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Historic Plough Inn in Wigtown, Scotland’s “Book Town” Up For Sale

Historic Plough Inn in Wigtown, Scotland’s “Book Town” Up For Sale

“Wonderful lifestyle business opportunity” for the right operator to establish The Plough Inn as a regional boutique hotel

 

DM Hall, the leading Scottish independent firm of chartered surveyors, is marketing the recently refurbished Plough Inn, 30 South Main Street Wigtown, DG8 9HG, an historic licensed hotel with four en-suite bedrooms and three bedroomed owner/managers accommodation at offers over £340,000, however, rental offers may also be entertained.

 

Wigtown’s historic 18th century, grade-C-listed Inn was saved from ruin by a recent extensive and sympathetic refurbishment by the current owner.

 

The Plough Inn takes its name from Wigtown’s own John McNeillie’s book ‘The Wigtownshire Ploughman’. The Plough Inn’s link to literature is matched by its location in ‘Scotland’s Book Town’, and its 17 independent book shops, one of which is the largest in Scotland, as well as its internationally renowned literary festival ‘The Wigtown Book Festival’, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year when it gets under way on 22 September this year.

 

The book town status enhances the attraction of Wigtown as a tourist destination and as a consequence, the local population expands significantly during the summer trading months.

 

The Plough Inn, traditionally a coaching Inn serving traders visiting the region’s market town,

sits at the heart of Wigtown. Guests are welcomed with traditional wood panelling, cast iron radiators, open fires and antique furniture.

 

Behind its traditional skin, however, lies a modern state-of-the-art structure providing warmth and comfort. The Inn comprises a bar providing 30 covers, dining room with an additional 30 covers, spacious beer garden, well-appointed commercial kitchen, 4 spacious ensuite bedrooms and a luxurious 3-bedroom operator’s apartment.

 

Beyond the bookshops Wigtown is a town rich in history and beauty. Situated within the Galloway Hills and looking over The Cree Estuary, Wigtown is a popular destination for tourists and visitors.

 

Main Street and South Main Street are the main access routes through the village, which lies around seven miles to the south of Newton Stewart and thirty miles to the east of Stranraer within the Dumfries and Galloway region of southwest Scotland.

 

Margaret Mitchell of DM Hall’s Business Sales team, who is overseeing the marketing process said: “The Plough Inn provides a wonderful lifestyle business opportunity for those wanting to run an easily managed well fitted hotel. It is available for sale and also for lease.
“Offers over £340,000 are in invited for the goodwill, fixtures and fittings of the business and the freehold interest of the commercial property. The owner would consider a rent with further information being disclosed if required. The trade inventory is not included in the asking price and is available through separate negotiation.
“Interested parties should contact me, Margaret Mitchell, on 0131 624 6130 or e-mail [email protected].”

 

 

Ellisland Farm Becomes Accredited Museum

A Farm in Dumfries and Galloway where poet Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne has been awarded accredited museum status after an intensive three-year drive to improve the care of its collection.

A Farm in Dumfries and Galloway where poet Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne has been awarded accredited museum status after an intensive three-year drive to improve the care of its collection.

 

The good news came through as the Ellisland team held a family fun day which attracted almost 200 people to the heritage site on the banks of the Nith near Dumfries.

 

The community event raised more than £300 for the charity and attracted many local families visiting the historic site for the first time. They were entertained with traditional music by youth group Spectrum.

 

A-listed Ellisland, on the banks of the River Nith near Dumfries, is considered Burns’ most authentic home and safeguards artefacts such as the poet’s fishing rod, flute, school books and manuscripts, including The Whistle and Wounded Hare.

 

Accreditation is only awarded after a rigorous improvement and inspection procedure. The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, the charity that runs the site, invested significant resources to enhance the care of the collection, documentation systems and security procedures.

 

The Ellisland team heard the good news last week in a letter from Museum Galleries Scotland, the national development body that administers the scheme on behalf of Arts Council England. Robert Burns Ellisland Museum and Farm is the only Scottish museum to achieve first time accreditation in this round of evaluation.

