either dropping off or picking up passengers. Drivers must make passengers aware in advance that extra charges may be added to the fare. Booking fees are to be shown on the meter.

Unacceptable mess

Passengers are carried on the understanding that the driver may charge a passenger, creating an unacceptable mess in the taxi, a maximum of £100.

Anyone wishing to make representations regarding the proposals which apply to taxis only and not to private hire cars, may do so within one month by way of our online consultation or by writing to us at: Licensing, Taxi Fare Review, Viewmount, Arduthie Road, Stonehaven, AB39 2DQ.

Aberdeenshire Council launch consultation on proposed changes to taxi charges

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John Clark Motor Group Adds KIA

Scotland Loves Local Pledge signing in IMAGE 1-min

Aberdeenshire Council makes pledge to choose local

Aberdeenshire Council has made a pledge to boost the region’s economy by choosing to support local businesses whenever it possibly can.

Rallying cry for Aberdeenshire residents to get behind region’s businesses

Aberdeenshire Council has made a pledge to boost the region’s economy by choosing to support local businesses whenever it possibly can.

Council Leader Cllr Gillian Owen has signed the Scotland Loves Local Pledge on behalf of the authority, promising to prioritise spending with enterprises in the region.

It states: “We will choose local, prioritising the people and businesses around us at every opportunity.”

Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local with support from the Scottish Government, believes millions of pounds more can be injected into regional economies if more residents think local first.

The statement of intent has been made ahead of next week’s Scotland Loves Local Week (Aug 26 – Sept 1) – seven days of national activity highlighting the work taking place to make communities fit for the future, underpinned by critical local support.

Local businesses, politicians and customers are being urged to shine a spotlight on the brilliant enterprises locally on social media using the hashtags #ScotlandLovesLocal and #ChooseLocal.

And it is hoped that the move will encourage other people and businesses to follow their lead, making a promise to target support and spending with those around them.

Businesses and councillors gathered in Ellon today (Friday, Aug 23) to call on everyone across Aberdeenshire to help build a better future by choosing local.

Scotland Loves Local Pledge signing in Ellon 8 IMAGE 2 min

Cllr Gillian Owen said: “By choosing local, we can all play our part in keeping communities alive – protecting the jobs of our neighbours, friends and families. We are working incredibly hard to create better, more sustainable places to live, work and visit – with superb shops, amazing attractions and great greenspaces. But all of that is underpinned by having local businesses which not just survive, but thrive.

“By thinking local first for all of our needs, we can be there for businesses at a time of once unimaginable challenges of Covid and cost of living – while helping with our region’s response to the climate emergency by reducing travel and food miles.

“And by signing up to the Aberdeenshire Loves Local gift card initiative, the benefits you will get from keeping the spend local are clear for all to see – whether you operate a retail business, coffee shop, restaurant, salon or tourist destination. An ever-increasing number of businesses are appreciating that the gift card is a quick, efficient and cost-free way to encourage customer spending and that can only help drive sales within our retail and service sectors.”

Among the businesses supporting the choose local call in the region are Fraser’s of Ellon and Hybrid Gaming and Computing who joined Aberdeenshire Council in promoting the cause.

Flooring and furniture retail store Fraser’s of Ellon was established in 1930 and employs 24 staff in addition to sub-contracted floor layers.

Managing director Colin McKay said: “Every penny spent with businesses like ours is an investment in the future of our community. Our team has worked incredibly hard in recent years to be there for people when they’ve needed us most. We want to play our part in a better future for our area. But, to do that, we need people to be there for us and choose local. It’s something simple that we can all do.”

Hybrid Gaming and Computing was established in 2021 but opened in April of this year, with its team of five providing a range of IT services for both consumer and small businesses.

Owner Dave Goodwin explained: “Our strategy is to feel like a part of our local community and local support has always been a critical part of our mission. As part of that mission we also often partner with other local businesses to try and generate shared benefits. The Scotland Loves local initiative ties in perfectly with those goals as the cards can be used in a variety of shops and businesses instead of just a single outlet.”

Leigh Sparks, Chairman of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, said: “We are delighted to see Aberdeenshire Council sign the Scotland Loves Pledge and publicly demonstrate its commitment to supporting local businesses. The power of choosing local more often – whether that be residents doing so in their daily lives or businesses supporting other local businesses – is transformational.

“Greater support for local enterprises protects jobs and businesses. And that support underpins the tireless work taking place to help communities adapt to our ever-changing world, seizing opportunities to innovate, invest and make our communities better places to live, work and visit.”

Aberdeenshire Council makes pledge to choose local — Councillors and businesses join forces in Ellon to promote the Scotland Loves Local Pledge – signed by Aberdeenshire Council leader Cllr Gillian Owen on behalf of the local authority

You can find out more about the Pledge at https://lovelocal.scot/sign-the-scotland-loves-local-pledge-and-show-your-support-for-choosing-local/

You can view all participating Aberdeenshire Loves Local businesses here: https://scotlandgiftslocal.com/product/aberdeenshire-gift-card/

More information about the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card – including how to sign up – go to www.lovelocal.scot/giftcard or email aberdeenshireloveslocal@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

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