More than £7 million awarded in City Heritage Trust grants

Funding of almost £8 million has been awarded for heritage projects in Scotland’s six cities. The  grants from Historic Scotland will be used to enhance conservation areas and maintain historic sites.

Edinburgh projects already mentioned include work on monuments in Greyfriars Kirkyard, repairs to an original Victorian shop front, and restoration of a 19th Century listed building. Dundee will see work take place within conservation areas, including work on ‘at risk’ buildings, together with further investment in the Riverside and Crown conservation areas of Inverness.

The grants are good news, especially at the moment when purse strings are being tightened, so something somewhere has to be suffering. Something that could happen under such circumstances is the assumption that big or well-known high-profile cities can look after themselves, and have some sort of magical pot of money that can be drawn on, unlike smaller conurbations. However, as one who lives in one of those ‘big, rich cities’, I know this is far from the case, having watched many worthy building fall into decay, ruin, and eventual vandalism and demolition.

Listing etc is all well and good, but apart from legal status and little protection, it does not come with any funds to maintain or restore properties.

Press release:

6 February 2012

Historic Scotland has announced that it will be offering £7.69m in City Heritage Trust grants over the next three years to Scotland’s six cities. The grants are designed to safeguard and enhance conservation areas, the historic environment and sense of place.

Glasgow will receive £2,550,000, Edinburgh will receive £2,145,000, and Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Stirling will each receive £750,000.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said: “It is vital that we continue to improve the quality of our Scottish cities to make them better places to live, work and invest.

“Managing our historic environment creatively also contributes to sustainable economic growth by growing Scotland’s construction industry and increasing the availability and quality of traditional skills and materials. Using new skills and sustainable materials in the adaptation of existing buildings will also help support the historic environment’s transition to a low carbon economy.

“This investment builds on our Agenda for Cities and £7 million Cities Investment Fund, which has been launched to build the momentum to make sure our cities and their regions make the fullest possible contribution to sustained economic recovery – stimulating economic recovery and job creation.”

via Scotland’s six cities to benefit by £7.69 million in Historic Scotland grants.

There was further information appended to the release, which helps to explain some of the terms referred to in the release:

• The Year of Creative Scotland begins on January 1, 2012 and will spotlight and celebrate Scotland’s cultural and creative strengths on a world stage. Through a dynamic and exciting year-long programme of activity celebrating our world-class events, festivals, culture and heritage, the year puts Scotland’s culture and creativity in the international spotlight with a focus on cultural tourism and developing the events industry and creative sector in Scotland. More information about the programme can be found at: Year of Creative Scotland 2012 – VisitScotland. The Year of Creative Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership by EventScotland, VisitScotland, Creative Scotland and VOCAL.
• More information and resources to help businesses engage with Year of Creative Scotland are available at VisitScotland.org > Year of Creative Toolkit
• More information about the Agenda for Cities can be found at Scotland’s Cities: Delivering for Scotland – In Collaboration with Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling

Crathes Castle hosts Enchanted Castle sound and light event

We mentioned the original event at Pitlochry a few weeks ago – The Enchanted Forest – a 2011 sound and light extravaganza at Pitlochry

Now it seems the same event is spawning ‘extra bits’ (and if you are thinking of attending, then CHECK in advance, since some shows are already sold out! )…

Crathes Castle, Garden and Estate, on Royal Deeside, will play host to a stunning display of light and sound installations as part of the Enchanted Castle event.

Director of GM events Gerry Muldoon said: “We’re expecting over 7500 people and we have people coming from all over the UK people – from London, Manchester and Birmingham. There’s been interest from all over UK and we’re delighted.

…Mr Muldoon said he now hoped the spectacular would become an annual event at the Deeside venue.

“We’re already planning a date for next year,” he said.

“We’re not aware of any other event in UK with a light show at a 16th century castle and gardens and estate. There’s nowhere quite like this.”

A host of entertainers including jugglers and magicians will also be wandering the grounds.