 

Accredited Museum Status means Ellisland, which was built by Burns himself, will be eligible for a wider range of grant funding. It represents another step forward for the trust which was formed in 2020 to assume control of the site and immediately faced the challenge of Covid and closures.

 

Support from the Holywood Trust and Museums Galleries Scotland allowed Ellisland to employ staff to work on the accreditation submission.

 

Caitlin MacLeod the Museum Education and Development Lead who guided the museum through the process said:

 

‘This is a huge achievement for the team at Ellisland including staff, trustees and volunteers. Being awarded museum status is the culmination of 3 years of hard work. We are very grateful to the funders whose support helped us achieve this.’
“We received a site visit from a Museum Galleries Scotland representative back in May and the final decision was made by a panel meeting in London in July. It’s been a nerve wracking few months while we waited for the final decision.
“Accreditation means Ellisland will continue to play an important part in both local and national heritage in the future. The recognition comes with lots of advice on how to keep improving, so the hard work will continue.”

Museum Accreditation is the most recent success for the trust. Auld Lang Syne Cottage, a refurbished property opened as a holiday let on the farm this month and a masterplan to turn the site into an international cultural hub and visitor attraction gained widespread support.

 

 

Travel Advice For Public & Spectators Issued As UCI Cycling World Championships Start Across Scotland

Travel advice for public and spectators Issued as UCI Cycling World Championships Start Across Scotland

A new travel campaign is now live, helping the public, spectators, businesses and residents plan for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which get underway on Thursday.

Since its launch, unique visits to UCI Championships – Men Elite Road Race | Traffic Scotland have soared by 125%, reflecting the global, national and local interest in the event. Separately, ScotRail, SPT, local authorities, Cycling World Championships, Get Ready Glasgow and local Chambers of Commerce have organised hundreds of drop-in events and sessions for communities and businesses who will be affected or are looking to get involved in the various events.

As the excitement builds ahead of Thursday, the public – including business as usual – and spectators, are being reminded to plan their journey in advance and allow extra time, given the series of road closures in place to facilitate road races in particular.

Road cycling begins on Friday 4th August with the Gran and Medio Fondo road races taking place in Perth and Kinross, and the Men Elite Road Race on Sunday 6th August, following a route across the central belt. The Gran Fondo races start on Tay St in Perth, taking in locations including Aberfeldy, Pitlochry and Blairgowrie before finishing at Scone Palace. More information about road closures and timings is available online at Gran Fondo Community l Cycling World Championships.

On Sunday 6 August, the Men Elite Road Race will begin in Edinburgh at Holyrood by the Scottish Parliament in the city centre, taking riders through the city centre and west over the Queensferry Crossing and into Fife, before continuing through Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling, and East Dunbartonshire, and finishing in Glasgow’s George Square. Outside of the start in Edinburgh and city circuit in Glasgow, rolling road closures are in operation and are intended to be for fairly short periods of around half an hour. Organisers are encouraging people to travel earlier or later if they can as, if closures can be avoided, the need to take a diversion won’t be required.

For the Men Elite Road Race on Sunday (6th August), the M90 will close at the M9 J1A slip at around 8:45 with the M90 J1A at Queensferry expecting to close around one hour later to protect riders and allow the race to pass safely across the bridge. The A90 Northbound from the Barnton Junction, Edinburgh will be closed from around 0930 until cyclists are over the Queensferry Crossing. The Clackmannanshire Bridge is part of the route and will be closed for a short duration in the morning from around 10:20 for 30 – 45 minutes. This will limit road connections north and south of the Forth. If you need to use the crossing, you may wish to consider delaying your journey until the afternoon. The route also limits movement on the A985 at Kincardine so the local road network may experience some disruption. Diversions will be in place for any restricted routes and are available. There will be road closures at the start in Edinburgh, finish in Glasgow and the section of road between the Barnton and Ferrytoll Junctions. The remainder of the race will operate under rolling road closures controlled by police motorcyclists. More information about the Men Elite Road Race route and how road closures will operate is available online Road Races Route Information l Cycling World Championships.

