THE FORMER chief executive of an Aberdeen-based oil services business has teamed up with a local publican to buy Peterculter bar and restaurant The Ploughman.

Alistair Dornan, who was chief executive of Sigma Offshore between 2008 and 2014 and worked at Shell and Exodus Group earlier in his career, has joined forces with Simon Cruickshank to run the new venture. Mr Cruickshank also owns the Richmond Arms in Peterculter.

They have bought The Ploughman from husband and wife team Graeme and Shirley Wight, who are retiring after 33 years at the establishment. All employees have been retained as part of the deal.

Mr Dornan said he was looking forward to working alongside Mr Cruickshank to develop The Ploughman “into a truly outstanding experience.”

“The Ploughman is an institution and the opportunity to purchase it was too good to turn down,” he said.

Mr Cruikshank agreed, noting that he and Mr Dornan plan to follow in Mr and Mrs Wight’s footsteps by retaining the establishment’s traditional Scottish pub theme and will be looking to engage with local food and drink suppliers to help them achieve that.

“It’s important we support the suppliers right on our doorstep and I believe it’s what our customers want to see as well,” he said.

Prior to buying The Richmond in 2004 Mr Cruickshank had owned and run the nearby Bieldside Inn for 13 years.

Mr Dornan, meanwhile, began his career working at Rolls-Royce while studying mechanical engineering at the University of Strathclyde, before joining Shell on a graduate training scheme.