The event will run from November 23-27.

via Magical castle event poised to open to public | Aberdeen and North | STV News.

Contact details and further information can be found here:

The Enchanted Castle – Crathes Castle – Introduction

Aberdeen kitten survives hour long washing machine cycle

I don’t know how many of her lives eight-week-old kitten Princes used up, but the total has to be less than nine after she came through a wash and spin cycle after climbing into the family’s washing machine, and spending about an hour in there as the cycle completed.

Her owners only discovered the curious kitty when they opened the door to empty the machine, and found the kitten clinging to a pair of jeans.

They dried and tried to warm the shivering and shocked pet, then rushed by taxi to the vet, where she was treated for the effects of fluid inhalation, bruising, and soap damage to her eyes, but the good news was that none of the injuries were severe, and after the first night she was found to be recovering, needing only a couple of days care at the vet before returning home.

But her owners will be watching closely, as it looks as if Princess still likes to play with clothes, and they eventually end up in the washing machine.

via BBC News – Kitten survives hour in Aberdeen washing machine spin

And Soggy moggy: Kitten survives 50-minute spin in washing machine | Aberdeen City News | STV Local

BBC News – Appeal after cat found abandoned in carrier in Aberdeen

An appeal has been launched after a cat was found abandoned in carrier in Aberdeen:

The cat was found abandoned in the Bucksburn area of Aberdeen

A cat was left abandoned in a pet carrier in Aberdeen by a “cruel and irresponsible” owner, the Scottish SPCA has said.

The black and white male cat was found in the Bucksburn area with a small amount of dry food and no water.

The animal charity has appealed for help to trace the culprit.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Fiona McKenzie said: “The cat’s owner couldn’t have been sure he would be found as he was left in quite a remote area.”

She explained: “It was obvious that the cat had been dumped as he was locked in the pet carrier.

“This was a cruel and irresponsible act.

“He’s a big friendly cat and he’s in good health. However, he wasn’t wearing an identity tag and there was no microchip so we have been unable to trace his owner.”

The charity wants to hear from anyone with information about the 9 June discovery.

via BBC News – Appeal after cat found abandoned in carrier in Aberdeen.

I would add that while I sympathise and agree to a degree with the attitude of the SSPCA and the statement made about the owner, at this stage they do not know the circumstances that led to someone who clearly had looked after the cat, and had a cat carrier and food to hand, and not everyone who has a pet also has a brain the size of a plan, or thinks clearly of some sort of overriding tragedy strikes them unaware. The owner may even have been someone with mental difficulties, and had been given the cat by someone well-meaning, but not aware of what might happen.

Ambulance crew refuses to allow guide dog to accompany blind woman to Aberdeen hospital

I saw an example of the sort of ridiculous consequences I predicted from allowing Jobsworth’s to exercise their power by using the excuse of ‘health and safety’, and of untrained persons being allowed to exercise decisions on the same basis.

The crew of an ambulance provided to take a blind woman with terminal cancer to hospital for treatment refused to allow her guide dog to accompany her. Their reason given was they dog needed a special harness that could be bolted to the ambulance floor. Worse still, when she asked the crew to consult with their control, they refused.

Ultimately, she was forced to travel alone to receive treatment, and spent six hours alone in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, without her guide dog to help her.

The polite word is ridiculous, and the crew’s non-cooperative response regarding contacting their control is simply inexcusable if true, and should be a disciplinary matter. Even if the answer had been a categoric NO, if they gave a damn about patient care, they should have made the call.

One has to ask what sort of training they had, and what sort of people they were anyway, and were of the right attitude for such a patient-facing job. As representatives of the ambulance service, they’re not a very good advert. Even if you think you might not be able to help, outright refusal of a request for help from a blind person, and one attending cancer treatment, is nothing short of callous.

A spokesman for the Scottish ambulance Service said: “We will be writing to the patient concerned to apologise for any inconvenience caused and assure her that the appropriate steps have now been taken to make sure that this does not happen again and that her guide dog can accompany her in future.”

