Publication

Police probe as woman’s body found in house

POLICE have launched a huge investigation over the mysterious death of a woman in her Ellon home. Officers were called to the property in the Aberdeenshire town’s Blench Drive on Monday after reports of concern for a person. A 50-year-old woman was...

NHS split down middle in SNP’s ‘radical’ plans

FULL BREAKDOWN AND REACTION TO PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT:

Man ‘threatened to assassinate Trump on north-east trip’

AN Aberdeen man has appeared at the city’s sheriff court accused of threatening to assassinate US president Donald Trump. Volodymyr Soviak is alleged to have sent emails that made “unambiguous” threats to harm the global leader just days before he was...

‘Super-pylon’ neighbours offered £2.5k energy boost

RESIDENTS of the north-east who live within 500 metres of “super pylons” could be given cash to help pay their energy bills for 10 years. The UK Government made the announcement as a way to help families impacted by the 400Kv overhead lines. But...

NHS bosses told to find £38m cuts in 12 weeks

NHS Grampian bosses have been given three months to find an extra £38 million in savings. The financially-stricken health board was put under the highest level of Scottish Government scrutiny in May 2025 after lurching heavily into the red. Bosses...

Protest pair are arrested as tech firm HQ trashed

TWO pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested after the offices of a tech firm were smashed up in an overnight rampage. According to the group behind the action, the Ultra I&C unit in Westhill was broken into around 3am yesterday. Press and Journal...

Hammer killer ‘could die in jail’

A DOMESTIC abuser who bludgeoned a mum-of-three to death in an Aberdeen flat may never be released from prison, a court has told him. Joseph Greer was given a life sentence at the High Court in Dundee yesterday for the murder of Samantha Lee at a...

City officer’s police career is ‘over’ after stalking case

AN Aberdeen police sergeant’s career is “over” after he admitted stalking a woman. Ricky Burr, who had a two-decade career with the police, met the social worker professionally, after which he relentlessly stalked her, despite repeated requests to...

Major energy firm to move out of city centre to new HQ

THE new owner of Petrofac Asset Solutions will close its current headquarters in Aberdeen and relocate later this year. Petrofac’s North Sea-focused business was bought by CB&I last year after the parent company went into administration. Around 3,000...

Ex-M&S shop roof is being ‘propped up’ as talks go on

MARKS & Spencer will have to bear the cost of demolishing its closed St Nicholas Street store alone, council bosses have said. Talks with Aberdeen City Council about the “future ownership” of the building are continuing, senior figures have suggested,...

Oil and gas bosses make drilling plea after BP exit

ENERGY bosses have appealed for government ministers to approve Jackdaw and Rosebank following BP’s exit from the North Sea. Last week the sector was left stunned by the announcement that the firm plans to sell its Aberdeen shares after more than 60...

New council chief to be ‘in the city every day’

THE new Aberdeen City Council chief executive should be “on the ground in the city” every day, the chairman of the recruitment committee has said. Councillor Alex McLellan, who serves as the finance convener as well as chairman of the appointment...

BP blow reignites call to scrap EPL

PRIME Minister Andy Burnham faced renewed calls to scrap the windfall tax after BP yesterday announced it was seeking to sell its North Sea operations after 60 years of drilling there. Some 1,100 staff work in that arm of the energy giant’s business...

£900k bid to sell city to a global audience

ABERDEEN City Council chiefs are planning to use £900,000 of tourist tax cash to hire experts to help attract even more visitors from around the world. The Aberdeen Visitor Levy – a 7% additional charge on overnight accommodation bills – is due to...

Runners quick off the mark for marathon spots

A STAGGERING 85% of places for next year’s new Aberdeen Marathon have been snapped up already – just days after the route was announced. The recent half-marathon was such a huge success a full 26.2-mile race has also been added for 2027 along with a...

City’s Beach Ballroom in line for £1m renovation

NEW papers have revealed Aberdeen City Council’s plans for the Beach Ballroom. The documents show that bosses at the local authority hope to spend £1.39 million to restore sections of the A-listed building that are in most need of repairs, including...

