The Press and Journal (Aberdeenshire)

Offshore catering firm ‘must be sold’

A NORTH-EAST offshore catering firm will have to be sold as the UK’s competition watchdog insisted it is in North Sea workers’ best interests. Entier – which employs 700 people – became a major success story after starting out in 2008, with US food...

SNP deleted A96 vow in shocking budget blunder

THE SNP came under fire yesterday after confessing to a shocking blunder in its Holyrood budget – and confirmed it is committed to fully dualling the A96. Finance Secretary Shona Robison stood up in Parliament on Tuesday, pictured, and told MSPs only...

‘SNP must act on future of energy sector in budget’

A NORTH-EAST business leader is calling on the Scottish Government to “remove the shackles on enterprise” and help deliver the energy transition in the Holyrood budget. Finance Secretary Shona Robison will lay out the SNP’s plans in Parliament...

Flooding fears as snow and ice begins to melt

DRIVERS faced a number of diversions – as well as newly-uncovered potholes – as nearly two weeks’ worth of snow and ice began to melt. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) issued a number of flood alerts in the region. The A92 was closed...

There is still snow end in sight

Aberdeenshire newborn Frank made an incredible arrival to his home – in a car towed through the snow behind a tractor 24 hours after he was born. Gracie Ballantine, 31, gave birth to Frank in Peterhead this week. She explained: “When I first thought...

Major incident declared in shire

The Scottish Government could “take forward” efforts to recruit the military to tackle the weather crisis in the northeast as heavy snow continues to batter the region. First Minister John Swinney yesterday told parliament “all resources are mobilised...

When the snowing gets tough...

Winter shutdown strikes north-east

All Aberdeenshire schools will be closed today as the wintry start to 2026 shows no sign of letting up. The whole of the northeast was hit with another amber weather warning, which kicked in at 6pm last night and is due to end at 10am this...

Screen presence boost to tourism

AN Aberdeenshire estate has hailed the boost it received from appearing on a TV dating show – amid hopes the whole region can benefit from the growing demand to be used as a filming location. Glen Tanar was the setting for Netflix hit Love Is...

‘Long delays are no excuse for assaults on NHS staff ’

THE new chief executive of NHS Grampian has said that hospital chiefs will be told “zero tolerance means zero tolerance” in a bid to curb violence and aggression towards staff. Laura Skaife-Knight explained that, while she understood the frustration...

MBE comes at end of health fight for seafood firm boss

PETERHEAD businessman Jimmy Buchan will receive an MBE for his services to the fishing industry. The Amity Fish Company owner, who is also the chairman of the Scottish Seafood Association, says the honour is “humbling”. He told The Press and Journal:...

SNP is urged to use bonds to accelerate A96 dualling

LONG-DELAYED work on the A96 could be kick-started by new borrowing powers, a finance group has claimed. Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) says the current SNP government’s plan to issue its own bonds could raise £1.5 billion of debt, which could be...

Vandals flushed vapes down toilet

PUPILS at an Aberdeenshire school caused hundreds of pounds of damage by flushing vapes down the toilet. The incident at Fraserburgh Academy was one of 24 examples of vandalism reported in the region this year which left taxpayers footing repair bills...

The tills are jingling for city traders in late rush

NORTH-EAST shoppers have helped spread festive cheer in Aberdeen by giving the retail sector a major boost in the run-up to Christmas. Both Union Square and the Trinity Centre reported brisk trading over the weekend as locals came out in force to...

Race to save shire jobs as hotel calls in administrators

A FAMILY-RUN north-east hotel has plunged into administration, putting 40 full-time and part-time employees at risk just days before Christmas. A new owner is now being sought urgently for the Udny Arms in Newburgh, pictured, in a bid to “save as many...

‘Other victims of my rapist ex were failed by system’

A NORTH-EAST rape victim has hit out at the justice system after her fiend ex attacked three other females while on bail facing charges for multiple sex assaults on her. Yuen Lawson, pictured, of Peterhead, was jailed for 12 years at the High Court in...

‘I’ll get a grip on NHS cash crisis’

NHS Grampian’s chief executive admits north-east patients are being let down but believes she and her colleagues can turn things around in the next two years. Laura Skaife-Knight, pictured, who took the reins in September, is optimistic the...

500 people object over homes plan at Pitfodels

PLANS for 103 new houses in an Aberdeen suburb have sparked a backlash after around 500 objections were submitted. Cala Homes wants to build the properties at Pitfodels between Cults and Garthdee. Following consultation events earlier this year, the...

