Father to son

TOM Stewart, the entrepreneur aiming to develop a £3.5 million hotel in Paisley, puts the peripatetic nature of his career down to his father's influence.

Mr Stewart, now leading a property development firm after working as a civil engineer and architect, said: "I'm a farmer's son from Elgin. When you are brought up on a farm, what drives you is everyday work - it is just part of your life. Every year my father developed the business, going in new directions, going up one way streets, sometimes stopping and going back.

"But by the time his farm was sold it was a multi-faceted business - it just rubs off."

On our bikes

THE Bottom Line was interested to see that the only two businesses shortlisted in the UK-wide Best Small Shop Competition were cycle stores.

Belhaven Bikes, in Dunbar, and Kirkcowan Cycles, in Newton Stewart, have made it through to the final 20 in a competition which drew more than 300 entries from book shops, convenience stores, delis, jewellers and cycle shops.

Could it be that Scots are getting on their bikes and to finally shed their sick man of Europe tag?

Or is it merely a sign of where we are in the economic, er, cycle?

Taxing question

THE tax affairs of the rich and powerful are garnering plenty of airtime these days.

Responding to the comments from England manager Roy Hodgson that Wayne Rooney, above, had not dived but taken evasive action to avoid injury as he earned a penalty for Manchester United in their FA Cup match against Preston North End, one fan texted to a radio station: "Was it evasion or avoidance?"

Gifts for life

ROYAL London's boss Phil Loney's warning that pensions reforms might turn out to be George Osborne's "infamous political blunder" rather took the shine off its product launch.

The mutual's over-50s funeral payout plan has the highest pay-out in the market and is taking on market leader Sun Life, whose TV advertising has Michael Parkinson offering "a free Parker pen just for inquiring".

Parky doesn't tell you that anyone signing up then has a choice of welcome gifts - a pocket camcorder, a 20-inch TV or a 7-inch tablet.

Live now pay later?

Spirit flowing

THESE are exciting times for the Glasgow Distillery Company, which is on track to bring the first new single malt out of the city in more than a century.

The company, whose inaugural product, Makar Gin, was launched last year, has taken delivery of whisky stills and begun the process of making malt at Hillington.

With the spirit also flowing at the new Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife, there is plenty to toast in Scotland's small distilling industry.

Listen ear

IT might be the best opening gambit we have received in a press release preamble.

Writing on behalf of an Edinburgh software company, which has moved into the 3D audio market, the public relations specialist stated: "I am writing to you on behalf of Two Big Ears..."

Sadly there was no mention of Noddy.