Sir Ian Wood

Sir Ian Wood has been remembered as a “true guiding light” of Scotland’s business community following his death at 84. The Wood Group founder and philanthropist died peacefully at his north-east home with his family by his side. As well as being a...

Thainstone reveals bold masterplan for its future

BOSSES at Thainstone Centre have unveiled their 10-year masterplan to revamp one of Europe’s largest livestock auction hubs. ANM Group is plotting major changes to the site near Inverurie – including a “bespoke” showring and an upgraded concourse to...

‘Playpark can reel in cruise families’

ABERDEEN’S beachfront playpark could help drive a surge in family-focused cruise tourism, industry chiefs believe. The multi-million-pound seaside attraction, pictured, is set to open later this year. It comes as the city continues to attract more...

Fahnbulleh trip to city lifts hopes of positive talks

NORTH Sea bosses said they and the new energy secretary share a “common purpose” over jobs and investment after she made a flying visit to Aberdeen yesterday. Miatta Fahnbulleh, pictured, met Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) and other representatives from...

Lady Helen giving back to north-east with £2m per year

ABERDEEN philanthropist Lady Helen Wood wants to create a charitable “legacy” in the north-east by giving £2 million a year to good causes. In an exclusive interview with The Press and Journal, Lady Helen, pictured, told how she wants to improve the...

North Sea chiefs urge Fahnbulleh to deliver change

NORTH Sea bosses are looking forward to working with the new energy secretary amid hopes she will follow a “different path” forward for the industry in Andy Burnham’s Labour government. The new prime minister named Miatta Fahnbulleh as successor to...

Burnham puts the fate of North Sea in rookie MP’s. hands

NEW Prime Minister Andy Burnham has shifted Ed Miliband away from steering the future of the North Sea as he handed the energy secretary job to a rookie MP. Mr Burnham made a raft of sweeping changes to the Cabinet in his first day in power...

Mum’s fears over autistic son’s school placement

THE mother of a severely autistic boy says she is worried about where he will attend secondary school. Elisabeth Bailey told The P&J that she received an email saying 10-year-old Zeke would be sent to Northfield Academy next year. However Aberdeen...

‘Our warnings about Courtney were ignored’

CONCERNED former friends of baby killer Courtney Gartshore have claimed they feel ignored by Aberdeenshire Council. The good samaritans say they told the local authority to remove children from the Peterhead mother after they found a dog dead in her...

Mum GUILTY of burning her baby to death

An Aberdeen woman has been found guilty of killing her threemonth-old daughter after applying heat from a hairdryer in Peterhead. Dahlia-Rose Gartshore was found dead by paramedics in her Buchan home on the morning of September 30 2023 and for the...

Free parking for shoppers could revive city centre

LETTING shoppers park for free could be the key to reviving Aberdeen city centre, a leading property expert has claimed. Eric Shearer, of Knight Frank, has suggested that Aberdeen City Council could introduce a scheme that would see people who spend...

ETZ boss tells of ‘frustration’ as projects delayed

THE chief executive of Aberdeen-based ETZ Ltd has expressed her frustration at delays to major energy transition projects across the north-east. Maggie McGinlay, pictured, believes slower-than-expected progress has held back investment that was...

Sheriff dials in on police for withheld phone calls

A SHERIFF has questioned Police Scotland’s use of withheld phone numbers after a woman unwittingly answered a call from a man who waged a campaign of abuse on her. Steven Whyte, pictured, was jailed for two years for his actions against his former...

University probe after ‘awful’ Ann Widdecombe post

ABERDEEN University has confirmed it is doing a “review” of social media posts made by a member of staff about the death of former MP Ann Widdecombe. Heather Herbert, a web developer at the university, posted on platform Bluesky on Friday before...

