Well, the first Conservative UK budget for 18 years has been and gone, and no doubt retailers are beginning to assess what it all means for them. That might be tough given the lack of some details, some rabbits that may or may not disappear into hats again, the varying time horizons and the very different impact on differentially affluent (or not) sections of the social and consumer base.
The main change trailed in the now traditional pre-budget leaking of some of (but never all) the juicy snippets, was completely irrelevant to Scotland. Large shops in England may – or may not depending on your local authority or mayor – now be able to open for more than 6 hours on a Sunday.
read moreTHE skirl of bagpipes might seem a strange sound echoing through any other French town – but not Joinville.
Most Scots will never have heard of this pretty settlement on the Marne but its population’s love affair with Scotland has endured for five centuries.
The reason is Marie de Guise, French bride of James V of Scotland. Again, a name which may be unfamiliar to many Scots – but everyone’s heard of her daughter.
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was the product of this Franco-Scots marriage and was brought to Joinville on a visit by her mother.
read moreCommunities from Glasgow to western Harris are set to benefit from £500,000 in funding for demonstrator projects designed to encourage the use and local ownership of renewable energy.
A third of the projects are specifically focussed on town and city areas, building on the already established trend for community ownership of renewable energy sources in more rural areas.
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing announced last month that community and locally owned energy capacity in Scotland could generate enough electricity to power approximately 100,000 domestic households.
Crowdfunding (or is it Crowd Funding?) is a great way to get a project or idea off the ground. It is not an easy route and that is why we applaud Love Restored in Kirkcaldy for their imaginative approach to being Can Do in their town.
They sent us this lovely letter.
Hi Can Do Towns
read moreProfessor Sir Tim O'Shea, principal of Edinburgh University, said private landlords across the UK were continuing to buy up flats traditionally occupied by families and renting them to students.
He said: "That can create tensions between the university and the wider community because it changes the dynamic of a particular area, particularly if the properties in question are allowed to become run down.
"Student numbers have expanded over the past few years and that can add to the pressure on housing and it is important that we seek to find solutions to that."
The SNP is today welcoming a new funding package to encourage the use and local ownership of renewable energy – building on the success of community ownership in rural areas by encouraging projects in Scotland’s towns and cities.
23 projects across Scotland will benefit from £500,000 in funding from the Scottish Government’s Local Energy Challenge Fund – with one third of the projects are focussed on town and city areas, including projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Figures published by the Scottish Government last month showed that community owned renewable energy capacity in Scotland grew by 27 per cent – with the potential to generate enough electricity to power around 100,000 homes.
read moreTune in to BBC John Beattie now to hear STP's own Phil Prentice talking about the return of cars to Paisley town centre after 18 years
read moreA public appeal could be launched to help raise up to £1m to bring one of Scotland's most important hoards of Viking treasure to Kirkcudbright.
Dumfries and Galloway Council is looking at the possibility of acquiring the collection for permanent display.
It would be part of the proposed development of a new art gallery of national significance in the town.
read moreSCOTLAND’S shops could do with a helping hand in the Budget, writes David Lonsdale
Scotland’s retail industry is dynamic and diverse. It accounts for 257,000 jobs, 14 per cent of total commercial investment and provides routes to market elsewhere in the UK and overseas for domestic producers.
read moreTop music acts like Madness and Status Quo will be appearing in Montrose for years to come.
That is the vow being made by LCC Live director Les Kidger in the wake of Sunday’s party on the East Links.
Ska legends Madness turned the famous dunes in to the House of Fun in front of 8,000 fans in pork pie hats and braces.
read moreGiven it was the hottest July day ever in the UK, it was some relief for the audience at the latest National Retail Planning Forum (NRPF) seminar to be indoors in air-conditioned luxury at Carter Jonas, just off teeming and steaming Oxford Street. There was a high price to pay however for the cool; four hours of discussion and presentation on town centres, including an ‘academic viewpoint’ from myself.
read moreShona Robison MSP to Open Broughty Ferry’s Gala Fete as part of the ‘Connecting MSPs with Scotland's Towns’ Initiative Local MSP embraces the opportunity to spend time in the heart of her community on its busiest, buzziest day.
read moreAll the latest news in STA's Evening Round Up. Including the Tourism Cross Party Group, launch of new business support helpline and Scottish Tourism Week 2015!
visitGreat British High Street Awards extended until 1st September 2015 in light of a fantastic new prize from Google.
Internet giant Google join the hunt for Britain’s best high streets.
read more
Small Biz 100 applications are now open
Applications for our Small Biz 100 opened on 1st June. We have already heard from many passionate small businesses who are taking advantage of this free opportunity to be at the forefront of the 2015 campaign and gain valuable exposure.