A Scottish restaurant owner has moved to tackle staff accommodation shortages by buying a motel.

The J&R Group, owner of The Seaforth in Ullapool owner made the move “as it would fill an accommodation gap currently unable to be met by local or national authorities”.

The purchase of the motel has made available 10 rooms at low rents for local and international staff, with an additional apartment housing managerial staff.


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The firm is currently developing plans to extend further on the site, citing accommodation shortages for hospitality staff in the West Highlands.

Workers are able to remain in the property all year round - instead of seasonally - a move which Seaforth’s owner said is “specifically designed to improve wellbeing and work-life balance”.


READ MORE: Famous Highland restaurant buys motel 

ANALYSIS: The Seaforth flags Highland housing and Brexit challenges


Scottish flight school in administration

Tayside Aviation Limited, widely known as Scotland’s premier flight school, has ceased trading after providing more than five decades of flight training at Dundee Airport.

The Herald: A UK CAA Approved Flight Training Organisation, Tayside provided courses from private pilot licences to full commercial airline licences over a span of 53 years. The company also delivered the RAF Air Cadet Pilot Scheme for more than 30 years.A UK CAA Approved Flight Training Organisation, Tayside provided courses from private pilot licences to full commercial airline licences over a span of 53 years. The company also delivered the RAF Air Cadet Pilot Scheme for more than 30 years. (Image: Tayside Aviation)

Twenty-two of the company's 25 employees have been made redundant following the appointment of Blair Nimmo and Geoff Jacobs from Interpath Advisory as joint administrators.


Famous Scottish crisps brand disappears as product gets a new name

The renowned Mackie’s of Scotland name is to disappear as a bagged crisp brand after a new identity was unveiled by the product's owner.

The Herald: Taylors said while the branding has changed there has been no alteration to the product itself, which it said is Scotland’s biggest selling crisp brand.Taylors said while the branding has changed there has been no alteration to the product itself, which it said is Scotland’s biggest selling crisp brand. (Image: Taylors)

The popular crisps have been rebranded Taylors Snacks further to the end of a joint venture established by the Taylor and Mackie Scottish family businesses in 2009. The Taylor family, which makes the crisps on its Perthshire farm, took full control of the venture last year.


Major new whisky warehouse development to be built by family-owned Scottish distillery

Plans have been unveiled for a huge new whisky facility in Scotland that will create 25 new jobs.

The Herald: It will be made up of nine whisky storage warehouses, a blend centre associated to a tank farm, and an office building.It will be made up of nine whisky storage warehouses, a blend centre associated to a tank farm, and an office building. (Image: IMD)

Ian Macleod Distillers (IMD) has lodged the proposal with Stirling Council for the investment at Bandeath Industrial Estate at Throsk.

The development will house a complex of modern buildings, providing additional capacity for the company’s operations across Scotland.

The warehouse buildings will store casks, allowing whisky to slowly mature for several years prior to it being sold in bulk or as cased goods.