‘Union Street has been the springboard to shop boom’

AN independent shop owner has told how setting up on Union Street in Aberdeen has been such a success that he and his business partner have branched out to Edinburgh. Stuart Robb launched the Thistle Tavern board game and trading card store with...

Beach play zone visits boom ‘may spark traffic hell’

FEARS have been raised over potential traffic chaos if the new futuristic playpark at Aberdeen beach proves as popular as expected. The council is spending millions transforming the coastline into an attractive destination. And the free play area...

Accused mother in 999 call: ‘My baby’s skin is peeling off ’

A JURY yesterday heard that a mother accused of killing her three-month-old daughter by burning her with a hairdryer dialled 999 and told a call handler: “My baby’s dead. Her hands are black and her skin is peeling off.” Courtney Gartshore, 27, is on...

Baby death mum tried to get drugs, court hears

THE trial of a woman accused of killing her daughter with a hairdryer began in Aberdeen yesterday. Courtney Gartshore, 27, is accused of culpable homicide in connection with the death of baby Dahlia-Rose by burning her at a property in Peterhead in...

United demand to open up vital North Sea fields

MORE than 2,000 business and community leaders, charity bosses and politicians have united to call for the UK Government to award drilling licences for two vital oil and gas fields in the North Sea. Demands are growing for Labour to rethink their...

Labour MPs join call for a reset on oil and gas policy

A LABOUR-led group of MPs who scrutinise UK Government energy strategy say new oil and gas licences should be given the green light. The move comes just days after they visited Aberdeen and The Press and Journal called for a reset on North Sea policy...

Cala gets nod to build more homes amid row on shop

ABERDEEN City Council yesterday rubber-stamped plans for Cala Homes to keep building houses on the Oldfold development in Milltimber before constructing a promised shop – which they can’t find someone to run. The firm was obliged to have the store up...

High-flying city lawyer unmasked as violent and cruel abuser

● Mortgage and Property Centre director Alexander Hutcheon admits subjecting on-off partner to an 18-month reign of terror ● High Court hears disgraced 70-year-old assaulted woman at Meldrum House Hotel and repeatedly made sexual demands ● Judge...

‘I have seen people die as deadly drug floods city streets’

ABERDEEN is facing a potential drug deaths epidemic as a highly-potent substance is now being peddled on the city’s streets, a 999 worker has warned. Nitazenes, pictured, are being increasingly used by UK dealers, often mixed into other drugs...

It’s time for a reset on the North Sea and Labour’s energy policy

Periods of political change like we are experiencing now are also moments of opportunity. As one leader gives way to another, it is time for a fresh start, where policies that no longer serve the country can be rethought. And if Andy Burnham walks...

Petrofac pays up £569k for Russia sanctions breach

A NORTH Sea services firm has paid a settlement of more than £569,000 to HMRC after breaching UK Government sanctions on Russia. Aberdeen-based Petrofac Facilities Management Limited (PFML) broke rules to prevent UK firms from funding Vladmir Putin’s...

Flynn: ‘We need serious talks on the NE rail line’

ABERDEEN MSP Stephen Flynn says he would love to deliver on rail and road infrastructure – but admits conversations will need to come first. The newly-appointed transport boss says that while improving roads like the A96 and introducing or reinstating...

City gets set for marafun party

RUNNERS taking part in next month’s Aberdeen Hydrasun Half Marathon will be able to celebrate their achievements with an all-day party, The Press and Journal can reveal. Organisers have unveiled a line-up of great events to bring a real carnival...

Police sergeant is guilty of stalking city social worker

A NORTH-EAST police sergeant has been convicted of stalking a social worker while on duty. Ricky Burr, 47, pictured, of Ellon, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to plead guilty to causing the woman fear and alarm by making repeated...

Geoscience conference has seismic city impact

A MAJOR geology and engineering summit delivered an estimated £13.2 million economic impact for Aberdeen, a report has shown. We told earlier this month how the European Association of Geoscientists (EAGE) conference at P&J Live helped book out every...