Mrs McCafferty added: “An apology is no good. I’m not only with dealing with being blind but I have terminal cancer. It’s so important for me to have my dog. I feel like I’ve been discriminated.”

Blind woman refused guide dog in ambulance | Aberdeen and North | STV News

The STV report is worth taking a moment to review, as it contains a video interview with Mrs McCafferty, where she gives her first-hand account of the event.

Later report

However, the patient-transport crew refused to allow the Labrador to go in the ambulance taking her from her home in the Aberdeenshire town of Peterhead to Aberdeen, wrongly claiming the dog required a special harness which could be bolted to the floor.
…

Mrs McCafferty, who has been registered blind since 2009, said last night: “It’s disgusting.

“I was crying when they forced me to leave Garner at home.

“On the drive through to Aberdeen, they were telling me it was their policy not to take dogs in the ambulance.

“They said that if I’d told them that the dog was coming with me, they would have ordered a special harness to bolt him to the floor.

“I’d never heard anything like it. He’s never needed a harness to travel before.

…

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed last night that Mrs McCafferty should not have been told to leave her dog at home.

999 crew ban cancer patient’s guide dog for health and safety – Scotsman.com News

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

I had a quick look at the Guide Dogs web site: Guide Dogs home

But could not spot any particular reference to travel in ambulances.

I’m not too surprised, since I think the mere thought that this should be a problem within one of the caring services verges on the ridiculous.

However, I did spot a recent vote of approval in The European Parliament on January 31, 2011, of the text of new rights which will be observed by EU governments, including the UK government, regarding travel on buses and coaches.

Guide Dogs eu agrees new rights to benefit disabled and older bus passengers

While this does not come into force until 2013, importantly, the rights contained will apply to all journeys, including local bus services.

Until then, UK charities will continue to campaign to see these regulations implemented without delay, in line with commitments made when the UK government ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Giant hole of Rubislaw Quarry suggested as diving centre

It’s funny how you can spend years near something famous, yet have no idea it is there.

Only a few metres from various North Sea oil and gas offices I used to frequent lies one of the largest man-made holes in Europe. Closed in the 1971. what was once Rubislaw Quarry is now a 140+ metre deep(120 metre wide) pool, pond, loch, or lake, depending on your preferred description. I found out about it around five years ago, but had no idea it would turn out to be almost literally in the same Rubislaw Drive I used to head for. You can hide a lot behind a fence and a bit of greenery.

A team of divers recently surveyed its depths, venturing down to 105 metres – not too surprisingly, they found some rusting quarry equipment.

The divers suggested the former quarry could be used as a diving centre, and the new owners – who bought the site in the summer of 2010 – have indicated that they would consider such a proposal.

The price appears to be undisclosed, so we only know that offers over £30,000 were invited, with the agents saying they were ‘inundated’ with enquiries for the site, which had not been sold for 150 years.

The old quarry is credited as the source of Aberdeen’s name of the Granite City.

BBC News – Rubislaw Quarry in Aberdeen could become diving centre

Two offshore renewable projects win over £100 million EU funding

Nice to see the announcement of two offshore renewable projects winning over £100 million of European Union (EU) funding.

The EU energy commissioner has confirmed a grant of £36 million (40 million euros) for a proposed offshore wind farm near Aberdeen.  The Aberdeen Bay project would see some 23 wind turbines sited between one and three miles offshore, in an area extending about three miles from the Bridge of Don to Blackdog. The scheme is a joint venture between Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and Swedish utility company Vattenfall.

A further £67 milion (74 million euros) has also been approved for an offshore platform to be located between Shetland and the Scottish mainland, which will be part of the North Sea Grid, and will permit the connection of wind farms in eight European countries.

Tivoli Theatre Aberdeen

Tivoli Theatre Aberdeen © Colin Smith

Ambitious plans to re-open Aberdeen’s historic Tivoli Theatre within the next three years got a boost with the news of its sale, and that work on the building could begins as soon as September.