Final ‘insult’ to workers losing North Sea jobs

● Fury as chancellor rejects expert’s findings on huge scale of crisis ● She ‘does not believe’ Labour is putting thousands on dole queue ● Calls for Reeves to visit Aberdeen to see EPL’s devastating impact

‘Iconic M&S site is being left behind in city revamp’

FEARS have been raised the former flagship M&S store in Aberdeen is “becoming an eyesore” as a future use for it is still to be secured. The iconic building has lain empty since the spring when the retail giant opened its new expanded offering in...

Thug’s stun gun assault on pupil, 14, after school

A NORTH-EAST youth has avoided a custodial sentence after carrying out a “dangerous and stupid” stun gun attack on a 14-year-old boy. The 17-year-old yob, who cannot be named for legal reasons, targeted his victim with the weapon as the pupil walked...

‘The future of Union St lies in more flexibility’

FLEXIBILITY will be the key to reviving Union Street, experts have claimed. The Press And Journal spoke to property and retail gurus to get their views on what is preventing one of Aberdeen’s main streets from becoming the heart of the city once...

‘New Dons ground will be catalyst for city regeneration’

NORTH-EAST business titan Martin Gilbert is urging Aberdeen City Council to deliver the vision of a new home for the Dons at the seafront. Mr Gilbert spoke exclusively to The Press and Journal after club bosses and local authority chiefs held...

Dons’ final offer to city council on new stadium

Aberdeen FC chiefs have unveiled the “full and final offer” they will make to council leaders during make-or-break talks over a new stadium at the beach. Dons chairman Dave Cormack and chief executive Alan Burrows will visit the Town House today in a...

‘Housing market is being hurt by the windfall tax’

THE windfall tax is seriously damaging the north-east housing market, according to a leading expert. Jane Wood, chief executive of Homes for Scotland, says the levy on oil and gas firms is hitting investor confidence in the region and discouraging...

Bus gates to STAY after legal battle

• Trader who led bid to remove scheme has ‘no regrets’ after loss • Council co-leaders refuse to comment on the court’s decision

‘City’s voters can help us win fight for new ground’

DONS chairman Dave Cormack hopes the people of Aberdeen can help get the plans for a new beachfront stadium back on track. Mr Cormack spoke for nine minutes at the club’s AGM at Pittodrie last night when asked about the long-running saga over the £42...

Two killed in horror smash on shire road

TWO people have died following a serious crash on a north-east road at the weekend. A 24-year-old female driver and her 24-year-old male passenger were both victims of a two-car collision on the A952 near Mintlaw. The four occupants of the other...

The stumble that saved Kilted Chef

CELEBRITY chef Craig Wilson has revealed how a stumble on the stairs helped save his life. The 53-year-old, pictured, missed a step during the final night of service at his Eat on the Green restaurant in Udny. He broke his leg in the seemingly...

‘PM can hide no longer on jobs crisis in energy sector’

• Demand for Sir Keir to visit Aberdeen to see damage his policies are inflicting on our region • Business leaders call for windfall tax U-turn on same day 18,000 transition roles put at risk

Work on cancer centre at ARI to begin in weeks

CONSTRUCTION of a multi-million-pound cancer treatment centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) will begin next month, The Press and Journal can reveal. The Swift Urological Response Evaluation unit – known as SURE – is being delivered by NHS Grampian...

So where is this £200m, Mr Miliband?

Six months ago, Westminster Energy Secretary Ed Miliband put on a hard hat and stood at St Fergus Gas Terminal near Peterhead promising £200 million for the longawaited Acorn carbon capture project with “thousands of jobs” to follow. Acorn was billed...

You were warned, Chancellor

Aberdeen’s Harbour Energy is set to cut another 100 jobs, pushing total redundancies at the firm to 700 in just two years. In May, Harbour Energy said it would cut 250 staff in Aberdeen – a quarter of its Granite City workforce. Now it is making more...

Schools violence claims branded ‘misinformation’

ABERDEEN City Council is working on plans to tackle the “perception” that school staff deal with violence and aggression on a daily basis. Unions which represent staff in local schools are currently polling members to get a clearer picture of what...

Flint is building city centre buzz

ABERDEEN residents are growing excited about the city centre’s new market as the £40 million project takes shape. Work is continuing at pace, pictured, to build the new food and drink hall – to be named Flint – on The Green. So we hit the streets to...

Aberdeen Labour group ‘is in hiding over windfall tax’

ABERDEEN Labour councillors have been accused of “hiding behind” their party bosses at Westminster after the chancellor refused to axe the windfall tax. In Wednesday’s Budget announcement, Rachel Reeves ignored pleas from the oil and gas industry to...

‘Taxed to death’

The desperate pleas of north- east oil and gas firms were ignored by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she refused to reform the controversial windfall tax in her Budget yesterday. In Westminster, the Labour minister made no change to the energy profits...

