Category: Features

Holidays are Coming – Christmas Markets and events you must visit this December

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By Nikita Vance

 

Whether you love it or hate it, the run up to Christmas can bring excitement and wonder to even the biggest Scrooges among us. Now we have Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” drilling in our ears everywhere we go, and we’ve all seen the slightly off looking Santa Clause in the shopping centre we can no longer deny it: Christmas is well and truly coming. What better way to get into the festive spirit than the various Christmas Markets and events Scotland has to offer?

Keeping it local, Stirling has a wide array of Christmas events available throughout December guaranteed to keep the little kids (and the big kids at heart) entertained!

 

Christmas Shopping Fayre

 

The Christmas Shopping Fayre returns to Stirling Castle on the 6th of December!

Image Credit: Stirling Castle

The Great Halls will host a variety of local Scottish brands, crafts and fine foods and drink guaranteed to get you excited and prepared for the festive season. There will also be brass band performances throughout the night, and all the mince pies and mulled wine you could dream of!

The fayre is open from 6pm to 9pm, with last entry at 8.15pm. Tickets are £6 per adults and free for children and carers, available here on a limited first-come-first-served basis.

 

 

Christmas Ceilidhs at The Tolbooth

 

It just wouldn’t be Scotland without a Ceilidh, and what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than a traditional festive Ceilidh with the International Ceilidh Collective?

The Tolbooth is hosting afternoon and evening Ceilidhs on the 10th of December for all ages. Doors for the afternoon session open at 2.30pm, while the evening session opens at 7pm with both sessions beginning 30 minutes after doors. Tickets for both sessions are available here.

You don’t have to be a Ceilidh regular to attend! A caller will talk you through all the dances to ensure everyone has fun, and soon you may even become a Ceilidh professional! It’s the perfect opportunity to try something new, and to support the local Arts community.

 

Christmas Spectacular at Blair Drummond

 

Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park’s Christmas Spectacular is back and better than ever! You’re absolutely spoilt for choice, with attractions and experiences that cater for all ages. For £3 per person, you can experience an enchanting story time with Mrs Clause and her elves as she reads “The Night Before Christmas”. Or why not visit their festive fairground and take a spin on the teacups; a drive in the dodgems; a ride on the train and more! Catch Santa on his drive throughs throughout the park several times a day, with his naughty list in tow so be on your best behaviour.

Image Credit: Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park

There’s also a Christmas market which offers all sorts of festive goodies, perfect for getting those last-minute presents out of the way! There are also hot food and drinks on site including hot chocolate from the hot chocolate bar; toasted marshmallows from the fire pits; fish and chips; and (for the adults) gin cocktails courtesy of Stirling Gin.

 

The Christmas Spectacular runs until the 23rd of December from 10am-3.30pm Monday to Friday, and 11am-7pm on Saturdays and Sundays; and between the 21st and 23rd December. Tickets can be booked here, with prices varying depending on which day you plan on going.

 

 

Santa’s Grotto at Thistles

 

Experience the magic of Santa’s Grotto at Thistles Shopping Centre! Your kids can write a letter to Santa; receive a special gift; and take a ride in his magical sleigh. All proceeds go to charity partner Strathcarron Hospice.

The Grotto opens every Saturday and Sunday until the 18th of December, and daily from 19th December – 24th December from 10am to 5pm. (Note: The Grotto closes for lunch between 1pm and 2pm).

Tickets can be booked here, for £6.95 per child. There is a maximum of two adults and four children per time slot, and all children must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years of age.

 

Cut your own Christmas tree at Duff Christmas Tree Farm

 

Pick your perfect tree and make festive memories at Duff Christmas Tree Farm! With over 350,000 trees on site, you’re absolutely spoilt for choice and guaranteed to find the best tree for you.

