Ishan Crawford

As Scotland gears up for potentially sweeping changes to speed limits, one road safety firm is already shifting gears. Westcotec, a UK-based technology company, is doubling down on its commitment to Scottish roads with a major expansion and a string of smart solutions. It’s not just more signs—it’s smarter infrastructure, more data, and stronger partnerships. Expansion Near Glasgow Marks a Big Bet on Scotland Westcotec isn’t new to Scotland, but this time, the firm’s making its presence far harder to ignore. It’s setting up a base at Roadside Technologies’ facility near Glasgow, giving it a foothold closer to many of…

Tram 256 is turning heads on the streets of Edinburgh this summer, not because it’s new — but because it’s now a work of moving art. The sleek light-blue wrap, designed to spotlight the National Museum of Scotland, transforms the city’s iconic tram into a mobile celebration of culture, history, and Scottish heritage. It’s only the second time Tram 256 has carried an advert — the first being a long-standing promotion for window company CR Smith, which ran for over seven years. But this new design is more than just a coat of paint. It’s part of a wider initiative…

A sleek steel tank nestled inside Heriot-Watt University might not look like much from the outside. But inside Scotland’s first open-access 300-litre fermenter, an industrial biotech transformation is already bubbling to life. The new kit—funded with £847,000 from Scottish Enterprise—marks a giant leap for FlexBIO, the pilot-scale facility at the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC). For Scotland’s startups, it’s the bridge between petri dish and full production. Why This Fermenter Is More Than Just a Fancy Tank It’s not the size that makes this fermenter a big deal—it’s what it can do. While technically a 300-litre vessel, the working volume…

A new energy storage facility in West Lothian has been given the green light, marking a significant milestone in Scotland’s shift toward a more resilient, low-carbon electricity future. The 49.9 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), approved unanimously by the Council’s Development Management Committee, will be Galileo Empower’s first fully consented project in Scotland. Slated for development at Middlerigg Farm—tucked between Bathgate and Armadale near the A801—the site sits close to the Bathgate substation, a critical node for Scotland’s electrical grid. Clean Power, Stored and Ready The whole point of battery storage? Catching clean power before it slips away. Scotland,…

The Cotswolds may be serene, but for Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the hustle never stops. Fresh off a romantic trip to Scotland with Princess Beatrice to mark their fifth anniversary, the 41-year-old interior designer and property developer wasted no time diving back into his design work—offering a glimpse into his latest project that’s as refined as it is minimalist. Back to Business—Edo Style Within hours of returning from the Highlands, Edoardo took to Instagram to share a striking render of a luxury bathroom concept, showcasing his signature style—cool, contemporary, and meticulously detailed. The design centers on a pill-shaped freestanding bathtub, commanding…

The sun burned through grey skies just in time for Day 2 of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, where a swirl of Scottish grooves, Canadian tributes, and Moroccan punk-funk lit up the shoreline. But not everything hit the right note. A Breezy Start Gives Way to Full-On Groove Saturday kicked off under a layer of cloud and chill. Not ideal for sun-lovers, but for everyone else? Pretty close to perfect once the sun fought its way through. By the time the main stage got moving, the sky was blue, and the air buzzed with anticipation. Opening acknowledgments from representatives of…

Tucked into a bay on Scotland’s rugged west coast, Oban has quietly become the country’s biggest surprise of 2025—claiming the top spot as the UK’s most affordable and stunning seaside town. It’s not just about the views, though they’re postcard-worthy. Oban is showing that you don’t need southern England prices to get the full coastal package: history, seafood, island escapes, and homes that won’t bankrupt you. A Top Spot No One Saw Coming The latest figures from the Co-operative Bank’s annual coastal affordability index have turned heads. Oban, long considered a local treasure, officially ranked number one out of dozens…

Eight catchments remain at Moderate Scarcity while several others edge dangerously close to critical thresholds Eastern Scotland is now facing an intensifying water scarcity crisis, with several rivers approaching record-low flow levels and a growing number of catchments remaining in a prolonged state of Moderate Scarcity, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). In its latest weekly Water Scarcity Report, SEPA confirmed that eight major river catchments — including the Spey, Deveron, Ythan, Don (Aberdeenshire), Dee (Aberdeen), Esk, the Firth of Tay, and the Tyne (Lothian) — continue to face Moderate Scarcity, a status that has persisted in some…

Looking for a place to escape the bustle, stretch your legs and soak up something beautiful? You’d be hard-pressed to beat the Japanese Garden at Cowden — a slice of calm that’s been turning heads for more than a century. A Trailblazer’s Dream Come True Nestled in the rolling green of Clackmannanshire, this seven-acre oasis owes its roots to the vision of Ella Christie.She fell for Japan on her travels in the early 1900s and, instead of leaving it there, she brought a piece of it home. One-sentence para: And what a bold move it was. At a time when…