Led by the Scottish Government and supported by key partners including Traffic Scotland, Get Ready Glasgow, Police Scotland, local authorities and the event organisers, the Travel Advice Stakeholder Toolkit focuses on which roads and areas across the Championships are going to be very busy and when. It also flags public transport options and is encouraging people to leave the car at home, where possible, for the fortnight of sporting excellence.

Much of Scotland is participating and going to be impacted by the unique occasion, which runs from August 3rd-13th. It is the single biggest cycling event in history, bringing together thirteen existing events into one championship.

The awareness campaign includes maps, business briefings, social media content, community engagement sessions, and paid for media content, including TV, radio and digital adverts. It features advice on how to plan ahead, be prepared, avoid peak travel periods, where to access public transport, and to check before you travel, especially around areas impacted by significant road closures.

Read further information about travel and transport during the championships on the Cycling World Championships and Traffic Scotland websites.

The Cycling World Championships has further information available for communities across Scotland on its website at www.cyclingworldchamps.com/getready, while Get Ready Glasgow and Glasgow City Council is running a specific stand-alone campaign for residents and businesses with more information at www.getreadyglasgow.com/cycling-worlds

Key dates and likely impacts include: 

  • Aug 3rd, 4th and 5th – this is already a busy weekend for people moving around the country and we have the Glasgow road closures as well as the A82 in play for movements to Fort William.
  • On Aug 4th there is also the Gran Fondo event in Perthshire featuring closure of a key junction on the A9 as well as a full closure of the A85 between Perth and Methven.
  • Aug 6th is likely to be the busiest day on the network, with closures in and around Edinburgh towards Stirling, most notably on the M9 at Junctions 1A (Newbridge) and 7 (Kinnaird House Interchange) to allow the Men Elite race to pass over the Queensferry Crossing. There will also be movements from Fort William to Peebles (A82, M8, A720) and closures in and around Glasgow city centre.
  • On Aug 12th there are Glasgow road race closures, movements on A82 to Balloch, movements on A75 Dumfries and M74.
  • Aug 13th, the final day sees Glasgow road race closures and movements on A82 to Balloch, likely to be the 3rd busiest day.

Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop said:

“With only a few days to go, a sense of anticipation is clearly building for what is expected to be the biggest cycling event ever to take place here in Scotland. However as well as all of the excitement, it is important our preparations are fit for purpose and that we showcase Scotland in a spectacular and professional light. We were rightly praised for our efforts around Operation Unicorn and now we must rise to the occasion again.
“We have worked closely with organisers, Police Scotland, local authorities and many others to test travel arrangements, however given the complex nature and scale of this operation road users should expect delays at certain points and on the busier days. For the public, spectators, businesses and key responders there is a raft of advice available on the Traffic Scotland, Cycling World Championships, Scottish Government and public transport operator websites and twitter feeds, including www.traffic.gov.scot/uci”

Hugh Gillies, director at Transport Scotland, said: 

“Scotland has a proud track record of hosting these large scale events, dating back to Glasgow 2014, and more recently COP26 and Operation Unicorn. We will need all of that experience and skill to successfully deliver this series of events – and it will genuinely need to be a team effort.
“Traffic modelling shows that we are set for a number of days where queues and congestion are likely, and that’s before we factor in any incidents on the network. We really need the public and spectators to play their part and check before they travel, to maximise their enjoyment and ensure Scotland is on the global map for all the right reasons.”

Paul Bush OBE, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chair, said:

“Glasgow and Scotland will soon welcome the cycling world for the first of its kind event, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. A huge amount of planning has gone into the event to ensure it delivers tangible benefits for the country while also showcasing to the world all that Scotland has to offer. To ensure everyone gets the most out of the Championships, whether you are attending an event or not, please plan ahead and check the relevant websites for the most up to date information to ensure you have the best experience possible.”

