Tourism businesses on the Isle of Arran are considering staying closed until 2021 amid continuing concern over the lack of ferry capacity serving the island, it emerged this week.

CalMac, the state-owned ferry operator, introduced a new timetable at the weekend which increased the number of sailings serving the main Ardrossan to Brodick route.

READ MORE: But there are fears the additional sailings will not be enough to support the island’s tourism industry.

Meanwhile, one Scottish hotel took nearly 1,000 bookings in the first hour of opening reservations for al fresco eating and drinking and now plans a second marquee.

READ MORE: The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen took 996 reservations in the first hour of bookings opening for "The Gallery Al Fresco Experience", which will open on July 8, from Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 10pm. Within two hours, the total had risen to nearly 1,400 bookings.

Also this week, Scottish accountancy veteran Aidan O’Carroll is drawing a line under his 35-year career at EY as he enters what he describes as “the next phase” of his professional life.

READ MORE: He will continue in his role as chair of the IoD in Scotland – a post he has held for the last two years – and is looking to expand his work as a non-executive director.

Clydesdale Bank owner Virgin Money has come under fire after resuming plans for widespread branch closures in Scotland which it put on hold because of the coronavirus.

READ MORE: The programme will result in the group closing seven Clydesdale Bank branches and five Virgin Money outlets in Scotland.

ClearWater Hygiene, an Edinburgh-headquartered business launched just 12 weeks ago in response to the coronavirus outbreak, said this week it is on course to generate more than £30 million in revenue after securing a raft of significant corporate contracts across the UK.

READ MORE: The company, founded by husband and wife team Andrew and Rachel Montague, produces hand sanitiser aimed at protecting workers and the wider public in the fight against Covid-19.

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And finally ... Commsworld has landed a £15 million contract with Renfrewshire Council to upgrade its connectivity.