Their special ‘cut your own Christmas Tree’ experience allows you to choose and cut the tree for yourself, with staff on hand to give you any assistance you may need. They provide you with a saw, but you’re required to bring your own gloves and something you can kneel on. It is also suggested that you bring or wear wellies, as some areas of the far, can be very muddy. There is also a wide selection of pre-cut trees for you to choose from.

Prices for a tree vary based on type and size, and are as follows:

  • Fraser Fir Christmas Tree: 4ft – £35, 5ft – £40, 6ft – £50, 7ft – £60, 8ft – £70, 9ft – £80 – 10ft and above – £10 per foot.
  • Nordman Fir Christmas Tree: 4ft – £35, 5ft – £40, 6ft – £50, 7ft – £60, 8ft – £70, 9ft – £80 – 10ft and above – £10 per foot.

Each weekend in December there will also be various food trucks on site including Traditional artisan pizzas available from Base Pizza, ethically sourced specialty coffee from Fallen Tree Coffee and delicious treats from Flour Bake Girl. The farm also sells their own homemade jams, marmalade, and mince pies.

Duff’s Christmas Tree Farm is open daily until Christmas Eve between 9am and 5pm, and there’s no requirement to pre-book your visit. Perfect for a last-minute outing!

 

 

A Jailhouse Christmas Carol

 

A new festive performance experience at Stirling Old Town Jail takes an original comic spin on the much beloved classic A Christmas Carol. Join the grouchy, scroogey governor of the Old Tolbooth as he’s visited by three spirits – the Cells Ghosts of Prisoners Past – ‘all eager for him to mend his wicked ways and embrace the season of goodwill to ALL convicts’. Guaranteed to be a fun time for all ages!

The performance tour will be running every 30 minutes each weekend between the 3rd and 18th of December, and then daily from the 27th to the 30th of December. You will also have the opportunity to tour the cells of the prison, and the roof-top observation tour which boasts stunning views of Stirling.

Image Credit: What’s On Stirling

Tickets are £12 per adult and £7 per child not including concessions and can be booked here.

 

Support local businesses this Christmas. For all your festive fun, choose Stirling!

Swimmers, Strikes, and Sashes: It’s Graduation Day!

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By Peter Humfrey

 

An eventful end to last week saw more than 1700 students graduate across two days that saw picket lines, a six-time Commonwealth medallist graduate, and controversy over solidarity sashes.

Graduation kicked off on Thursday against backdrop of historic strikes with UCU Stirling members picketing the University main entrance, along with 70,000 academics engaging in strike action across the UK. 

The strikes and graduation inevitably crossed paths in controversial fashion when two graduands were barred from wearing sashes expressing solidarity with UCU members, as they took to the stage to graduate. This prompted outcry on twitter with many raising questions of free speech and criticising the University for it’s stance.

On the Friday, 28-year-old Scottish swimmer, Ross Murdoch, graduated with an M.Sc. Sports Management degree marking an end to an astonishing journey through the University’s high performance program.

In this time he competed at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, and three Commonwealth games, amassing six medals as he became European, Commonwealth, and World champion at various points.

 

Ross Murdoch with his six medals, including three from Birmingham 2022. Image Credit – University of Stirling

 

When asked if he’d make a return to the pool, following last year’s comeback from retirement to win three medals at this years Commonwealth Games, Murdoch admitted, “I still dream about swimming every night.”

On his chances at returning for the Victoria [Australia] 2026 Commonwealth games Murdoch pointed out “I’ve not officially retired”. However cautioned against people getting their hopes up saying:

“I haven’t been training in the pool for several weeks. For me, if I still feel this type of fire in eight or nine months, I could consider the possibility of another Commonwealth Games. But training for a Games is a difficult job and I need to wait and see with everything else – and whether it balances with my life after sport.” 

Ross did seem open to the prospect of returning though saying, “A Commonwealth Games is a massive thing; it really does feel like a family – that feeling of swimming for Scotland, there’s just nothing else like it.”