15 New Jobs Up For Grabs At Aldi Stores In Dumfries & Galloway

15 NEW JOBS UP FOR GRABS AT ALDI STORES IN DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

Aldi is currently looking to recruit 15 new store colleagues across Dumfries and Galloway.  

  

In a welcome boost to the local economy, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores across the region including Glasgow Road in Dumfries, Annan, and Newton Stewart.  

  

This includes both full-time and part-time positions including Store Management Apprentice, Store Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Manager.  

  

The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive, with the supermarket set to open an average of one new store a week across the UK between now and Christmas. 

  

Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to invest in new stores, we’re looking for more colleagues to join our incredible teams across Dumfries and Galloway.   
 
“Working at Aldi means a great working environment and real opportunities to progress within the business and we look forward to welcoming even more people to be a part of our success in the future.” 

  

Starting pay for Store Assistants at Aldi is £11.40 per hour with the supermarket also paying for breaks.  

  

Those interested in applying for jobs can visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.   

Local Action Group Created To Manage Government Funding Programme

A NEW Local Action Group (LAG) has been created to manage the delivery of a Scottish Government funding programme within Dumfries and Galloway.

The Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programme gives communities the power to tackle challenges within their area. The Government has committed £11.6 million of programme funding for financial year 2023-24 across rural and island Scotland.

Dumfries and Galloway’s new LAG will manage the delivery of the fund programme locally, with over £560,000 in funding this year for revenue and capital projects.

The initial membership of the group includes Harry Harbottle (Chair), Karen Ward Boyd (Vice Chair), Susan Garnsworthy, Helen Keron, Rose Murdoch, Lara Porter, Charlotte Gibson, Lewis Shaw, James Galloway, Councillor Archie Dryburgh, Professor Nick Sparks, Will Marshall and a representative from the Economic Development department at Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The group will be inviting further members over the coming months and will include two youth representatives.

The grant fund will open for applications at the end of August, with full details being published in advance. Applications can come from Dumfries and Galloway-based charities, constituted community groups, co-operatives, public sector organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, and community interest companies.

Harry Harbottle, Chair of the LAG, said: “In Dumfries and Galloway, we have our own distinct local challenges and opportunities. We will, through the newly established autonomous and community led Local Action Group, aim to fund projects that will bring local people together, generate ideas, and share skills to take advantage of these opportunities and address these challenges.”

He said this would take considerable support and the LAG would aim to fund projects that will mobilise communities and local enterprises to better shape their own futures through helping communities deal with the cost-of-living crisis, contribute to the transition to net zero, and increase capacity for place planning in rural areas.

“As chair, I will also be looking to work with communities, decision makers, and enterprises that are, or will become, champions of community led local development to contribute to the Scottish Rural Parliament to seek meaningful policy change with a view to maintain and enhance the quality of life of the rural populations of Dumfries and Galloway,” he added.

Dumfries Museum Unveil ‘First Bike’ Exhibition

Cycling endurance World Record holder Josh Quigley has opened Dumfries Museum’s new First Bike’ exhibition.

Last year Josh broke the record for cycling the furthest distance in a single week, when he completed 2,179 miles in seven days.

Running through August the ‘First Bike’ exhibition showcases the history of bicycles and their impact on the way people live.

This exhibition, part of the Dumfries and Galloway Summer of Cycling, will delve into the themes of freedom, fitness, leisure, and work, highlighting the significant role bicycles have played in people’s lives and society.

‘With the area having such an affinity with the bike, it’s fitting that the Museum is putting on this exhibition to coincide with the UCI Paracycling World Championships. It is great to see so much cycling activity going on across the region this summer, which hopefully will inspire even more people to get out on their bike and explore what Dumfries and Galloway has to offer,’ said Josh.

One of the key exhibits will be the velocipede, the world’s first bicycle, a ground-breaking invention created by Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839. The museum is delighted to have an example of this historic bicycle on display, which predates the first commercial bicycles being designed and produced by nearly thirty years.