Timeline for store’s demolition is revealed

ABERDEEN City Council bosses are due to meet with representatives from Marks & Spencer in early July to discuss the shuttered St Nicholas Street store, The P&J can reveal. The national chain is “awaiting a meeting” with local authority planning...

Next PM ‘must support oil jobs and investment’

Mother and gran in dock ‘for torture of children’

A MOTHER and grandmother have gone on trial accused of torturing three children in Aberdeen. Shirley Freeman, 51, and Julia Stephen, 68, pictured, are facing multiple charges of systematic assault and neglect more than two decades ago. One of their...

Tide turns over North Sea fears

The Tories believe their resounding Aberdeen South by-election success sends a clear message in favour of ramping up North Sea oil and gas drilling. Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden won 14,308 votes in the poll, with the result declared at around 2am...

Eight men in the dock over £1.37m drug raids

EIGHT men yesterday appeared in court in connection with alleged drugs offences in Aberdeen following multiple police raids in the city. Officers stormed 11 properties at the start of this week and found eight cannabis farms – seizing drugs worth a...

Raac detected at former M&S in city centre

DANGEROUS Raac concrete has been identified in the old Marks & Spencer store in Aberdeen city centre, leaked surveys have revealed. We told this week how the retail giant wants to demolish the empty former flagship shop in St Nicholas Street. Now...

‘Scrap North Sea windfall tax to end fuel poverty’

REPLACING the North Sea windfall tax next year could generate an extra £13.4 billion for the Treasury over the next decade and help eradicate fuel poverty. Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) chief executive David Whitehouse is due to give evidence to MPs...

M&S planning to demolish old flagship store

MARKS and Spencer bosses are aiming to demolish the former flagship shop in Aberdeen city centre – despite efforts to find a new use for the empty building. The huge department store had been part of St Nicholas Street since 1944 before it closed last...

SSEN’s vision for a £150m training hub in north-east

SSEN plans to build a new £150 million training hub in the north-east to help bring through the next generation of clean energy workers. The firm is going through a rapid expansion with major infrastructure projects under way, including the Netherton...

‘Charity sacked me for whistleblowing’

FORMER Sport Aberdeen chief executive Keith Heslop is taking the leisure operator to tribunal for unfair dismissal – launching a fight to be given his job back or paid his full salary until his day in court. The city council’s arm’s-length body, which...

Bus gates battle shop ‘must quit city to survive’

A CLOTHES shop boss is quitting Aberdeen after struggling to recover from the impact of the city’s bus gates on trade. Victoria Mutch, pictured, is relocating her Style For Your Shape store from the Trinity Centre to Turriff in the next few...

Police alert as shire town hit by flash flood

Businesses were forced to close and traffic ground to a halt as Inverurie town centre was hit by flooding yesterday. The deluge came as the region was hit with a bout of extreme weather affecting Inverurie, Ellon and Oldmeldrum this week. Pictures...

‘Brent oil is key to meet the UK’s jet fuel needs’

AN energy expert believes ramping up North Sea oil production would help meet the pressing need for domestic jet fuel amid geopolitical uncertainty. Professor John Underhill, from Aberdeen University, says the potential to unlock the North Sea’s...

£1.4bn tourism boost to city and shire economies

THE Tall Ships Race in Aberdeen last summer spearheaded a near-£1.4 billion tourism boom for the north-east, figures out today reveal. The region’s visitor economy generated a whopping £1.375bn in economic impact during 2025. Almost 3.5 million day...

‘Traders are put off by high rates’

ABERDEEN’S very own “landlord detective” hopes The Press and Journal’s Fresh Start campaign can aid him and his colleagues in their efforts to breathe life back into the city centre. This week we launched a joint call with our fellow DC Thomson news...

Care home is still closed four years on from tragedy

A £3.2 MILLION charity-run care home remains shut four years after a resident died amid “significant concerns” over soaring temperatures in rooms during a heatwave, a Press and Journal investigation can reveal. Brian Macpherson, 56, passed away in...