 

Ross Murdoch taking a dip with his degree. Image Credit – University of Stirling

 

Beyond all the excitement surround swimmers; strikes; and sashes, the University welcomed a number of honorary graduates from across a number of fields, some literal in the case of World Hill and Mountain Running champion, Dr Angela Mudge.

Mudge overcame early childhood disability to shatter record after record on her way to winning four Scottish Hill Running Championships and five British Fell Running Championships.

 

Dr Wackernagel. Image Credit – University of Stirling

Alongside were honorary graduates Dr Malcom Fairweather, for his work as a sports scientist; and Dr Mathis Wackernagel, President of the Global Footprint Network and sustainability champion.

Tesco and other supermarkets hit with price inflation

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By Achilleas Salaveris

 

Inflation in the UK has risen to 11.1%, and the consequences of this have not gone unnoticed. Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, has seen a huge increase in price of even the most basic products across all UK stores – and reported pre-tax profits have risen from £636 million to £2.03 billion since last year.

 

The corporate giant, which dominates 26.9% of the share market – far exceeding all other UK supermarkets – has experienced a sales drop of 1.5% in the first quarter of 2022, as the behaviour of consumers has changed due to the cost of living crisis.

 

The rising cost of food is one of the biggest challenges faced by consumers right now, as the prices of everyday products have increased so much over the last two years – making the same shopping basket almost unaffordable for many people.

Many individuals have been observing the difference in prices on products they usually buy during their typical supermarket trip.

 

Price comparison of basic products from June 2021 to November 2022.

 

Consumers seek bargains in order to afford three square meals per day, or sometimes only two or less. They have to cut back on spending, and one way they achieve this is by switching from name brand products to store branded ones. This switch is mainly between staple items such as bread; beans and cereal.

 

Consumer behaviours have changed in other ways, as they now do more frequent trips to the supermarket and buy less as a way to cope with prices soaring due to inflation.

 

Percentage increase across products, and the basket total price.

 

Of the effect of inflation on the company, Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy said, “We are seeing a higher frequency shopping trips so there’s an elevation in the number of shopping trips, we are seeing basket sizes coming down a little bit”.

 

He also added that “Those staples like pasta, bread and beans is where we’re seeing consumers chose to trade down to the entry level or the core own brand level product”.

Image Credit: Achilleas Salaveris

“We are seeing some early indications of changing behavior as a result of the inflationary environment.”

 

Many consumers turn to competitive supermarkets to do their shopping in search for a better deal. The second most popular supermarket is Sainsbury’s so the comparison of the same shopping bag among the two supermarkets is something many consumers will be considering.

 

Comparison of Tesco and Sainsbury’s prices last month.

 

The inflation in the UK has impacted the wages of people and therefore their ability to buy products. With the increase of the prices the buying capability of people has decreased, and this connection is depicted in the diagram below. It shows the percentage increase of the CPIH, the regular pay affected by the inflation and also the change of the basket.

 

The CPIH (Consumer Prices Index), is a measurement of the inflations, that indicates how more expensive owning and maintaining a household is.

Source: Office for National Statistics, latest data available.

 

The same bag in June 2021 would be £10.20 as opposed to the same bag in November 2022 which would be £13.35.

Billy’s back in new exhibition exploring Bremner’s Raploch roots

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By Peter Humfrey

 

Delving into the past of Scotland and Leeds international, Billy Bremner, researchers at the University of Stirling have worked with the local community to unearth new memories from Billy’s life.

 

The online exhibition features key details about a confident and gifted boy from the Raploch, born William John Bremner, in 1942. Billy was described as sure of himself, even “brash”, and this would translate into his skill with a football, and his no-nonsense play at Leeds United.

 

The exhibition is the sum of work from researcher, Professor Richard Haynes, who has worked closely with St Modan’s High, where he went to school, and the Raploch community Billy once frequented. The project also includes a heritage trail starting at the Raploch Community Campus passing through the streets Bremner used to call home before finishing near Sainsburys, where Gowanhill United used to be based. There is also a campaign to create a memorial here for Billy.