The building dates from 1872, and saw its last live performance in 1966, then followed the pattern of most such establishments by becoming a bingo hall before it finally closed in 1977, and joined the ranks of similar venues as it was left abandoned, derelict, and decaying.

The building has changed hands a few times over the years, but has not been bought by a businessman who plans to spend some £5 million over the next three years to restore it to its former grand condition.

The Tivoli Theatre Trust has been working to see new life breathed into the venue for some time, and the news of its sale has been welcomed.

The trust’s Celia Walker said: “I think it’s great news for the Tivoli because it means work will be able to start much earlier we than we would have been able to start.”

She added the “wonderful” building has been deteriorating recently, but that it “does have a tremendous number of supporters in the city”.

Aberdeen wind farm will be offshore

Placing wind farms where they should always have been – out of sight and offshore where the reliable and powerful wind lies – the waters between Bridge of Don and Black Dog off the coast of Aberdeen look set to see a wind farm development following the confirmation of a 40 million euro funding boost from the European Union.

The plan should see 23 turbines installed between one and three miles offshore.

The wind farm project is a joint venture between Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and Swedish utility company Vattenfall.

Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said: “Other countries like Sweden and Holland have already built large-scale offshore wind farms, but no-one has done so yet in the kind of challenging environment found in the northern North Sea.

Anacondas and other snakes

Interestingly, the news comes at the same time as the announcement of the Anaconda wave power device, developed by Checkmate UK, and being tested in the tanks of a QinetiQ facility in Gosport, Hampshire. The device is basically a huge rubber, water filled tube, which depends on the distortion and bulges of it walls – caused by the motion of the waves against it – to gather energy, which is transferred to turbines at the end of the tube, which then drive generators.

It is claimed that a group of 50 full-size Anacondas – each 200 metres long – could provide electricity for 50,000 homes, and the seas off the northen Scottish coast are identified as one of the potential location for the devices.

This is still a new idea, and the developers will need to achieve very long lifetimes for the device together with very high reliability, qualities required to withstand decades of battering by the waves , and these will have to be reconciled and combined with low capital and maintenance costs and high-energy conversion efficiency.

Although it seems to have missed the online news reports, or I just can’t find it because I don’t know the product or project name, there was also news this week of a similar, but mechanically based device which worked in a similar way to the Anaconda, and is also a snake-like device. I only saw one short report on the news, and there didn’t seem to be a repeat on later programmes.

In this case, the device consisted of a number of  long floating cylinders connected as a chain. Between each of the long cylinders is a smaller cylinder containing a pump connected by sliding links to the larger cylinder on either side. As the chain or snake follows the waves, the flexing cause the links operate the pumps inside the smaller cylinder, and these are then used to drive turbines, and then generators.

Although the system is flexible, being made of metal and containing mechanical linkages and pumps which have to lie in the waves means the system – as seen in the version that was reported at least – has many mechanical parts exposed to the elements, which would need to be appropriately engineered and maintained to ensure their longevity in that exposed and hostile sea environment. Perhaps later developments could separate the parts in some way, and have the minimum of mechanical parts exposed, while mounting pumps, turbines, and generators remotely, and more protected.

I hope this one is reported again.

Doonies Farm story continues

We didn’t expect to still be writing the odd entry, or any entries all for that matter, after the announcement of the immininet closure of Doonies rare breeds farm was made back in February (2008). This was part of a number of cost saving measures announced by Aberdeen City City Council, and like the Bon Accord baths closure, and what appears to be nearly all of the council cost saving cuts, proven hugely unpopular and refuses to go away without a fight. Both resulted in campaign and petitions to fight the planned closure, and the council has been forced to address public concerns.

The farm has been provided with a business plan put together by the Friends of Doonies, and an initial six month trial period has been assigned in order to see how effective the plan is. At the same time, negotiations will continue with regard to a longer term lease, and the council has sought the provision of a contingency plan for closure of the farm if its running costs cannot be met.