Majority of GB Energy experts want tax change

Aberdeen’s energy future could hinge on a single decision. With the chancellor set to deliver the Autumn Budget, members of the city’s new GB Energy taskforce have spoken out on the Energy Profits Levy, a tax many say is driving jobs and investment...

‘Windfall tax hurts communities and families... that is why it has to go’

‘Reeves can net Scots economy £4bn by axing the windfall tax’

With the autumn Budget two days away, Aberdeen and the north-east have braced for a decision that could be the difference between continued decline for the region or a new era of growth and prosperity. New analysis has shown how far the north-east has...

North-east can’t afford to wait

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, our editor explains the windfall tax’s impact on communities and families

Port workers face axe over slump in oil and gas trade

PORT of Aberdeen is to cut jobs just a week after concerns were raised over a drop in activity from the oil and gas industry. Harbour bosses yesterday confirmed they are looking for voluntary redundancies. Last week Port of Aberdeen chief executive...

‘Violent pupil smashed chair over my back’

A CLASSROOM assistant at an Aberdeen primary school today reveals she suffered a violent attack by a pupil that has left her permanently injured and suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The woman was struck over the back with a chair...

Fears as delays hit Castlegate revamp

THE £20 million overhaul of the Castlegate in Aberdeen won’t get under way until next year at the earliest amid fears the project could be “even more problematic” than the Union Street revamp. The transformation of the historic cobbled square was...

We reveal the ‘disturbing’ texts sent to boy, 14, from Banff church youth leader

A River Church Banff youth leader told an underage boy half her age he had a “lovely face” and gave “the best hugs” in texts branded inappropriate by the teenager’s mum. Lauren Middleton was 28 when her attention turned to a 14-year-old boy she was...

Town united by grief for ‘rock of the community’

A NORTH-EAST town has been left shattered following the sudden death of a popular pub landlord described as an “absolute rock of the community”. Much-loved Inverurie businessman Laird Parker, who owned The Drouthy Laird bar, passed away on...

‘Major overhaul needed’ to tackle NHS debts crisis

CRISIS- HIT NHS Grampian will need “a significant redesign” of its services to get back on a stable financial footing, an Audit Scotland report revealed yesterday. The warning came as it emerged the health board received a £65.2 million loan from the...

Port alarm over ‘rapid decline’ for oil and gas

PORT of Aberdeen has reported a “rapid decline” in oil and gas activity, raising fears the energy transition is being put at risk. Harbour boss Bob Sanguinetti said business from the hard-hit sector plunged by 25% during the peak summer months and is...

Monumental job to secure royal cairn after damage

WORK is under way to save a giant pyramid commissioned by Queen Victoria in Deeside as a tribute to her husband. An increase in the number of visitors to the Balmoral estate has led to ground around Prince Albert’ s Pyramid becoming “severely eroded”,...

Agri-science hub eyes cruise boom

ABERDEEN ’ S world- leading research in agricultural science could soon be pulling in cruise ship tourists to the city. That’s the ambition of bosses at the James Hutton Institute as they look to capitalise on their recent £8.2 million upgrade. The...

‘One in four firms slash jobs due to windfall tax’

A QUARTER of firms in the north- east have slashed their workforce in the last three months as the impact of the windfall tax continues to bite, an alarming new report reveals. The huge losses are outlined in Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of...

£17.3m injection to power up ETZ

Amulti-million-pound cash injection aims to turbocharge the transformation of St Fittick’s Park and Doonies Farm into a green energy hub. The UK Government will plug £ 17.3 million into Aberdeen’ s Energy Transition Zone in a bid to speed up the city’...

Joy and relief as Raac cash plan rubberstamped

ABERDEEN City Council has officially agreed plans to make “improved and final offers” to Torry homeowners who have been battling the authority for 20 months for a fair deal on their Raac-affected houses. A special meeting of the council saw the...

Victory for Raac residents

Aberdeen residents have secured a monument al victory in the battle to secure fair payments for their homes hit by Raac after suffering years of worry. Homeowners in the city’s Torry area have been told the council is now preparing to pay them the...

Pupil violence surging in city

Ten years ago, Bailey Gwynne went to Cults Academy on the outskirts of Aberdeen and never came home again. The 16- year-old was stabbed through the heart and died in a corridor during lunch break. His killer, Daniel Stroud, had bought a knife from...

Community ‘still divided’ two years after Storm Babet

AN ABERDEENSHIRE MSP has hit out at the Scottish Government over a bridge that has been closed since Storm Babet two years ago. The Aboyne Bridge, pictured, was closed after damage was caused in the October 2023 bad weather and may not reopen until...

Bombshell report proves industry warnings ARE right

Raac home owners left ‘deflated’ after talks Housing minister says £10 million coming soon, but council won’t say if owners will get support

THE £ 10 million promised to Aberdeen to help pay for the Raac crisis could come “within weeks” – but the council may not give additional help to homeowners. Hou s i ng Se c r e t a ry Ma i r i McAllan met with Torry residents and offered assurances...

