New East Lothian town Blindwells' employment uses unveiled

The number of people going through the doors of Scotland's stores was 17% lower than October 2019, new data from the Scottish Retail Consortium has revealed.

David Lonsdale, its director, urged ministers to take "big, bold action" to "reignite their economy and to back shops which have been clobbered by the pandemic".

Elsewhere, British Airways owner IAG said passenger numbers are starting to improve as lockdown restrictions ease but remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

The airline said in the three months to the end of September, passenger capacity was 43.4% of 2019 levels, although this was up from 21.9% in the three months to end of June.

IAG added it continued to suffer heavy losses, with a pre-tax loss in the third quarter of €714m (£611m) although this was up on the €2bn (£1.7bn) loss in the same period a year ago.

Also today, the first tranche of land designated exclusively for employment has been set aside at the site of a new town, shares in the owner of the former Clydesdale Bank plunged, and, in Business Voices, Louise Macdonald, national director of IoD Scotland, looks at the cost of climate inaction.

Business space opportunities broaden Blindwells appeal

Plans for the next phase in the multi-million-pound regeneration of a former open cast mine in East Lothian have been unveiled.

Developer Hargreaves Land has released the first tranche of land designated exclusively for employment uses within Blindwells, the new town development located 12 miles southeast of Edinburgh.

Hargreaves is committed to employment growth in East Lothian and making up to 5 acres available for business use from Autumn 2022 as the first in a range of suitable sites within the development.

The firm has appointed independent property advisor Ryden to begin marketing the first tranche, which is suitable for a range of commercial uses including offices, workspace and storage and is well located adjacent to the new town centre facilities.

The employment land will enable businesses to locate themselves at Blindwells, thereby benefiting from the site’s accessibility and infrastructure. Creating new employment opportunities will support the development of a strong and cohesive community, according to Hargreaves.

Bruce Lindsay, development director at Hargreaves Land, said: “This is a very exciting addition to the overall Blindwells proposition. We are looking to work with local and national businesses who wish to take advantage of everything the scheme has to offer. Locating your business at Blindwells means you can benefit from a growing residential community, superfast broadband, acres of attractive green spaces, all within a highly accessible location.

“Our forthcoming town centre facilities will also offer a range of retail and leisure amenities, so we believe Blindwells has a great deal to offer as a commercial address and provide a rare opportunity to live, work and play at the same location. The development of new homes is progressing tremendously, so we are looking forward to moving ahead with the commercial element of the scheme.”

Cameron Whyte, associate at Ryden, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this exciting phase of Blindwells. The land enjoys a strategic location just off the A1 and would suit a wide range of commercial uses. The focus will be on delivering a high-quality business environment that complements the Blindwells new town development as well as serving the wider East Lothian area with much needed employment opportunities.”

Hargreaves Land is delivering the new town with the benefit of consent for the development of 1,600 new homes at Blindwells as well as shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and a new school. Over 200 new homes are currently under development by Bellway and Cruden, with Persimmon Homes due to commence work on site early in 2022 on a further 197 homes and Ogilvie Homes delivering 77 homes from Summer 2022.

Share price collapse at owner of former Clydesdale Bank

Shares in the owner of the former Clydesdale Bank plunged more than nine per cent after it unveiled plans to slash costs as part of its digital banking drive.

Glasgow-headquartered Virgin Money declared yesterday that it was targeting gross savings of around £175 million between now and 2024 by accelerating its digital first strategy.

Louise Macdonald: Climate inaction will cost more in long run

With COP26 in full swing, we cannot escape the climate conversation. But what is happening in Glasgow just now must be a springboard to an era of implementation, moving us out of ambition and into a time of true action.

For businesses this means that ESG (environmental social governance) alongside other frameworks simply must be a feature of their operating model. The choice is not between “cheap inaction and expensive action”, as inaction is going to cost more in the long run.