 

Haynes underlined Billy’s stardom in the 1960s and 70s and underlined how important it was to preserve local stories now as his friends and acquaintances  enter old age. He stressed that “ these memories were in danger of being lost for good.”

 

Gowanhill United 1957-58, Billy Bremner at the front on the left.
Image Credit – Fae Raploch to Elland Road Exhibition, University of Stirling

 

Bremner started off his youth career at Gowanhill United before eventually moving to Leeds United, racking up a massive 587 caps and 91 goals from midfield.

 

Billy’s decision to head south was surprising considering his love of Celtic but, in the exhibition, William McQuillian recounts how Billy’s French teacher, Mr Sykes, told Bremner not to play for the Hoops, but to “get yourself south”.

 

After his time at Leeds, Bremner would play for a few seasons at Hull City, before finishing his career at Doncaster Rovers.

 

Working his way up from the Scotland Schoolboys, Bremner would go on to rack up 54 caps and 3 goals over a decade of appearances for the Scotland national team. He is generally considered by many to be one of the greatest players to ever represent Scotland, and turned out for the famous 3-2 victory at Wembley in 1967. Billy would go on to captain his country in the 1974 World Cup, with the team coming within goal difference of getting out of a group containing Yugoslavia and defending world champions, Brazil.

 

In covering this exhibition The Stirling Scope has reached out on social media to Stirling locals for their memories and stories of Billy. Amongst the many replies it was impossible to find a bad word said by anyone, showing how loved Bremner was as a larger-than-life figure.

 

A former chief technician from the university, Bob Lavery, 69, attended St Modan’s and later worked there. He described how Bremner was looked upon as “a real hero” at the school. He went on to outline a funny story about Mr Sykes and some graffiti that said “BB is brilliant”.

 

Billy Bremner at a photo call for Leeds in 1960.
Image Credit – Fae Raploch to Elland Road Exhibition, University of Stirling

 

“He at first thought the graffiti was Brigitte Bardot [a famous French actress]. He didn’t approve but he said at least the pupils are interested in something French! He was relieved to hear that it was in fact Billy Bremner the graffiti was about!”

 

He went on to talk about how he’d seen Bremner play on a few occasions for Scotland and seen Billy score for Leeds United in the European Cup semi final against Celtic in 1970.

 

“He opened the scoring with a stunning goal! The crowd at Hampden was and still is the record crowd for a European match, Billy Bremner actually silence around 140,00 fans! The ground was silent after the goal. Fortunately Celtic back and won 2-1 to reach the final”

 

Another local, Neil Mcrobbie, 59, talks about how “When I was very young in the Cornton he srtopped and had a kick about with us! Always been my favourite non Celtic footballer!”

 

Bremner would later enjoy a career in management taking in two stints at Doncaster Rovers, seperated by a 3 year period, 1985-1988, as Leeds United manager.

 

In his final years Bremner resided in the village of Clifton, near Doncaster, where he sadly passed away from a suspected heart attack in 1997, days before his 55th birthday.

 

Bremner memorial flagstone at Riverside Walk on the heritage trail
Image Credit – Fae Raploch to Elland Road Exhibition, University of Stirling

 

A researcher from the project, Dr Karen Fisher praised the reactions and summed up what he meant to those who engaged with project.

 

“It was an honour to talk to people who knew Billy as a friend before he became the footballing legend, and to record their thoughts. Their pride and affection for him shone through as they spoke about his talent, his humour and sense of fun, his loyalty to his friends, his love of Raploch and the fact that he never really left this behind, even when miles away playing and then managing.”

 

For those wishing to find out more about Billy’s journey “Fae Raploch to Elland Road” [Leeds United’s home ground], you can find the exhibition and information about the heritage walk here.