To personalise the exhibition Dumfries Museum has invited contributions of photographs featuring individuals with their first bikes These photographs will be prominently showcased, allowing visitors to relate to and appreciate the personal experiences and memories associated with their own first cycling adventures.

Josh was joined at the opening by Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Chair of its CommunitiesCommittee.

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ian Blake said:

‘We are very proud to be home to the inventor of what we know is the first modern bicycle, so what better way to pay homage to Kirkpatrick MacMillan than to showcase his creation at the centre of an exhibition dedicated to cycling. We are delighted too that so many people have chosen to share their memories of their first bike, it is a charming exhibition and well worth a visit.”

Vice Chair of the Committee, Councillor Jackie McCamon said:

‘Dumfries Museum is a treasure trove to explore and enjoy for families, tourists and local residents. I hope that many of the visitors to the World Paracycling Championships will take the time to detour to the Museum, enjoy its panoramic views over Dumfries and be inspired about the history of cycling and bicycles.’

A documentary about Josh’s cycling journey ‘Josh Quigley: Cycling Saved My Life’ is currently available on IPlayer.

The exhibition runs at Dumfries Museum from August 1 to September 2.

Dumfries Hotel Set to Shut Down To Public Amid Unconfirmed Reports of a Change in Operations

Image Credit - facebook.com/MercureDumfries

Recent reports suggest that Mercure at Cargenholm House, one of Dumfries’s newest hotels, is potentially set to close to the public.

While these reports remain unconfirmed, individuals attempting to book accommodation at the hotel for later periods have allegedly been informed about the potential closure.

Earlier this year, the hotel underwent an extensive £3 million refurbishment, transforming the historic Cargenholm House into a modern and inviting hospitality venue. Boasting over 60 bedrooms, the hotel offered a comfortable and enjoyable experience for its guests.

Additionally, with plans to employ up to 35 staff members, it had played a significant role in contributing to the local economy.

The details surrounding the potential closure remain uncertain, and the hotel’s official website is currently offline. Furthermore, a search for bookings on external platforms, such as Booking.com, reportedly returns a message stating, “This property has no availability on our site,” indicating that future reservations may be affected.

Wylie On Course To Reclaim Gt Cup GTO Class Championship Title

WYLIE ON COURSE TO RECLAIM GT CUP GTO CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
credit Egghead Media

Another two GTO class wins sees Dumfries and Galloway Race Ace Ross extend category points advantage

Ross Wylie will head to the penultimate GT Cup Championship event of the season in September with an extended GTO class lead after the Dumfries & Galloway race ace claimed another two wins last weekend (29-30 Jul).

Thornhill’s Wylie, who won the GTO title in 2021, and co-driver Paul Bailey raced the latter’s Lamborghini Huracan at Silverstone. Bailey began Saturday’s 50-minute race around the 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit from ninth place on the 21-car grid and pitted after 25mins for their 105-seconds compulsory driver change stop from ninth overall and leading the GTO class. Wylie lay 16th with 20mins remaining but setting a searing pace, recorded an excellent seventh overall and class victory having also set the fastest GTO category race lap.

Sunday’s race was staged on a very wet track, the 50-minute race starting behind the Safety Car for the first 10mins due to the atrocious conditions, Bailey pitting the Lamborghini from seventh, first in GTO, with 19mins to run. Ross resumed 10th overall but a series of outright fastest race laps in the dire conditions saw Wylie slice his way through to eighth place overall and record a fourth GTO race victory from eight starts this year.

Wylie’s next race action will be on home soil when he contests the latest rounds of the Porsche Carrera GB Cup at Knockhill near Dunfermline over 12-14 August. He will test his Glenturret Porsche at Knockhill next week (9 Aug).