Lack of sterile operating tools as decontamination fault probed ‘Mammoth task’ to restore unit with over 1,000 surgeries axed

THE ongoing work to restore NHS G ra m p i a n’s c e n t ra l decontamination unit (CDU) has been described as a “mammoth task” as cancelled procedures now exceed 1,000. Since news broke on October 3 that an unknown substance was found on surgical...

Red Bull row leads fashion firm to ditch original logo

A FLEDGLING fashion business has changed its logo after legal threats from one of the world’s biggest energy drink brands. Michael and Kim Hughes founded rushFront Clothing in Aberdeen to provide premium everyday wear, with production sourced from UK...

Miles-long trips for pupils during school revamps

SHUT TERED city schools could be used to teach children from as far away as Peterculter while work is carried out on ageing buildings. Walker Road School in Torry and Riverbank in Tillydrone have been identified in Aberdeen City Council papers as...

‘My son’s killer must be jailed’

A GRIEVING north-east mother has called for a judge to jail her son’s killer following a harrowing trial at the High Court in Aberdeen. Inverurie dad- of- four David McGuinness, 30, pictured left, died in a brawl at a builders’ yard in Stonehaven in a...

Blueprints show events plaza for new city market

FRESH blueprints have revealed Aberdeen’s new multi- million- pound market will feature a “scenic plaza” for events and pop-up markets. Designs also show plans to create a glass tunnel and a huge illuminated “F” for the frontage of the development,...

Torrens to take reins at Wood as CEO to step down ‘North Sea tax reform could bring £137bn bonanza for whole of UK’

The oil and gas industry says it can keep paying a windfall tax and unlock billions of pounds to invest in Aberdeen – but only if Prime Minister Keir Starmer is prepared to change course. The offer sounds simple: reform the tax on energy profits, and...

Healthcare cost-cutting ‘has already saved £3.2m’

SCORES of Aberdeenshire carers have quit their jobs as trade union chiefs claim they couldn’t cope with the “pressure and stress” of a healthcare shake-up. The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) announced plans to save around £17...

Crash teen’s bundle of joy

Ayear ago, Adam Golebiewski was in hospital wondering what his future held after losing both legs in a car accident. But now the 19-year-old says he’s excited for his future after celebrating the birth of baby son Colson. The teenager, who lives in...

Same name impostor’s £50k land deal fraud

A CRUEL fraudster duped his victim into handing over £50,000 by selling off a prime plot of real estate that didn’t even belong to him. Stanley Alexander Youngson, 67, was able to carry out the outrageous con because he shared the same name as the...

GB Energy reveals taskforce line-up

GB ENERGY has today unveiled its 17- strong task force charged with transforming Aberdeen into a global renewables capital. A who’s who of some of the region’s brightest minds have been assembled to spearhead the north-east’ s transition away from oil...

£80m boost for future of region’s industry thanks to Sir Ian

“Igenuinely believe that I’ve had a huge amount of luck ,” Sir Ian Wood says as he reflects on his decades-long career in the oil and gas industry. The 83- year-old’ s innovative thinking and contribution to the energy sector has been recognised...

Taxi firm buys rivals to bolster fleet to 500

A LEADING Aberdeen taxi company has bought out one of its rivals to expand its fleet to 500 vehicles. Rainbow City Taxis confirmed the purchase of ComCab Aberdeen with a full merger expected by October 19. Russell McLeod, pictured, the boss of...

60% increase in energy firms paying their bills late

A NORTH- EAST law firm has said it has seen a surge in companies within the energy sector not paying their bills on time. Aberdein Considine has reported a 60% increase in recovery of debt instructions for energy supply chain firms this year. Elaine...

‘We deserve answers on why police failed to save my brother’

The sister of a man who fell from the 12 th floor of an Aberdeen high-rise hopes the upcoming public inquiry will reveal why the police failed to rescue him. Jamie Forbes, 37, was held captive and tortured for two days by Lee Smith, 38, who was later...

Health secretary needs to witness ‘reality’ of living with chronic illness, says Aberdeenshire mother Mum invites Gray to ‘see long Covid for yourself’

THE health secretary has been invited to visit an Aberdeenshire schoolgirl to hear first- hand about the effects of long Covid. Mum Helen Goss, pictured, extended the invitation to Neil Gray as her 12-year-old daughter Anna struggles with the chronic...

New Dons ground ‘can inject £1.6bn into city economy’

A NEW Dons stadium at Aberdeen beach would provide a boost of at least £1.6 billion to the city over 50 years, a new report says. The study predicts that a new, multi-sports community facility would double the club’s annual impact on the local...