Zookeepers delight as six-week-old white rhino already weighs similar to a piano

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By Nikita Vance

 

Morag, who got her name through an online poll ran by the park, was born on 12th October at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park to parents Dot and Graham. She is the sixth rhino calf born at the park, as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Endangered Species Breeding Programme – designed to ensure the safeguarding and maintenance of healthy rhino populations for the future of the species.

Keepers at the park had to spend a lot of time building the trust of the southern white rhino calf, to get her used to the scales.

On the 28th October, Morag weighed in at a whopping 23 stone 8lbs (149kg), with the parks’ Large Mammal Keeper, Alex Wainwright saying, “she has more than doubled in weight since she was first born.

Image via PA Wire

“This increase is in line with the milestones we would expect to see with our rhino calves.

“Capturing these measurements is vital in ensuring that our animals are healthy, eating well and growing at an appropriate rate. Weight is an especially important indicator of health and wellbeing, and we are delighted that Morag is growing as she should.”

 

Students show support for striking lecturers and staff at Stirling University

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By Nikita Vance

 

Students at the University of Stirling joined their lecturers and other university staff in their three-day strike action over pay; pensions; and working conditions. The action, which is taking place across 150 universities, has been deemed by the University and College Union (UCU) to be “the biggest in the history of higher education”.

The strikes, which took place on November 24th; 25th; and 30th, came after nearly 400 University of Stirling UCU members voted in favour of the strike action. Senior lecturer in Social Work, Sara Hitchin described the need for further strike action – following several years of strike periods – as “a little bit soul-destroying” and added that “it feels as though we’ve been on strike every year for as many years as I can remember.”

Another lecturer at the University, Dr. Diane Critchley, shared this same frustration adding, “These disputes have been ongoing for all the time I’ve worked in academia… despite [previous strikes], we haven’t resolved any of the fights that have been on the table over that time.

“I voted for strike action as I felt like it was the right thing to do and hope this targeted approach will have some impact.”

Speaking to students at the picket line, there was a strong sense of support and camaraderie from the students towards the striking university staff. It became very clear that these students were willing to help in any way they can, in order to ensure that the demands of the University of Stirling’s UCU members are met.

University of Stirling NUS delegate, Ludovico Caminati, shared his view that “students need to take more action [by] supporting the lecturers and contacting the Uni, saying that ‘we are dissatisfied with the behaviour you have towards our lecturers, we think that you should give them better conditions, better pay, better pension, so that they can work better for us too.”

Caminati’s viewpoint was shared widely throughout the students in attendance at the picket line, and Stirling Solidarity Space have since released an informative video explaining the need for strike action and encouraging students to join their lecturers in their ongoing ‘conflict’ with the University;

Chair of the Stirling University Labour Society, Aaron Caulfield, was also very frank when asked about why students should support their striking lecturers. He said, “Students have to recognise that the striking staff are fighting not only for themselves, but for the community at large – there is a direct correlation between the pay and conditions of our teaching staff and the quality of the education we receive, and we should not let Universities exploit lecturers with this rollback of workers’ rights.

“Looking further into the future also these staff are fighting for improvement of the conditions we students will find ourselves facing if we enter academia.”

He was also very clear that “the only acceptable outcome of this period of industrial action is the acceptance of the UCU’s demands of an RPI+2% or 12% pay rise, whichever greater, and improvement to the working conditions faced by staff within higher educational institutions – Universities must engage in good-faith dialogue towards meeting these demands.”

Stirling University students deeply affected by UK wide student Housing Crisis

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By Nikita Vance

 

The lack of affordable private housing and spaces available in university accommodations has had a detrimental impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of students across Scotland.

