My team and I know how much high-quality coverage of the business world means to you, our loyal subscribers. It is a reason many of you are drawn to us as your chosen newsbrand.

And so, we work diligently to produce the best we can, never taking for granted that you have chosen to join The Herald, by taking out a monthly or yearly subscription, or that you will always choose to stay.

Our business coverage this week has been packed with exclusives, analysis and comment, and I am keen to make this the focus of my newsletter, offering a reminder that we are true to our word when we say we are determined to stand out from our competitors.

Let’s start with our three-day series looking at how Scotland is on the cusp of a new era of hydropower energy usage. Led by our business correspondent Brian Donnelly, Power of Scotland: Scotland’s Hydro Revolution, looks at the country’s potential to unlock vast energy capacity. It is a fascinating investigation.

Well received by readers so far too, the series reveals a potential for up to eight new pumped hydro storage sites across the country. What does this mean for jobs? Who are the key players? What does it mean for you? You can read how one entrepreneur became an overnight millionaire by selling his energy storage facility. The series ends tomorrow, but we will be bringing you much more from this sector over the coming months.

Elsewhere this week, our deputy business editor Scott Wright produced one of our best-read stories looking at what is to come next for Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries after it emerged it was no longer to be demolished to make way for a multi-use leisure site. As owners Land Securities go back to the drawing board in a post-Covid world, what does this mean for the city? Is retail the future? First-rate analysis.

Our business team also turned its attentions to Scottish tourism this week, with an interview with the new head of VisitScotland who insisted that relentless marketing campaigns during the Covid pandemic are now paying off. Chief executive Vicki Miller told Scott Wright that visits by international travellers to Scotland surged by 23% to four million in 2023 – but this did not ‘happen by accident’. How was Scotland spotlighted? What efforts were made to ensure it was not forgotten? What are her thoughts on the tourist tax? You can read the full article here.

As loyal subscribers, you have full access to all our business content, and I thank you for your support as we strive to produce the type of journalism we believe matters – and you want to read. If you have not already done so, you can also sign up to our evening Business Insight newsletter written by our team about the pressing topics of the day. A valued part of our content offering.

Again, thank you for your support,

Catherine Salmond,
Editor