Ishan Crawford

Contractors and merchants across Scotland will soon breathe a sigh of relief as Vivalda ramps up its service — offering Cedral’s popular fibre cement facades in a fraction of the time it used to take. Faster Turnaround for a Busy Trade Vivalda’s Cumbernauld branch is now delivering Cedral’s core cladding range on a three-day cycle. That means no more weeks-long waits for a batch of slate grey panels or matching accessories. For many small contractors juggling tight deadlines and weather windows, that’s no small thing. Wes Hague, Vivalda’s commercial director, didn’t sugar-coat it: “Poor product availability is one of the…

Scotland’s flagship digital health and social care conference, DigiFest, is back in-person this December — and it’s all about driving a bold, ‘digital first’ mindset to tackle the country’s biggest health and social care challenges. It’s more than just an event. For many, DigiFest 2025 could mark a turning point for how Scotland reimagines care — with innovation, people, and community right at its heart. A Stage for Scotland’s Big Ideas There’s a reason people keep an eye on DigiFest. It’s where some of Scotland’s most ambitious ideas first get airtime. This year, the University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation…

Off the rugged Scottish coast, about 40 meters beneath the waves, something remarkable has been spinning away, mostly unnoticed, for more than six years. This isn’t just any machine — it’s a grid-scale tidal turbine, quietly proving that ocean energy might finally be ready to pull its weight. A Record-Breaking Run Beneath the Waves Let’s get straight to the point: this turbine has kept going for 6½ years without any nasty surprises. No emergency dry dock. No catastrophic part failures. That kind of durability might sound mundane, but in the salty, brutal world of underwater engineering, it’s a headline. Ocean…

It’s not every day you catch a band from New Delhi lighting up a Glasgow stage with a cocktail of gypsy jazz, psychedelic cabaret and good old-fashioned space disco. But that’s exactly what’s on offer when Peter Cat Recording Co. land at The Garage on Sauchiehall Street this July. Set for July 19, their gig promises to be one of the most offbeat — and downright fascinating — live shows in the city’s bustling summer calendar. From Delhi to Sauchiehall Street: A Global Sound Formed in India’s buzzing capital back in 2010, Peter Cat Recording Co. (PCRC to their devoted…

It’s a sight many drivers dread — a deer frozen in headlights, seconds before impact. Now, fresh research by NatureScot lays bare just how common these collisions really are. Around 1,850 vehicle collisions involving deer happen every year across Scotland, a number that’s barely budged since 2016. It’s not just about dented bumpers either. Each crash is a hazard to life — for both humans and wildlife — and the cost runs into millions when you add up repairs, insurance claims, and the emotional toll. Where Drivers Face the Highest Risk So where’s the danger greatest? NatureScot’s new mapping shows…

Step just a few blocks away from the Royal Mile and you’ll stumble into Stockbridge — a leafy pocket of Edinburgh that’s redefining what it means to live well in Scotland’s capital. The Village Feel in a Capital City They say you can’t have it all, but Stockbridge begs to differ. Imagine waking up to birdsong instead of bus horns, yet being able to stroll into Princes Street in under ten minutes. That’s Stockbridge. One-liner: And locals wouldn’t have it any other way. For years, this riverside area has been a well-kept secret, but word’s well and truly out now.…

The Isle of Skye’s rugged coastline has always been a magnet for dreamers. But one spot — Camusdarach Beach — is now quietly stealing the show, turning the island into an even bigger draw for travelers seeking Scotland’s untouched side. It’s not just the dramatic cliffs and fairy pools any more. It’s the peaceful curve of white sand, the hush of the waves — and that feeling you’ve stumbled on something nobody else knows about. Camusdarach: The Quiet Superstar of Skye’s Coastline For years, Camusdarach Beach has stayed under the radar, overshadowed by Skye’s headline-grabbers like the Old Man of…

Drivers across Scotland are being urged to stay sharp behind the wheel as deer-related crashes become an all-too-common hazard on country lanes and even busy roads. With more than a million deer roaming the nation’s hills, glens and fields, the odds of an unexpected encounter are climbing — sometimes quite literally. New figures from NatureScot paint a clear picture: an estimated 1,850 collisions a year since 2016, and no sign of that number dropping any time soon. Scotland’s Four Wild Species, One Growing Problem Let’s start with the basics. Scotland is home to four main types of deer — red,…

It takes more than a dreich Scottish morning to keep the royals indoors. King Charles and Queen Camilla showed just that as they carried out duties in rain-soaked Kirkcaldy, umbrellas in hand, to mark a century of the town’s beloved War Memorial. A Cornerstone of Local Remembrance Despite the drizzle, the royal couple were all smiles as they arrived in Fife. Kirkcaldy’s War Memorial, established back in 1925, holds deep meaning for generations of families. It was created through a donation from local businessman John Nairn, who dedicated it to his son Ian, killed in World War I. One short…

Wildfires that raged across parts of the Highlands for four days have left vast swathes of countryside scorched — and now a full-scale probe is underway to figure out what sparked them. Fire crews, police, and local volunteers battled the flames near Carrbridge, Grantown-on-Spey, Dava, and Upper Knockando after the first reports came in around 4pm last Saturday. Helicopters, Volunteers, and Long Nights on the Moors It was all hands on deck. Dozens of firefighters worked alongside volunteers, digging trenches, cutting back fuel lines, and dousing hotspots to stop the flames from spreading. Thick smoke poured into the sky above…