One of Scotland’s largest privately owned forests has been brought to the market.

Norwood Forest is described as an "exceptional" 939-hectare property near Hawick in the Scottish Borders that has been held by the same family since the 1970s.

Jon Lambert, partner at Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, said: "Norwood is the Rolls-Royce of large-scale commercial forestry. It is rare to come across a forest of this size that is of such superb quality.

"Possibly the most desirable, extensive operational forest in the south of Scotland, it has more than 200 hectares of mature high-quality timber ready for felling and offering immediate income potential. With timber prices increasing, this will generate substantial revenue for the foreseeable future.

"Add the premium location, an excellent forest road network, a diverse age class structure, the outstanding quality of the forestry and Norwood ticks every box. It is an exemplary forest that has been managed to an exacting standard and I expect it to attract considerable attention."

Felling of the first crops started in 2010, with some felled areas producing more than 500 tonnes per hectare, and large areas of second rotation crops are now established. Conifers cover 735 hectares of the property, of which Sitka spruce accounts for 92 per cent. A long term forest plan was agreed in May 2024 with felling approved for the next 10 years.

Managed by the same firm since planting began in the late 1970s, the aim has been to maximise timber production and sequester carbon while also enhancing the amenity and conservation value of the forest where possible. Native broadleaves have improved biodiversity and added structural diversity.

The Maiden Paps, Harwood and other burns, ponds and a section of the Catrail – an 11.5-mile long ditch and bank cutting across the upper Teviot Valley that is thought to have been constructed in the 4th and 5th centuries – add to the attractiveness of Norwood.

Norwood includes a significant stone quarry with a stockpile of crushed stone and additional borrow pits. Wind farm interest in the area is considerable.

Norwood Forest is marketed at offers over £19.5 million.

Major Glasgow employer to cut hundreds of jobs

Motor insurer Direct Line, a major employer in Glasgow, has revealed plans to cut around 550 jobs.

It did not specify the geographical split of the job cuts. Direct Line announced the job cuts as it revealed a further loss of own-brand motor insurance customers.

Its number of own-brand motor insurance policies fell from 3.119 million at June 30 to 3.048 million at September 30, its trading update this morning reveals. Average own-brand motor insurance premiums in the third quarter were up about 3% on the same period of last year.

Almost one fifth of retail staff assaulted over last 12 months

Almost one in five retail workers in Scotland have been physically assaulted while doing their jobs over the last 12 months.

The figures, released by retail trade union Usdaw, are part of this year’s Respect for Shop Workers Week as it tries to raise awareness for what workers are put through.

And Tony Doonan, the regional secretary for Scotland, claims there is a retail crime ‘epidemic’ and organised crimes are targeting stores. As well as 17 per cent being assaulted, 69 per cent have experienced verbal abuse and 45 per cent were threatened by a customer.