* Thanks to Egghead Media for the photographs

Ross Wylie (GB): Age 31. Born & Lives Thornhill nr Dumfries, Scotland:

“It was a good, fun weekend racing the Lamborghini with the icing on the cake, scoring maximum points in my quest to win the GTO title again.
“Saturday’s race was pretty straightforward but due to the awful weather conditions the following day, I had to work harder.
“Two GT Cup events remain, at Donington Park and Snetterton, but now I’m focussed back on my Porsche Carrera GB Cup programme.
“I have an official Porsche test in my Glenturret 911 at Donington this week in preparation for races there in late August then have a day’s testing at Knockhill next week. That allows the Redline Racing engineers to fine-tune the car to the unique characteristics of my local circuit.
“It also gives me an opportunity to reacquaint myself to Knockhill as although it’s my ‘home’ circuit, I’ve not raced there that often during my 20 year motorsport career – especially in recent years.”

Crichton Ceremony Commemorates Medical Pioneer Dr Flora Murray CBE 

Crichton ceremony commemorates medical pioneer Dr Flora Murray CBE 

A CEREMONY in the Crichton Memorial Church on Friday 28th July 2023 marked the hundredth anniversary of the death of pioneering doctor and suffragette Flora Murray.  

 

Dr Heather Currie MBE, a locum consultant gynaecologist at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, spoke at the commemoration, recognising Dr Murray’s medical achievements.

 

Dr Currie said: “I feel ashamed that I was not aware of this amazing lady and her connection to this area, despite living and working in Dumfries and Galloway for 40 years. I am very thankful to the team for bringing her life to our attention and arranging this event to finally give her the local recognition which is so much deserved and long overdue.
“I am humbled to be asked to speak to represent NHS and women in medicine in particular. I am eternally grateful to Flora for all that she did – not only to change women’s role in medicine, but also their role in society – and for all her dedication, hard work, commitment, as she faced huge obstacles and challenges.
“Her work, and that of others paved the way to make it eventually easier for women to contribute equally, without prejudice or discrimination. More than 60% of medical students in UK are now women and I can say personally that since becoming a doctor I have never felt at a disadvantage from being a woman.
“We still need people like Flora who can identify injustice, face obstacles without giving up, and follow their gut instincts and heart when something is wrong, not just accept that something has always having been done that way. She embodied the suffragette motto of ‘Deeds not words’.”

 

The Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries, Fiona Armstrong, said: “This is a hugely moving service – I have been sitting here with a lump in my throat. This is a story that needs to be more widely told. Between them these extraordinary women performed seven thousand operations – I wonder how many lives they saved?”

 

The ceremony also included addresses by humanist celebrant Lindsey Mason Ross and Andrew Morton, a reader at Dr Murray’s family church, Dalton Parish Church. The Cairn Chorus Choir performed along with piper Lani O’Neill.

 

Dr Murray was born in Murraythwaite House near Dalton, east of Dumfries, in 1869.  After studying medicine at the London School of Medicine for Women she returned to Dumfries in 1903 to work as a medical assistant at the Crichton Royal Institution, which was then a hospital for people with mental illness.

 

With her partner, Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson, she joined the women’s suffrage movement, founded the Women’s Hospital for Children in London in 1912, and provided medical support to the suffrage movement, testifying to Parliament on the effects of force-feeding in prison and caring for campaigners injured during protests.

 

On the outbreak of war in 1914, Drs Murray and Anderson founded the Women’s Hospital Corps, and within six weeks of their arrival in Paris they opened the doors of a new hospital, operating out of a hotel building. Dr Murray was the chief physician and Dr Anderson the chief surgeon.

 

Event organiser DJ McDowall commented: “When the first patients arrived in this hospital, they were very alarmed to see that it was mostly staffed by women, and they thought it meant they had given up on them. But very soon they had developed a huge amount of respect for the staff at the hospital – they were even joining in singing suffragette songs!”

 

In 1915 Dr Murray, Dr Anderson and the rest of their staff moved to London to run the Endell Street Military Hospital.