Students in Stirling have been pushed to the limit trying to find suitable accommodation for the academic year, as prior to the semester starting in September the University of Stirling announced that in person attendance would be compulsory following two years of online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Facebook groups like “Rent a Flat in Stirling” have been brimming with posts from Stirling students begging for any accommodation they can get. Some have even been forced into blind bidding on flats due to the sheer demand for housing, as fourth year sociology student Matty Millar stated “There was either nothing or if we found something, it was gone within an hour,”

“We managed to get a viewing for one place and the landlord sat us down and said last year people offered to pay more and asked if we would be happy to do the same. We said yes and a couple of days later, an email went round saying they were doing a blind bid for the flat. At that point, we just backed out.”

Millar is currently having to live with his parents in Glasgow and commutes to Stirling each day via train, a debilitating and stressful task due to the ongoing train strikes since the summer which show no signs of stopping.

Nikita Vance speaks to the University of Stirling and VP of Communities, Jess Reid, to find out what they plan to do to curb the student housing issues.

Stirling train station undergoes £5 million makeover

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By Achilleas Salaveris

 

Stirling train station and the area around is in the process of a £5 million makeover.

The project, which began on 18th July, is set to be completed in Spring 2023, The aim of the project is to provide safe areas for pedestrians and cyclists, which will deliver “greener” and more sustainable transportation options in Stirling.

Funding for the project was provided by the Scottish government and Network Rail Scotland, with the project itself being delivered by Sustrans Scotland in collaboration with Stirling Council.

Michael Melton Grant, Manager of Sustrans Scotland, hopes that “this will create a more people focused entrance to Stirling station.”

The areas of the train station receiving a ‘makeover’ include:

  • Refurbishment of the station entrance canopy.
  • Creating a pedestrianised plaza around the station.
  • Improved customer waiting facilities on platforms 2 and 3 and new public toilets.
  • The creation of a Cyclepoint with 150 additional cycle parking spaces and a small maintenance area. This will also enhance the e-bike offering on the station forecourt, which is already very popular.
  • Pedestrianisation of the current station forecourt, replacing the roundabout on Goosecroft Road with a T-junction and a new car park entrance created from Burghmuir Road.
  • Existing bridge top deck waterproofing works in advance of the forecourt works.
  • Taxis being relocated out with the station area to the city centre, also managed by Stirling Council.

These improvements will make the station safer due to the reduction of traffic, which includes a reduction of taxis waiting in front of the station. Taxi drivers have been left frustrated by this, as the renovations and subsequent permanent change has been damaging to business thus far.

One taxi driver says, “It has affected us really really bad; we would normally sit at the train station picking up hires now people are walking, I have less hires and I don’t think I’ll get any more”

Others have also complained that the lack of a taxi rank at the improved station will affect business further.

Image Credit: Achilleas Salaveris

Alongside the reduction of traffic, new bike routes will provide better travelling connections between the city centre and the University of Stirling campus.

Some employees working on the train station are awaiting this project with excitement, saying “it will worth it when it is done”.

However, some are not so keen on the proposed changes; “The Stirling Council changed the road system a few years ago, they made it one way, and the people were getting stuck in the Thistle centre, and they cannot park, so I personally think it is not going to work”.

According to the works manager the biggest concern of the whole project was the condition of the bridge deck. It had been noticed that the deck was suffering from corrosion in the concrete, due to weather and age. Luckily, it was found that the condition of the deck was solid, which made re-construction and repair to the bridge easier.

Of the project, Jenny Gilruth MSP, Minister for Transport, said “We welcome the start of this latest phase in the Stirling Station redevelopment, marking further Scottish Government investment in Scotland’s Railways.

“This is a great example of how we are working closely with our industry and local partners to significantly enhance passenger facilities at this station, as well as improve the active travel links between the station and the Stirling community.

Image Credit: Achilleas Salaveris

‘Our aim is to encourage more people from the Stirling area to want to travel by train while also choosing more sustainable ways to get to and from the station whether that is by bus, walking, wheeling or cycling.

“We also want to drive local economic benefits by encouraging more people to visit Stirling by rail to explore the city and the surrounding areas.

“This is all part of our vision for rail services going forward; services which are attractive, efficient, passenger focussed and provide best value for money.”

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