The Herald:

HELLO and welcome to the AM Business Briefing, as Royal Dutch Shell has warned over a hit of around £294 million from Hurricane Ida in the US Gulf of Mexico, and the average UK house price jumped by around £4,400 in September, pushing it to a new high of £267,587, according to an index.

Property values jumped by 1.7% month on month and by 7.4% on an annual basis, Halifax said. 

Revolution Bars has reported sales "well ahead" of its expectations since restrictions were relaxed and the hospitality firm was able to reopen all of its venues.

Revolution operates 67 bars across the UK after it shut six sites, with the loss of around 130 jobs, as part of a restructuring following the heavy impact of the pandemic last year.

Also today, two Scottish dentists are expanding after major investments, 'in demaned' housing stock has been handed over to Highland Council by property developer Ark Estates, and Menzies has set new targets for females in mnagement roles.

Scottish dentist in £1m double buy-out

A Perthshire dental firm founded by a Scottish Young Dentist of the Year has invested £1.1m to buy two new businesses, expanding its portfolio to seven practices.

Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic was founded as a blank canvas in Pitlochry, Highland Perthshire, in 2007 by Chris Barrowman.

However, following the acquisition of Duns Dental Practice and Callander Dental Practice, it now has a foothold in three different areas, with an 8th practice also in the pipeline in the village of Killin near Loch Tay.

Despite economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic, investments totalling £2.6m in the past 3 years means Infinityblu now looks after 30 000 NHS and private patients. 

Ninety staff are employed, or work on a self employed basis, with five new dentists set to join in the next two months, "bucking a nationwide trend which has seen the UK dental jobs market flatline".

Infinityblu now operates in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff, Auchterarder and Alyth in Perthshire, with the new practice in Duns giving it its first berth in the Scottish Borders.

The purchase of the Callander practice means the brand is also now expanding into Stirlingshire; something which the expected Killin opening in February 2022 will help to augment.

Discussions are actively ongoing to grow the company’s presence further in the Borders with the aspiration of becoming the primary provider of general dentistry, Invisalign, implants and specialist oral surgery.

“It is a really exciting time for the company and the staff,” said Clinical Director and Owner Chris, who still works in all practices, specialising in placing implants and mentoring Implantology across the business.

“Our initial base has been Perthshire but we have always looked at other areas with similar demographics and populations; market-type towns with strong communities.

“The aim is to take the brand and the focus on personalised patient care, which has been the core of what we do, out to these new areas and replicate the service our patients want.

“We’ve worked hard to grow, and invest back into the company at every turn, and we intend to continue that in a positive way.”

While company growth has focused, in the main, on purchasing and rebranding existing businesses, the Killin practice move will be the third time Infinityblu has "started from zero".

Around £250 000 is to be invested into the practice there, providing a completely new service for the local community.

Infinityblu has also spent considerable sums in relocating, refurbishing, and transforming its Auchterarder base from a single surgery to a three surgery practice earlier this year.

“It’s been a busy time and we’ve had a big recruitment drive as well,” added Chris.

“It’s fantastic to be developing a great team within the business.”

Meanwhile a Glasgow-based dental business has acquired its sixth dental surgery in a bid to further expand its footprint, with support from Bank of Scotland.

Smart Dental Holdings is managed by clinical director Dr Michael Tang and his business partner Dr Summon Ramzan. They have both worked in the field of dentistry for almost 20 years. The business was founded in 2014 and the partners have since worked hard to develop and grow the firm.

'Much-needed' housing delivered in Highland town

Housing stock in the centre of Dingwall has been handed over to Highland Council by property developer Ark Estates, which has highlighted hopes the project will be a catalyst for further regeneration in the town.

The developer, headed by ex-Dingwall Academy pupil Willie Gray, has delivered a 30-flat development and retail units in the Highland town’s main pedestrianised shopping street.

Menzies sets female management targets​

Logistics specialist Menzies Aviation has set itself new gender diversity targets as part of its broader drive towards improved corporate sustainability.

Headquartered in Edinburgh, Menzies employs 25,000 people providing ground, fuel and air cargo services at more than 200 airports in 37 countries, and has set new targets for female management.

Royal Bank owner pleads guilty to breaches of money laundering regulations​

The owner of Royal Bank of Scotland has pled guilty to three money laundering offences.

NatWest Group has in a statement this morning said the three offences relate to its failure to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 between November 7 2013 and June 23 2016, and between November 8 2012 and June 23 2016.

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