 

Over the course of the war 50,000 seriously wounded British, Commonwealth and Imperial soldiers were treated at Endell Street and at the Corps hospitals in Paris and Wimereux. Dr Murray used what she had learned at the Crichton, where groundbreaking approaches to the treatment of mental illness were being tested. Endell Street included a library for its patients, and used arts and crafts to help their psychological as well as physical recovery.

 

Both women were awarded the rank of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1917 for their work with the Women’s Hospital Corps. Dr Murray was by this time a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps, the highest-ranked woman in the British armed forces.

 

Dr Murray died aged 54 in 1923 and is buried near her home in Buckinghamshire. She shares her gravestone with Dr Anderson, who died in 1943. The inscription on the gravestone reads: ‘WE HAVE BEEN GLORIOUSLY HAPPY’.

 

 

£100m Framework to Lay the Groundwork for Climate Targets

BUSINESSES in Dumfries and Galloway are being called on to grab a lucrative opportunity to vie for work worth up to £100m to support the country on its net zero journey.

 

A leading procurement expert is urging firms of all sizes to apply for its latest framework, offering property refurbishment and modernisation specialists the chance to bid for a huge range of environmental, electrical, joinery, plumbing and decorative works.

 

One of the key targets of the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s (SPA) latest framework is geared towards tackling Scotland’s 2045 net zero targets by seeking to retrofit and repurpose a wide variety of social housing and public buildings across the country.

 

Lesley Anderson, Regional Director at the Scottish Procurement Alliance, the country’s biggest, free-to-join procurement organisation, says the framework will help public bodies to manage their assets more effectively, comply with regulations, and improve their financial performance, ensuring that public assets are safe, reliable, and cost-effective.

 

Lesley said: “Retrofitting projects will play a huge role in making sure that we take the necessary steps to achieving Scotland’s net zero targets. We are helping councils, social landlords, the NHS and a host of other bodies to achieve what they need to in the most efficient and effective ways.
“The framework is an exciting opportunity for SMEs and larger organisations to get the chance to deliver on meaningful projects within the public sector. It has a huge emphasis on encouraging local supply chains, so we’re also hoping it will have huge benefits to local economies too.”

 

SPA’s 17 frameworks offer an efficient and compliant route to market for the construction, refurbishment and maintenance of social housing and public buildings. It works with 120 partners, including councils, blue light services, the NHS and is particularly renowned for its work with an extensive range of social landlords.

 

Its latest refurbishment and modernisation framework, known as RM3, covers a huge range of works including kitchen and bathroom refits, heating system installations, extensive electrical works, mould prevention, fire safety upgrades, landscaping and other external works and energy efficiency.

 

Lesley added: “Our frameworks are constantly evolving to look at how we can support the public sector and the country as a whole – we’re confident the RM3 will do just that, playing a part to support the country’s wider drive to protect the planet.”

 

Five workstreams for the framework have been split into a series of project value bands to cater for a mix of SMEs able to take on refurbishment works. The workstreams individually contain different value bands ranging from £0 -£2m+.

 

Bidders can apply to operate in Eastern Scotland, West Central Scotland, Scottish Borders, Dumfries, and Galloway, East and North Ayrshire Mainland, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire but are required to be able to demonstrate a turnover of £500k.

 

SPA has emphasised the importance of having SMEs apply and has attended a variety of events targeted to SME’s to raise awareness and discuss opportunities. SPA has also hosted a talking tender session where they help businesses to understand about potential tender opportunities and how to apply.

 

SPA’s 120 partners cover a diverse range of public sector entities from small cooperatives, regional and national registered social landlords (RSLs), as well as local authorities.  It also works with 300 suppliers, mostly SMEs, who deliver services to SPA’s partners.

 

As a proud not-for-profit, SPA’s surpluses are reinvested into Scottish communities through its Community Benefit Fund (CBF) by working with its dedicated charity, Lintel Trust. Since 2017, the CBF has allocated over £1.7 million in grants and match funding to support community groups, charities, and causes, delivering social value of more than £3.9m.

 

Those interested in the framework can apply here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/lhc/aspx/Tenders/Current

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